A Perfect Evening

A day of uninterrupted sunshine was now a bright heaven, slow to darken itself although the sun had been a long time sunken. Every ridge, bush, tree and rock that stood against it darkened to blackness. Yet on the field before me it threw down a persistent glow. The choir of coyote and owl, laughing in the distance and who - who, hooting nearby confirmed my earlier thought; I've never had it so good.

A seventy-nine cent package of turkey lunch meat coarsely broken into a twenty-four cent package of chicken flavored ramen was the prelude to this moment. I had splurged at Safeway tonight. A dollar-fifty slice of carrot cake meant I would go without meat for the next two days. But the slightly sweet, light floral scent of jasmine tea and the thick sweetness of my dessert reminded me that I am worth the occasional extravagance.

To know me would partially mean you'd understand how much I would prefer coffee in this moment. The slightly bitter, rich aroma of a french roast is much more to my liking. But my stomach prefers tea and I must live in close proximity to that cantankerous bastard. Last night's rejection of the late night coffee left me coughing out the aspirated acid remains of an otherwise enjoyable evening.

Tonight's blessing is that nightfall has never seemed so slow in coming. I look longingly at the still livid sky, the slightest hint of pink deepening to carnelian before me, chased down by the bravest of the stars leading the onslaught of indigo across the sky. I have never had it so good.