A Good Start

 

It seemed like a good day to stop alongside the stream. I had just picked up some books at the library and while the weather forecasters were warning about high temperatures and the need to stay indoors, I chose the stream.

    Really, it wasn't a tough decision to make, stay at the air-conditioned library or sit beside the quiet stream. In the end…it was a rather easy choice to make. I pulled up and parked in the shade of a small sapling. On a day like this, even though it was still morning, every little bit of shade was appreciated.

    It was quiet; the stream was low and wasn’t making any sounds as it slipped between the rocks. The wind wasn’t blowing and so, the weeds sat still, no rustling noises came from them. The birds were quiet; there was no chirping. Even in it’s quiet, the spot was a comforting place to be.

    Picking up one of my books I started reading, seeing if it would be any good. The book was written by Harry Harrison back in 1966. Its name is Make Room! Make Room! It was later made into a movie that many of us probably remember, Soylent Green. Chances are you still remember the famous catch phrase of the movie!

    Before I knew it, I was 20 pages into the book and pretty sure I was going to like it!

    Setting the book down for a minute, I glanced out the windshield of the car just as a heron flew over. It was low and looked huge! I had an idea of what it was but since it was flying away from me in a straight line, I wasn’t sure. It arced to the left, circling back around and I saw its legs hanging behind it. It flew over the stream and towards a tree flying around it rather than landing. It flew lower to the water, following its course and then disappeared behind the weeds and trees.

    What a great thing to see! The Egyptians viewed herons as symbols of resurrection. The Greeks thought of them as divine messengers as did ancient Irish folklore. The Native Americans viewed herons as a symbol of patience and good luck. I myself also think of them as good luck; I always consider myself lucky to see them!

    I just had a dream last night where my brother Ralph and my Mother came to visit me. Hmmm… perhaps there's a message here that I should be aware of!

    The day is off to a good start, visits from two people I miss and love and a close sighting of a heron. Plus…I also got some new (?) books to read! Oh yeah, it’s off to a good start!

A Morning Walk

 The streets were dark and the streetlights only provided small pools of illumination onto the sidewalks. The road tapered off into the distance where tall buildings stood. Most of the lights in the buildings were off, the morning shifts having not yet arrived.

    A shadowy figure stands near a parking kiosk, waiting for a ride possibly. Parking the car, I cross the street with no real need to look either way, cars and trucks are rare at this time of the morning. I glance over my shoulder to make sure the shadow isn’t following me or going towards my car, but it isn’t really necessary.

    The one open business, a coffee shop, has just opened a few minutes ago. Already there are 3 customers inside. Two are leaning over a tall table, steaming coffee under their noses, deep in conversation. The other, is standing at the counter waiting for his order, talking to the barista. I am quickly taken care of and with my capped cup of coffee in hand, I start my walk.

    The sidewalks which will be crowded in a few hours are now deserted. Empty milk cartons sit against the buildings, seats for panhandlers later in the day. Restaurant chairs and tables sit empty. Lights in the stores are off, looking at the windows reveal only reflections of the outside world.

    A couple trucks sit in the slow lane, their back doors open to reveal the boxes of foods and goods waiting to be unloaded. A dark figure moves around in one of them, filling a pallet with items that will be sold later in the day. The streets are deserted, only an occasional car passes by. A couple bicyclists slip past soundlessly, only the lights they are wearing giving their passage away. The sidewalks are empty except for me.

    On a side street a car sits in front of a vape shop, or possibly the massage parlor upstairs. The car sits empty, crossing the street I don’t go close enough to see if the engine is running.

    The alleys are dark, filled with shadows. Dumpsters are mere shapes, filled with yesterdays trash, some with their lids propped up from the excess refuge. The parking lots are empty and the only sounds are from the infrequent passing car or truck. A man walks past, going to an unmarked door and knocks. It is opened and the bright lights of a work space flood the sidewalk and then the door closes and darkness returns.

    Returning to the car is quiet and uneventful. The sky is slowly brightening; hanging above the hills the half-moon is looking bright against the blue sky. All the stars and planets have disappeared. More lights have been turned on in the city.

    It is almost time for the morning train, so I stop to watch it pass. Setting up my tripod and camera, a man stops to ask what I’m doing. This is the first person I’ve talked with since my visit to the coffee shop. The whistle sounds and the light by the station brightens and then slowly gets larger. Within a minute, the train has passed me and is on its way across the state. Now it is only a memory, a memory in my mind, and on a chip inside my camera.

    The sky continues to brighten, and I turn the car towards home. There are chores to be done, and the rest of the day needs to play out. My walk through the Strip was invigorating; I got some steps in, a little exercise and a couple pictures. The streets of the Strip District almost always provide interesting visits, whether the stores are open or not, whether people are there or not. But when it is a dark morning, the streets deserted, and the stores all closed, it tends to be just a little more exciting!

The Morning Matrix

 

The Morning Matrix

    Raindrops slide down the window, I am inside the Matrix, only vague images of the valley below filter through. The day isn’t bright yet, heavy clouds and rain hide the sunrise. The brightening is gradual, slow enough to be almost imperceptible.

    Cars on the roads are still using their headlights. Four colors make up the spectrum so far, red from brake lights and the two traffic lights below, occasional greens when the lights change, the bright white of headlights and then, the overwhelming color, or lack of color, gray. The grays overpower everything.

    Brightening, ever so slowly, smaller details start to become evident. The silhouettes of the trees become more apparent. Skylights in the roofs of the buildings below start to appear. Far away, cars on the highway appear as indistinct shapes, one following another, their direction of travel hiding their lights from view.

    Occasionally, all seems to stop. Only the drips on the windows continue. No cars are visible on any of the roads. The traffic lights are static; the Matrix has stopped, halted, a pause in the continuum, a momentary shift in the constant movement of our world.

    Then a few cars speed past on the highway and movements begin again. Thankfully, the world is coming back up to speed! I see the reflection of my coffee cup in the window, I take a sip and think. It looks like it will be a slow day, wet and cold, a good day to stay indoors.

    Whoa...Wait…What’s that? I HEAR A TRAIN WHISTLE!!!