just me

I walked down the same sidewalk I'd walked down a hundred times before. The colors were more vivid. The sounds more clear.

I hitched TheDog to a tree and grabbed my steaming cup of addiction.

I missed the days of sitting on the patio with TheDog. Perhaps they'd allow her back soon. But in the meantime, I unhitched her and we walked away.

A block up there's a bench. Near a restaurant. One that is fortunately not open at that hour of the morning.

We sat, TheDog and I, for a while. TheDog was enjoying the cooler weather and occasional pets. I was enjoying my coffee, not reading, not writing, just pondering.

Despite the organizational disaster that is my house, despite the mountain that is my inbox, despite the wreck that is my back, I was calm. I was serene.

I was myself again. Mostly.