Last Night

Last night I walked Romeo in the dark. Our day was a bit strange because the kitchen wall clock stopped at 2:20 PM and I didn't realize it. So I kept thinking I had three more hours until supper. Then it got dark. I was determined to stay in the lit areas to avoid skunks.

A group of men were hanging out on Elbow Street the parking lot behind the corner white brick building. I said hello recognizing them. Hey did you used to have dreadlocks? I had long spiral hair yes. I am a swimmer now.
That's good. Did you know you can try the YMCA 3 times for FREE?
Wow, that's good.
Have you ever been inside? It's a beautiful pool with skylights.

Do you still live here? Yes, 25 years! Do you remember us? Yes I do.
We were little kids living next door to you.
Now I am 33 and a grandfather, one man said.

The baseball fields were all lit up last night and softball players were out there with a few teams still playing on the field. The parking lot was full of exhausted happy athletes sharing a few beers.

Romeo found a day-glow softball and promptly carried it in his mouth. We saw Lori at Saint Germain and chatted a bit abut her sore knee, her regular infusions to treat MS, the magnificent paintings of Henri Rousseau and Mark Rothko, learning Spanish. As we were saying goodbye Romeo found his favorite kind of ball, a tennis ball. He dropped the softball picked up the tennis ball and then added the softball. Lori was laughing. Python jaws, are they detachable? How does he do that?

When I headed back a small skunk slunked across East School Street to the trash bin alley. The automatic lights went on at 558 EastSchool just as I passed and we made it home.