the big old corner house next to ours is in the process of extensive remodeling - the houses out here are small small, so one tends to build a 2nd or 3rd floor to create more space. this is not the house connected to ours, but there is only about a yard from their house to ours. at night we listen to the huge blue tarp thwip/thwaping against the side of our house... we spy the pretty blue blue through the textured window in our bathroom, the room glowing with color when the sun hits it just like so.

on the other side of the huge house is a street, then FranklinPark (in other words, one must watch out for the kitties in the backyard, keeping track of possums, raccoons and skunks...) and i fear for their kitty kept outside, i do - but this is not about kitties, no.

this is about flashing lights and sirens, about fire trucks parked directly outside of that house...so close to ours...about coats over PJs and slippers outside...

our guess is that one of the workers fell from the roof or scaffolding...i did not dare ask. there were no helmets so i assumed no fire - there was a group of EMTs gathered around a body, however.

we kept our distance, of course, not wanting to rubber-neck but still peeking through a bush to make sure our house was safe...from there i caught a fast glimpse of them pumping at the body's breast...then the zap twitch of the paddles.

there was the unmistakable scream of the machine...i said to my tt, do you hear that? ...it is his heart...not beating...someone just died.

it tipped us both, left us confused, uncertain and numb...we went back inside and hugged the cats for a while.

yesterday there was the owner's cat, blinking up at us from the bushes, stretching out to sniff/nudge my fingertips. she has not approached us before, so obviously curious and open. i wondered if she was hungry, if she was let in last night, if the owner himself died while inspecting the new tiles on the roof...if there was anything i could do.

its been a bad day
please don't take a picture
its been a bad day...please

we're dug in the deep - the price is steep.
the auctioneer is such a creep.
the lights went out - the oil ran dry
we blamed it on the other guy.
sure, all men are created equal...
here's the church - here's the steeple
please stay tuned -- we cut to sequel
ashes, ashes, we all fall down.