they have just left. It's newly dark, only 7 something, earlier than usual. They load themselves up...kids finding their shoes, collecting their little screens of whatever, their papers, Alyssia strapping Emrie into her car seat, the dangling musical flamingo who we call Flemie, dangling and playing her car seat song...a sweet song, really. Tay is sprawled out on the floor in front of the pull down "couch", bed, where i have chosen to sleep. As i listen to the crunch of gravel from the tires, i begin to make my bed. I go back into the "bedroom" of this travel trailer, which seems miles away from everything, and bring them out.
it's the same sheets, pillow cases, quilt that i got at the animal shelter garage sale maybe 15 years ago. Familiar. Same ones from New Mexico, that street in Polvadera. Linens. Stuff made of
cloth
Make the bed.
another day has spun through. The pull down bed bordered on the West by windows and when i wake during the night i can look out and see stars by the zillions. They are so BIG, the stars here and so CLOSE. More so than ever before anywhere. I asked Alyssia if she noticed this or if it was just me and she said that she has seen this too. Stars here, near the edge of this continent are CLOSE. There must be a scientific explanation for this? I'll try at some point to find it, know it, but in the meantime, I wake, off and on. Looking out the window. If Tay sounds an alarm, I will get up, put on my socks, my pants, sweatshirt, shoes and take the Fat Max spotlight OUT into the dark to be sure things are ok and i will look up
at the stars
that are so close they are in their own way, frightening.
