I’m sure Murphy was very confused that she was getting a second walk right after the first one. Another bag, another trip down the hall, down the stairwell. Although she must have recovered very quickly. She still scampered toward the door as if she were in her bladder-bothered hurry, which she couldn’t have been. It was late. Very late. And still. I like the stillness of an early February morning, a late February night. The world might as well be all for me, Murphy and me. For a change, there was very little wind. And it was freezing but just barely, which is how I got by with one glove.

On our first walk to the park I had seen this vent. I’ve seen this vent a few times. It blows exhaust around the park’s light. And on just the right night it looks very cool. And I’ve always meant to take a picture of it. It was the right night. The exhaust was billowing prettily around the globe of light. But I didn’t have my camera. So I darted home and collected my camera and set back out. As we were walking into the park, it was gorgeous and ethereal. And as I got closer and pulled my camera out and set it right, the steam, the exhaust, whatever it is, stopped. A trickle turned to nothing. I was standing in the dim yellow light of the park, quite late at night, with my dog, confounded by the stopped steam.

I waited. And waited. I put my camera back in my pocket and slipped on my glove. Murph just stood around confused. I watched the vent, like waiting for a speaker to speak. No wispy voice came. We wandered senselessly around the park. I kept one eye on the vent. I listened to the snow crunch under my feet. I tried to get Murphy to run across the icy bits. No one stirred.

I’ve never paid enough attention to see how it works. Perhaps it was done. That was it. The show was over. I tried not watching it, hoping the steam would come back. I’m all about bad timing. Could any other detail in the dark satisfy me? No. Murph was not at all sure whether she should sit still or run around. It wasn’t terribly cold and she doesn’t get cold so I didn’t feel too cruel.

I made a giving up noise and started to walk away. I had made it to the wrong end of the park when the steam came back. I rushed back took my glove off set my camera again and Murphy obliged to sit still and I snapped about six shots before it stopped again. Well this will have to do.

SS