The sublime to the not so sublime

Last night, just after I opened my bedroom window, an owl came and perched on the metal shelf (from when I had an air conditioner in the window). Between us was only the window screen. We were three inches apart.

I think the owl came because of the sparrows who nest in the bird house on my deck, maybe snatch one for dinner. But I can't be sure.

She was a beautiful bird and might have stayed beyond a few seconds if I had not moved. But she startled me, and I moved and said, "Well, hello." Then she was gone. I'm glad I saw her.

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Today, as I pulled to a stop at the red light--at the top of the Broadway exit--I saw the man. A panhandler. 

Certainly not an uncommon sight at those freeway exits. Several months ago I stopped at the Garrity exit in Nampa and witnessed a fight between two panhandlers, one holding a sign asking for money, the other folding his sign and slipping it into his back pocket. Clearly a practiced move. 

The fight was over the place. One claimed this was his spot and demanded the other "get lost." The other said "I got here first."

The light turned green, and I left. I don't know if they came to blows.

Today's guy held a sign, too, of course. His said, "Bet you can't hit me with a quarter." 

I wonder if you're thinking what I'm thinking. 

A quarter? Does he really want a quarter?

*     *     *

It isn't warm today. A little rain in the morning and not a lot of heat after that. It's 3:30 and not 70 degrees yet. Strange weather this year. No?