

Cold the dark night. Shivering wrapped in blanket, protected against the empty passage of time's tortured watch. Clenched teeth. An alarm cries, its sound harsh and loud. He wakes and sees the world in the cold and naked light of a morning waiting for his waking. 

He rolled over slowly. The bed a creature containing a power of sleep, a blanket of somnolence to wrap around his mind and the world too frightening to face he closed his eyes. Loud the alarm blared. He got up. It was time.

When he stood it was his feet first awake. Cold they felt the ground. He walked to the kitchen. There it was dark in the pale morning. He flipped the light switch and looked around. There were the plates from last night still unwashed. He said: If I do not wash them no one will.

It was time to eat. He pulled the carton of eggs from the refrigerator and placed it on the counter and then took the pan from the cupboard and also some oil. He poured some oil into the pan and turned on the stove and cracked eggs into it. He yawned as he waited for the sizzle of frying. It was cold. He yawned again. Hurry up eggs, he said. They began to fry.

Not long after the eggs were done. He had made toast as well and buttered it. The eggs he put on the toast because that's how it was done. There in the middle of the plate the arrangement looked good. It was the beginning of the day and it was there on the plate. He smiled. This was the beginning of the day and it was good, just as it should be.

Fifteen minutes after the breakfast he began to wash the dishes. Has to be done, he thought. Have to get everything clean. He wet the sponge and put soap on it and wiped the plates and the utensils and the pan. He carefully placed each in the dishwasher and then closed it up. It seemed a little sad there, full of empty plates. Nothing to do for that, he thought.

He spent another five minutes deciding what to do. Eventually he turned to the window and looked out of it. Light creeped from the rising sun like a ray from heaven just for him. It's beautiful he thought.
So beautiful.
What to do now?
What to do?
Maybe a jog.
Yes. A jog.
It's still cold out.
Maybe not.
Maybe just a shower.
A shower would be nice.
Warm.
I'll have a shower.

He looked through his closet. What to wear was important. He didn't know how he felt. It had to be the right shirt. It seemed like a nice day. He reached in and took a bright shirt. It seemed right. He grabbed more clothes. Recalling all the things he had to remember for school. He remembered. It seemed right. Today seemed right. He didn't want to forget this moment because it seemed like a moment that might last a long time enough time to



