The first few weeks of August I usually get a terrible night’s sleep. And that’s because I”m expecting the annual Perseid meteor shower. Meteor showers are best observed after midnight of course.
But this night, my wife’s screaming and a nudge woke me up.
Rustle’s got a mouse! He’s got a mouse!
Re-booting my brain from a deep slumber I groggily sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Quiet Rustle was jumping on and off the mattress. I couldn’t find my glasses so, beside my waking brain, everything else was foggy too.
But sure enough, I saw a dark lump protruding from Rustle’s mouth.
I grabbed a paper towel and Rustle. Thanking him profusely for his fine work and gift, I gently removed the seemingly otherwise fine mouse from Rustle’s mouth and staggered outside.
Stumbling barefoot down the driveway in the dark, I placed the mouse on the grass alongside. The terrified mouse darted off. I happened to glance up and what to my wondering eyes did appear but a stunning conjunction of Mars and Jupiter.
I was now fully awake, standing in my underwear in the driveway looking at the stars.
On a lovely summer night no less.
In the morning, it would all seem like a dream.
copyright 2024 Christopher Donahue