Inner Dialog

I knew the day was going to be a challenge. I had a slamming headache before dawn, while dreaming my cat Sammy was lost. In the dream my studio was overtaken by two or three black and white kittens and another painter had an easel set up making it impossible for me to enter my studio door.

In real life my cat was not lost. This morning I went to clean his litter box and noticed it was empty of solid waste for the second day. As I suspected, he had taken up a squat spot behind Bill's desk. Keep your humor, I told myself as I shimmied to get between the wall and behind the desk. Somebody please make me laugh! Isn't there a number you can call? Think of all the people without power and their homes have slid off mountains into the river and middle eastern government takeovers, and wars and you are taken down by having to clean up a little bit of cat poop? Shame on you!

When I stepped outside I saw my neighbor walking with his toddler son who was pointing fascinated by his kitten who was following him. Lily and I stopped to say hello to the father and son. When we crossed the street two men were sitting on benches in the shade of the trees. Beautiful day, I said. Beautiful day the man I know shouted back in his deep voice. As I rounded the corner I saw sleeping bags draped over the railing in the baseball field bleachers. I think late at night when the park goes dark it becomes a bedroom for a few homeless guys.