Xela in the Morning

Warren writes:

Some have asked “Do you miss Nevada”.  Mostly I miss the spaciousness.  Xela is a big city and only in the early mornings do I find some of the spaciousness that I enjoyed in Nevada.  Before most people leave home, without the noise and danger of cars and trucks, I can walk far enough to escape the narrow streets and building against building.

You have to work to find space.  Get up early, walk rough streets paved with stones that seem quaint when you first arrive.

 People here have strong ankles.  Garbage is stacked at corners.  Some days men toss it into trucks, some days stray dogs tear the bags and pick through it.  Dogs here are different, more like coyotes, but their prey is garbage.  Most dogs avoid looking at you, constantly afraid.  Others seem to look at you and search for weakness.  If you stumble, they might just take a bite.  They have strayed far from domesticity. 

Finally, I can see the mountains that surround the city, reminding me of Nevada, but a green Nevada with cloaks of forest. 

But, the clean air of morning, like the quiet, doesn’t last.  Traffic noise slowly builds, engines belch out smoke, and people crowd the streets.  By 8 a.m., any semblance of spaciousness is gone. Vibrant colors of fruit and women’s dresses replace the grays and browns of early morning.  You have to be more vigilant, avoid cars and buses and bump lightly into fellow pedestrians.  Your focus becomes close, distance is less important, and the space of early morning is filled.

Just STARTING to get busy.....