Your dreams are safe now.....

I took an empty coffee can with me to the club. Barreled through the front doors looking like all of a beggar. Set it up on the bar. And waited. One by one the bottle caps arrived. Heinekens, Michelobs, Coors, Red Dog, Buds, obscure beers I've never heard of. In half a set, the can was full and I sealed her up. Secured the little plastic lid. Done Deal.

Every now and then a new cap would plunk down on the countertop. Some hit the lid, others like stray cats at a dumpster, loitered close and then fell behind the bar, on the floor, or just disappeared all together.

At midnight, I swept the bar with my eyes. Scanned their faces. And then gathered up their bottled stories and daydreams and brought them home with me. I plunked through my treasure chest of colored caps, my fingers listening to them tink.....metal sea shells.....And went to sleep.

This morning I knew.

I started hammering at first light.

The neighbors, out for coffee, hollered over....."Hey, Sing, there's a damn woodpecker on your porch!"...... "Mmmmmmm,hmmmmmmm" I mumbled to the morning air, barely aware they had spoken, hammering.....66 bottle caps, 207, 303 and more.......each little trinket getting three hearty and soulful bangs for good luck....

And then she was done.

Peace.
That's what I wish for you my friends.

Writing on the walls....

I woke up to sunshine and followed the trail of abandoned combat boots, clothes, helium balloons asleep on the floor, to the kitchen.....to the first New Day of the New Year. Confetti is still fallin' from my hair, joining the cat hair in a midair ballet. It's nice. This promise of tomorrow. I open the windows and smile at the unkempt yard and the free newspapers piled at the edge of the driveway. I clink! my coffeecup to the blue sky and throw a kiss... "Good-bye friend" I whisper to the old year, the tried and tired and true year. I'm not being unfaithful, it's just time to move on...

I run my fingers over the broken blue tile and Michelob caps, the fresh sandy grout.....and smile again. My Dear John letter to 2007 and love letter to 2008 etched forever on the walls of this old house. Let there be peace.......