Missing

I have been missing a lot of opportunities to write here lately.  It has not been by any design that I have missed.   I just seem to have inspiration at the most inopportune moments like when I am driving to work for instance.  I always tell myself that the idea that comes from within will present itself again but it never seems to.  I try to remember the brilliant light that each idea or line of prose is... but like the flash of lightning that lights the darkened night sky the memory of the flash is all I have.  Try to catch it!  If you know how let me know...

That Was Close

Monday afternoon I had one of those incidents where God's divine intervention saved me and a co-worker from terrible harm or our possible deaths.  I work in the Street Department so I am constantly parking vehicles and stepping out to work on or near the roadway.  We were heading to the job after lunch when the near miss (if that is what you call it) occurred.  I won't bother to tell you where this happened just the facts as I know them.   I pulled the truck over and stepped out of the vehicle to the bed to adjust a piece of equipment that had tipped over.   When I began to reach over the side to pick up the equipment I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and yelled at my co-worker to move out of the way of the speeding pick up truck that slammed into the rear of the truck I was standing by.  I was less than two feet from where the impact occurred and and blessed to just be a unwilling spectator to the event.  Once the other pickup  truck made impact, the driver was pushing the truck that I was standing by because he had his foot on the gas still. When the big bang ended I asked the driver if he was OK and he said yes and that he wasn't looking at the road  when he rear ended the parked truck.  OK, I used to be a police officer in another life so I was observing this guy's behavior while the police where investigating the accident and I think he may have been impaired.  The investigating officer didn't ask either me or my co-worker what we saw since in my opinion we were witnesses( because he said he was at the intersection near by and saw the accident).  Here is the rub, the other driver got a citation (as he should have for rear ending a parked vehicle) but I got a parking citation for being in excess of 18 inches from the curb.  Now remember the other driver pushed our truck several feet with the impact.  I can't really say if I was inside the 18 inch zone or not but how can they tell if the other guy shoved the back end of our truck?  Anyway, I thank God no one was injured. 

Wandering in the Desert

Alone with memories
mentally walking nowhere
 stumbling over the pain
 in the darkness
look up for the stars
look to where the horizon should be
believe it will be there
and take the first step of many

Labor Day

It has been a while since my last post.  Melanie is back in Michigan and once again I am alone.  Labor Day is here and will soon exit stage left.  Bye bye Summer.  Hello Fall and cooler weather (I hope).  I have always liked Labor Day.  It isn't ironic that we celebrate a day of workers by not working?

The Narrow Gate

Yesterday I saw Melanie off on her way back to Michigan.  I pondered life and relationships while driving back to the Golden Triangle.  Imagine my surprise when I sat for Mass yesterday evening and the homily was on our relationship with God.  I will wake each morning and strive to enter through the narrow gate where my heart meets God's love.  

Speak To Me...I'm Listening

While sitting outside this evening, I watched the approaching dusk and listened to the rumble of thunder in the distance.  A Blue Jay landed in the Oak tree above me, looked my way and began chirping like he had an important message to deliver.  I exhaled cigar smoke, looked directly at the Blue Jay who appeared to return my stare and l said speak to me...I'm listening.  The Blue Jay sang his song, gave me one last glance and flew away.  I thought about the encounter, finished my cigar and said speak to me...I'm listening...still.  

20 Days

Summer doesn't officially end until September 22nd but the Summer as I know it is almost over.  The circled date on the calendar that I don't like to look at is beginning to draw closer and closer.  Damn you calendar hanging on the wall.  I see you out of the corner of my eye when I enter the room.  You are forcing me to see the end of this time aren't you?
 Melanie will be returning to her mom and her friends in Michigan on August 21st.  My abbreviated summer which began in June with her arrival is quickly drawing to the end.  The time has flown by.  I have tried unsuccessfully to slow the movement of time by sheer will.  I must prepare for the heartbreak as she walks down the Jetway again and we begin our time apart again.
Damn time apart.
Damn it only 20 days left.