THE POSTMAN ALWAYS

A New York Department of Transportation truck idled noisily, very noisily, outside my window at 6:30. I know about carpe diem and all, but that certainly felt inappropriately early. Cooder was cuddly, and goodness knows that is rare enough, but the racket, and then a surprise attack by Emmylou, disturbed her. Given that I am trying to retrain myself for earlier hours, I got up. The sky is foggy, showing no hint of yesterday's spring.

The coffee tastes good, though: it has depth, no bitterness, and a slight aftertaste of chocolate.

Somewhat later ...

A well-dressed father walking up to the park with a newborn-ish (in a cuddlyslingything), a post-toddler on a scooter, and a bull terrier: "We have to get ahead of the bird chasing initiative ..." Was he teaching his son about business? Some version of the early bird gets the worm? They were quite serious.

Yes, I'm shocked myself, but I did get a load of laundry started. I was the only one at the 'mat besides the owners who don't like me as I argued with them about a pair of pants they utterly ruined by bleaching.

Later that morning, still ...

Would it freak you out to be locked out of your apartment building in sweats and no shoes with no wallet or cell phone? I ran out to toss two packages in the mailbox. I grabbed the wrong keys. And found myself on my doorstep and no one home. I mean, what do you do? In my case, the realtor who found this place for me is around the block, so I thought I would head over and see if he could call my landlady who might be able to get the super to let me in.

Besides being on a schedule and having things I was trying to get done, I panicked because I didn't have a SHRED of anything to READ. Nada. What was I going to do if I had to wait until 6:00 for someone to come to the building? Color me freaked out.

And then I saw a postal truck. I asked the driver if he had the key to get into the front ... AND HE DID. He let me in. I couldn't believe it. He was so incredibly nice. I suppose I looked innocent, given that I was underdressed and barefoot. I am still so relieved I hardly know what to do with myself.

I wondered how all those postman got into all those buildings. Turns out there is a key box on all the apartment buildings. In the key box, voila! there is a front door key. K said that they aren't supposed to do that. Perhaps I looked extra-freaked out as the postman agreed to rescue me almost immediately.

When in doubt, prone out. I took a short nap. I woke up to a cat on each pillow.

They sure look a lot alike, don't they. the