Shadow Hunter

I woke up from a deep sleep this morning when I heard bunch of kids in my backyard. I turned off the fan and looked out the window. I saw six kids and an adult. They were in the parking lot next door. It was 3:30 AM.

This morning at 6AM I spotted a baby red-tailed hawk on top of the telephone pole in front of EA Marcoux and Sons. I watched him for a while as he was being heckled by a black starling. Romeo and I continued walking. I admired the shadows. I especially love the shadows cast from fire escapes and clapboards.

My cotton Pepin Lumber nailing apron was strapped around my hips filled with my keys, asthma inhaler and a stash of poop bags and my coffee thermos.

My long shadow makes me look like a tall slender cowboy with my straw hat. Romeo is my miniature horse and the leash looped around looks like reins.

I ran into Roger napping on his knapsack in front of Rite Aid, waiting for the store to open. We got talking as usual. He saw my fist full of trash.
"My obsession," I confessed.
"Let me take that from you," He said. "We need more trash bins downtown and more benches for the elderly and more concerts in the park." I agree.
"Write a note to the Mayor. You have great ideas," I said waving goodbye. "It's already too hot, I have to get to the shade."

The hawk and the heckler were still up there as Romeo were finishing our walk.

When I got home I turned on the AC in the office and replaced two 23 year old curtains and hung up the beautiful heavy cotton yellow checked ones made by my mother-in-law, salvaged when she moved out of her house. They still smell perfumed from her liquid laundry soap.