Haunted

I repeatedly glanced at the weather forecast as if it could predict my mood. I made black coffee and sipped it out of my thermal mug. It was like drinking through a raincoat but it stayed hot so I stopped noticing the scent of the plastic lid.

I took a walk and ran into a lady I know from the pool who was taking too long to tell me a story with too many boring and irrelevant detours. I was standing in the sun with my dog. It was hot. I wondered when I could get moving again. I tried to be an attentive listener.

"I read a book and fell in love with the author," she said. "So I'm going down there to buy a house."

"Be careful," I said. "Maybe go there first before you buy anything." 

I said goodbye and I was relieved to continue walking home in the shade.

***

In this mood I can only say I am haunted, my leaves are falling. I should rake them up and jump in them. Put them in bags on the curb. Burn them. Or just get a good nights sleep.