Are You from Tucson?

No, I’m from Phoenix, Glendale specifically.

What did you think about the rain today?

I love it when it rains because it’s a treat, but one thing Phoenix has that Tucson doesn’t is a gutter system (laughs). So, I don’t like walking in the rain and I’ve learned to wear boots when it’s raining just because you’re gonna have to tread over a river of water. But I do love it when it rains; it’s like one of the times when the desert is actually most beautiful.

You don’t really get that creosote anywhere else in the country.

Yeah … I love the smell.

What’s your favorite thing to do in the rain?

It’s silly, but I actually like to be indoors in the rain and just like watching it … I always want something warm to drink like coffee or tea and I always want to be reading or something — but not doing homework … something enjoyably tranquil.

Do you ever sing in the rain?

I do sometimes.

What do you sing in the rain?

Well, “”Singin’ in the Rain,”” of course. No, just kidding (laughs). I always think of sad things, or maybe like a “”Garden State”” type thing, something from that soundtrack … we can put some of The Shins in there.

Let’s say it rained so hard that Tucson flooded, and you were forewarned about this. How would you prepare?

Well, I would build a boat, like Noah. But I wouldn’t take all the animals; I’d take my top ten friends — who would be the strongest — to survive. No (laughs) … well I would build a boat and probably I’d have to weed through all my stuff and decide what’s most important to carry with me.

—Brandon Specktor