Blood and gold

My favorite Luddite had surgery yesterday and came through it with flying colors, a bit of vomiting, lots of blood and two splints up his nose. He said he wasn't in much pain but he was still full of anesthesia and drugs so he didn't really know what he was saying. He knows this morning though and I'm sure he'll reach for his Vicodin before the day is out. I'm glad he got through the surgery all right and that the surgeon didn't find more than he expected, but I knew he would. He wouldn't dare tank on me now.

At any rate, today is a new day and the kids are back at school across the street. They didn't come back from winter break until yesterday and I missed it because I was still down for the count after having not slept the night before. This morning I was up and at it early and smiling as I listened to the clamor of kids grumbling and jostling while responding to the bells that tell them it's time to get back to the business of learning. There are no bells to tell me it's time to get back to the business of earning a living, but I don't need reminding that the utilities, phone and rent need to be paid.

I slept pretty well last night, but something called me from my dreams to instant waking. A yellow sodium vapor light a block away shines into the bedroom window and I've learned to sleep with it winking and glaring at me in the darkness of night, but last night a new light shone through the window, one I am not used to ignoring. The full silver face of the moon blazed in through the slatted blinds and shone on my face. That was what woke me. It was a perfect moon hanging directly above the street light, a silver twin to the gold, and it felt magical. It took a while to go back to sleep, but when I did happy dreams welcomed me. When I woke again at eight, the moon was down and the streetlight dimmer while the buildings and sky were touched with bloody gold, and I felt rested and ready for another day.