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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Perhaps We Should ALL Have a Nice Day

It is 6:32 a.m. on a Wednesday, and I am walking in the side of the street.  The street!  Like a common hooligan!  I forgive myself quickly, the sidewalks being a heaped mess of frozen/melted/frozen topography, challenging ribbons of ankle-breaking treachery. 

And I watch for cars.

Just three months ago, this time of day looked much the same as midnight.  Today, the sun is cresting the horizon; and the world is filled with the soft, hopeful light of impending spring. 

A man walking a yellow Lab and sensibly walking on the sidewalk approaches.  It is a neighbor.  He raises an arm.  “Mornin’, Pearl!” he shouts.

I wave back.  “Good morning!”  I leave off his name, as I am unsure of it.  Embarrassingly, I rarely remember names, only faces.

He takes another couple steps, slows.  “Eighteen degrees this morning,” he says.

I turn to walk backwards, keep moving.  I have, after all, a bus to catch.  “You can really tell, too, can’t you?  Practically warm!”

He grins.  “I hear it’ll be 40 degrees by the weekend,” he says.

“We’ll have to set up a pool in the backyard,” I say, “just to cool off.”

 “We lived through another one!” he says, moving further and further away. “Have a good day!”

“You, too,” I say. 

And just like that, it is decided:  we will both have a good day. 


The sky seems to brighten just a little more.  

27 comments:

Shelly said...

My skies brightened just by reading this today. And be careful walking backwards- tends to get dicey when it's icy...

vanilla said...

40 degrees and a pool! What's not to love. It is great that you and the neighbor decided that early in the morning that it would be a good day!

Anonymous said...

Agreement is important...it makes things so much more real dontcha think. It won't be long Pearl. Soon you'll be able to walk on the sidewalk again.

Pearl said...

The sidewalks are ridiculously dangerous right now.

Spring is in sight, though! Fingers crossed...

Patricia said...

I'm having a good day too! Thanks for the reminder! :D

Bill Lisleman said...

Pearl you must really wake up at dark-thirty in morning. Do the cats sleep in? Myself I'm glad I can let the morning newspaper age a bit on the driveway before venturing out. Congrats at surviving the polar vortex.

Catalyst said...

Forecast high in Phoenix today is 83, Pearl. Are you sure you don't want that plane ticket?

jenny_o said...

It continually amazes me how sharing a cheerful conversation can change the tone of the day. I admire people who always do that for others. It reminds me of an older guy who visited the wing of the hospital where my father, and others, waited for a bed in a nursing home. He was always cheerful, always kind. His favourite line was "Fake it 'til you make it" and he never failed to cheer up my dad (a formerly active senior who was paralyzed on one side by a serious stroke). He always left those in the room better off, and he did it in just a minute and a few cheery words.

It's kinda like that in here, Pearl, and you are the chief cheery person :)

Geo. said...

Hooligan, maybe, but never common.

Steve said...

The weekend is something to look forward to.

The Cranky said...

Tomorrow we hit 51. 51?!? Time to get out the shorts!

Dawn@Lighten Up! said...

Thought of ya today Pearl, on my Union Walk. Lost gloves - everywhere! Where they righty? Or Stinky?
It's a mystery.

Pat Tillett said...

We have to take our victories where we find them. Nice writing Pearl.

Pearl said...

It is indeed dark when I get up. :-) But there's a darn good chance of the sky being blue, every day, and I gotta say, most of the time, it's worth the wait.

Plus, there may be pie. At any moment, there may be a nice cherry pie.

Indigo Roth said...

Rugged, that's what you are in the Twin Cities.

Elephant's Child said...

A good day, a good week, and a good life.

Gigi said...

Spring is on it's way, you say? Are you SURE?!

Christian at Point Counter-Point Point Point said...

Well don't get too happy. Daylight savings spring forward is this weekend. What's the worst thing you can do to a weekend? Make it shorter.

HermanTurnip said...

When people say to me "Have a nice day," I tell them not to tell me what to do. Who do these people think they are?

Linda O'Connell said...

Hope springs eternal that there will BE a spring here in the Midwest. A reprieve is on the way, 60 degrees. Yep, those youngsters will be baring skin, and the soles will be flip flopping.

Lin said...

Isn't it grand how a few degrees warmer, a little bit of sunshine and a smiley face can brighten your day? Ahhh...life is good. Unless it snows again.

River said...

I remember getting up in the dark and walking to work, although if it was as low as 40F I'd be rugged up like an Eskimo.
Glad to hear you have sunshine and are at last warming up.

Perpetua said...

Here's hoping today will be even warmer, Pearl.

Optimistic Existentialist said...

The perfect capture of a positive morning interection. Sometimes that's all one needs to start out a day full of positivity :)

Connie said...

Bring on the heat! :D Happy weekend to you, Pearl.

Watson said...

Wish you were my neighbour Pearl! You would fit right in!

Diane Stringam Tolley said...

I'm watching the snow pour from my roof in a clear stream of springtime today. Life is good!