i have no picture for this (as it was dark), only words.

tonight i had my first nighttime walk in my new town, my new neighborhood. it has to be done, you know. i almost went last night, i was so restless, so tired of being cooped up trying to find places for THINGS. but i didn't, feeling quite agoraphobic.

tonight as i was eating my corn pasta and spinach and squash, after consuming nearly a bottle of 3-buck-chuck (chardonnay), the HEB version of Trader Joe's 2-buck-chuck (everything is bigger in Texas, including prices), i longed for a bowl of crunchySnacks to take to bed for reading time. yes, even at the end of dinner, i can still consider crunchySnacks. so i put on my bra and shoes and grabbed my string bag and headed out. my neighborhood streets are quiet and mostly dark at 8pm. some houses had no lights. some houses had piles of plants and pumpkins. most houses are small and glancing through the windows i can see we share a common goal of making things fit and function. if this were Austin, the houses would be inhabited by hippies and hipsters. in San Antonio, maybe people a little edgier and desperate. here, just ... people. there were no blue glows of TeeVee. no loud music. few dogs barking. i felt safe on St Mary's Street. how could you not?

the HEB was too well-lit with fluorescents, so i passed through quickly, fetching my box of crunchySnacks and 2 organic yogurts. i paid and acquired some cashback and escaped. there are different people on a Sunday night and that was interesting. i headed downtown, hearing distant music and wondered if something was actually "going on". no. nothing. very quiet. cars, of course, this is Texas. and one couple walking a tinyDog. me swinging my stringBag. i detoured off the big street and ... gulp ... decided to cross the dark pedestrian bridge over the creek. sure enough when i was half way across, i saw there was A Figure at the end. i picked up my pace and jauntily passed the man speaking intimately on his cell phone and said 'scuse me - "si" he said.

i arrived home. i call this home, now? i'm nosy, but the windows of my fellow inhabitants in this 4-plex are dark or non-existent. i see the Motorcycle Guy at the kitchen sink. does he cook? how do 4 people fit into that place?? my downstairs neighbor has lights, but blinds shut. no spying. i haven't met her. the old people are probably fast asleep. i climb the stairs to my place. my security light is set too high and i have to wave my hand to make it come on. i come in. wait. do i not smell that damn cigarette scent?? did my carpet cleaning work?? oh i hope! so. now to my nest (i have no reading chair yet) with a book and my crunchySnacks. it is weird and quiet here. but i guess it will be ok for an alien. for a while.

maybe.