There’s always a period of curious fear between the first sweet-smelling breeze and the time when the rain comes cracking down.

—Don DeLillo

Yes. And a curious fear in the short time it takes to crack open the cover of White Noise and delve into the first page. He scares me. And enthralls me. But scares me enough that I haven’t read Falling Man yet. But I will. But kind of wish I already had. But I will. He is a writer I learn from and whose fiction haunts (me). His name reminds me of food, or a drink. Care for a DeLillo anyone? Yo, gimme a DeLillo on the rocks! DeLillo. Shaken. Not stirred. I’ll take a DeLillo with my Hitler Studies, thank you, and a pair of sunglasses. 1 flaming DeLillo, please, with a side of scallops. DeLillos for everyone, on the house! It’s raining. Non-acidic rain, we hope. Finally, it’s raining after the driest, hottest, windiest winter I can recall. It’s raining. Hard. The umbrellas have been located. Puddles were made use of. My little family is napping. The bookshelves are calling. Do you know where your DeLillo is?