Beautiful Spring
I got enough in tips last night that I was able to afford a lavish breakfast of eggs, toast, bacon, and a large orange juice at Sam’s this morning, before working the morning shift. It was a slow day this morning, which is just as well since I’d only slept perhaps two hours between closing the place last night and opening it this morning.
The weather has turned warm, but not yet hot, with that edge of humidity that feels like the atmosphere is caressing you when you step outside. It is wonderful, wonderful weather. As I hustled along towards downtown this morning all the colors seemed especially vibrant, the whole world seemed completely beautiful. I saw a couple of rabbits posing like statues in someone’s shrubbery. Last night as I was walking home I’d seen a big ugly possum hustling its way in the opposite direction on the far side of University. They’re ugly critters but I thought it was beautiful in its purposefulness – wherever that creature was headed it was determined to get there.
I swear the Spring is so beautiful that I will do the irresponsible thing and blow some of my tax refund on a new digital camera when it arrives. I can feel boastful like this because I got paid today – the first full-time check since August! Man, it is has been a while, and it feels damned good. I took the check down to the bank and opened a checking account, which will come with a Visa check card, so I can go online in a few weeks and order my new toy if the world is still beautiful and requires photography.
For the moment, though, my funds aren’t available ’til Friday, so I borrowed another Food Stamp off Dan. We then went off to the Baskin Robbins which was giving out free ice cream this evening. Standing in line, I observed the young people around us, and it must have been the tacky “MUCK FICHIGAN” shirt that brought me around to the vibe that here I was surrounded by American youth of the Midwestern United States: specifically, Illinoisians. And I felt this sort of Universal identification with all the other crowds of youth around the world who get together on a Spring evening to await something good, like free ice cream.
You could say that operating on caffeine in lieu of sleep makes me more corny. I wouldn’t disagree.
