15 May 2008

End of the Day

Kids asleep, dishes cleaned, laundry folded. Wife is working the night shift. I fix a drink and sit in the window and look at the street. A few people sit on the wall by the sidewalk murmuring around the division of whatever drug they do these days. Not quite raining, it is misting, and the dark shapes of the northern hills are scattered with dozens of house lights. Two decrepit church towers are darker shadows breaking the view of the hills. It is a beautiful sad night to reflect on the day. The radio tower rises into the mist. To the south, the clouds glow by the light of downtown towers. Wet car tires pass every minute or so.

Now the group down below has broken up. Only a mumbling man and loud woman remain. Woman says "...nahh..you suck my pu.. first man, you want me to suck you di... mouthfull of .... you a goddamn liar...mother f.. " After a few minutes of back and forth they make amends and stroll down the street together.

Highway white noise and the squeal of the train switch yard in the distance. More mist, almost rain now. A voice calls down the last bus. "hey hey"

Next comes a white guy with a gravelly voice and a big pack on his back. He is with a younger woman in a studded leather jacket, shaved head and they argue about going to the Drop or getting a drink. She's walking backwards in front of him waiving her arms, leading him south.. instead of east. He's ready to call it a night. "..heavy pack, man".

Rain stops. Just a thick fog now, but still the sound of water everywhere, dripping off leaves, down gutters, under footsteps.

2 comments:

Chris S said...

You paint the picture quite well, I'd say its beautiful, but there is some darkness for sure... Honesty and the Poetry of life... Very cool!

Radarman said...

You nailed that one, Mike. Good job.