October 28th
Tonight, I curl up on my friend’s couch. The fire crackles and threatens to spew bits of burnt wood beyond the grate. It succeeds twice. The-coal filled belly inhales and exhales a marmalade glow, and the ceiling and walls morph into a chest, rising and falling, shadow and flame. The blaze cracks, pops, and sputters—the only source of light other than the lightening hammering thunder. Pot roast laces the table with an earthy sweetness extracted from cooked carrots. Three pumpkins sit on the counter. Two wearing smiles, one whiskers. Every time the darkness rumbles, our voices die, alternating between laughter and thunder. The perfect October night. The fireplace and deep cushions provide a harbor for rest, communion, and funny faces. So much life. Life-giving rain. Life-giving laughter. Thunder. Sheets unfurl and furl. Unfurl and furl. Then snap. The skylight quakes, driving us together, a clump of lives tied up. Content.
October 29th
This morning, I walk alone. Wrapped in a lingering warmth. Bound up by friends. Not alone. Not really. Anticipating time. Savoring communion. Like coals resting in my belly, radiating a gentle heat. Like tea too quickly swallowed, but just barely. A constant generator. Reminders of rain, leftovers from last night. Broken limbs clutter the pavement. Grassy pores squish and expand under my weight, and the puddles transfer their holdings. Too much life to soak up. I slip. Mud. And I smile. Not as much fun as skidding on ice. But close. Miniature rivers pulse, cutting through my path. “Sweeping away or to?” I wonder. Humidity clings to my skin, reminding me of my peninsula, my Michigan. Constant water content. I miss that feeling. That smell. I stumble. Drowned squirrel. Fur soaked. Eyes closed. Body swollen. I walk a little further. Another squirrel. The warmth inside cools a little, and I try to lose myself in the sky. Watercolored. Oyster blue and ash. Lost. I look up. Not down. I suck in air and jump backwards. Death. Brown lump. Head crushed. Last night, chest beating matched thunder. Content in the fire. A bad night for squirrels.
