Under the Darkening Moon

This was a while ago.

We went out to Eisenman Road at 5:45 a.m. to watch the lunar eclipse. That's where Janice said we would see it best. We did see it, and we did freeze our little selves, too. But there is much more life and many more lights out there than either of us knew about. Bright lights. Trucking places, Shopko's distribution center, Brasher's Auto Auction, WES--whatever that is--not to mention the Outlet Mall.

We went down the road a couple of times, then out Gowen. Lots of lights out there, too. Back to Eisenman, where we went a long way, found a spot, backed up a short sloping driveway and parked. "Great!" said Janice, as she got out all of her scopes and cameras and settled in.

I thought it was private property; I had walked up the driveway, seen the address by the door and the mailbox by the door. When the dogs began barking, I told Janice I was pretty sure we were on private property. She said, "No. It's the storage office."

"Well," said I, quoting, "then, Who let the dogs out?"

"Don't worry," she said. "They're fenced in." Apparently Janice doesn't know the song.

I got back in the car. I don't like intruding upon private property. I was freezing anyway.

Janice is hard of hearing and did not put her hearing aids in that morning, so she did not hear the woman at first. And, because she was bending over with her face in her scope, she didn't see her either. I both saw and heard. That woman was not happy and not nice, especially when she had to repeat everything she said. No hearing aids, remember.

I am a grown-up, but I will say the woman was scary. She scared me. She made clear we were on private property and she needed us to leave. And there were those dogs still barking. When Janice finally knew what was going on, she apologized, but her apology fell on, as they say, deaf ears. Sorry, Janice.

"I need you to pack up all your equipment and get the . . . out of here. Now," said the woman in those familiar no uncertain terms.  And that was the nice part.

We left.

Next time, whenever that might be, I hope Janice will put the hearing aids in. I'm not even sure she heard the worst of it, the sharp edge on that woman's voice. I heard it.

About the eclipsed moon, which was our reason for going out there, remember. It isn't just a disc. You can see its roundness better than at any other time. It looked like a big black ball and like it might drop out of the sky at any second. Fascinated me. I took many pictures. They're pretty good, but they can't capture the look of the darkened moon. They can only remind me. 

And then there's remembering that woman. Oh well. I am glad I went.  I loved the moon. And I always like an adventure, especially if I'm safe inside a car.