Some day I will look at the doctor who stands over me with bad news rolling off their tongue, and I will smile. I'll nod, and breath deep and say, "Now it's time, isn't it?" I will say my goodbyes, and then I'll take the easiest way out they offer me. This I know. One day will be no more fighting, and no more extensions. One day there will be no more time to borrow.
But that's not today. Instead today was a beautiful Fall day in Oregon. Sunny and bright, with a hint of the coming Winter chill. In Raseny's car I rode slowly down Multonomah Avenue under trees of brilliant yellow, orange, red, green and brown. I never understood the word "mosaic" until I moved here. Just like I never really understood Fall, and all the decorations around Halloween and Thanksgiving. I never really knew seasons until I left the desert. Not until I drove through forests that changed before my eyes from ashen grey, to livid green, to brilliant red, and back again. Staring at the trees mere blocks from my house I realized I never knew the depth of color in the world until I came here.
Raseny took the day off work so it was time for an adventure. We don't do that much anymore. She's got her boyfriend, and dodgeball, and stuff and things, and things and stuff. Not much time for getting lost on strange, beautiful streets we've never known were right around the corner, or just across the bridge. There's been moving, and parties, and visiting significant others to occupy our time. Well today there was none of that. There was me, her, and a sick day to spend aimlessly. And all in all it was a good day.
I had my first chili dog. Yes, I'm 34 years old, and I have just had my first chili dog. It was pretty good, too. Spicy, rich, and covered in cheese. Eaten at the wrong time one of those could very well kill me. This time, however, it just left me full, and craving another one. Now I know - chili dogs really can be as good as I'd heard.
We drove around Portland after that. Over to Annie's to pick up donuts, and then slowly drove home. Both of us children of the Southern California desert marveling at the season all around us. Soon those leaves will fall, and there will be months and months of gray. I will huddle inside in front of my tv, or my computer, listening to the rain on the windows and waiting for the snow to fall. There will be fires in the fireplace, and warm cups of coffee in the still of long, freezing nights. Drives will no longer be slow to enjoy the scenery, but to avoid losing control on patches of ice.
But today there is still nothing better than a friend's day off, and a lazy drive.
But that's not today. Instead today was a beautiful Fall day in Oregon. Sunny and bright, with a hint of the coming Winter chill. In Raseny's car I rode slowly down Multonomah Avenue under trees of brilliant yellow, orange, red, green and brown. I never understood the word "mosaic" until I moved here. Just like I never really understood Fall, and all the decorations around Halloween and Thanksgiving. I never really knew seasons until I left the desert. Not until I drove through forests that changed before my eyes from ashen grey, to livid green, to brilliant red, and back again. Staring at the trees mere blocks from my house I realized I never knew the depth of color in the world until I came here.
Raseny took the day off work so it was time for an adventure. We don't do that much anymore. She's got her boyfriend, and dodgeball, and stuff and things, and things and stuff. Not much time for getting lost on strange, beautiful streets we've never known were right around the corner, or just across the bridge. There's been moving, and parties, and visiting significant others to occupy our time. Well today there was none of that. There was me, her, and a sick day to spend aimlessly. And all in all it was a good day.
I had my first chili dog. Yes, I'm 34 years old, and I have just had my first chili dog. It was pretty good, too. Spicy, rich, and covered in cheese. Eaten at the wrong time one of those could very well kill me. This time, however, it just left me full, and craving another one. Now I know - chili dogs really can be as good as I'd heard.
We drove around Portland after that. Over to Annie's to pick up donuts, and then slowly drove home. Both of us children of the Southern California desert marveling at the season all around us. Soon those leaves will fall, and there will be months and months of gray. I will huddle inside in front of my tv, or my computer, listening to the rain on the windows and waiting for the snow to fall. There will be fires in the fireplace, and warm cups of coffee in the still of long, freezing nights. Drives will no longer be slow to enjoy the scenery, but to avoid losing control on patches of ice.
But today there is still nothing better than a friend's day off, and a lazy drive.