Terrarium*

Things explode today. In a way that is positive, if that is possible. World-wise, work-ward, good things are happening this morning.** This, however, makes me want to poke my eyes out as my phone rings and copy moves and headlines need writing and dogs bark in the back of my mind.

It never helps to wake up irritated.

The bagel man, however, made me smile.

I’m new to the world of coffee carts, but there is a man on my corner who, every morning I see him, smiles with a butter-yellow radiance and says, “I’m sorry to keep you waiting dear.” Now that I have pointed out to him that he says this even when he does not actually keep me waiting, I like him all the more. Now he smiles impishly and says it all the same, eyes alight while he wraps his hand around a square of wax paper.

And I have not yet touched my bagel.

Sesame with cream cheese. Tomato ready for slicing. But I’ve placed the tomato, the size of my palm, on my windowsill so I can see it next to the sky: icy pale blue near orange-red. Lovely.

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*I will return to this. Mark these typographic signs.

**As I just said to my boss: “Nobody’s dead yet today. It’s awesome. Good things are happening.”