Time and Space

The sky seemed especially black tonight, Paul thought as he walked his usual route near his home. The houses were small brick buildings, each one identical to the next. Without a car in the drive, in fact, it was difficult to identify your own home – even after living there as long as Paul had. The front yard was a small patch of grass beside a thin driveway that led into a tiny little garage. From the street all a visitor can really see is the monstrous garage doors of each unit that dwarfs the actual entrance to each dwelling. This was not the only street of its kind; in reality the entire neighborhood was not too different. Each street had a slight change, as the builders wanted new customers impressed with the “improvements” made on each phase. But really this town was like any other suburban town that is a nesting place for the working ants of the nearby city. When Paul and Jeanette moved in five years earlier, the town was just larger than a bustling hamlet. The stars at night sealed the deal, as this naïve new couple wanted to look at the stars and teach their children all they know about the grand universe. They were to have two or three children and on Saturday nights Paul would point out the two constellations he knew; and impress these young minds with the superior intelligence of their parents. The area behind their home was undeveloped at that time and dreams of walks through the trees were vivid as the young couple signed the deal for their first mortgage. The kids could have a tire swing here, and maybe this area fills with water in the spring; they would love the mud and their mom would have to clean them up – a sacrifice to be sure, but every sacrifice looks rosy when a young couple is starting out. They had made their first major life decision, unless you count marriage. Of course Jeanette didn’t count marriage as a life decision. She considered it a temporary endeavor, possibly permanent but hinging on behaviors and actions of her spouse. Of course thinking about that was too much for Paul right now. The city of Barrie is an hour drive to the city and neither of them had grown up here. Jeanette was from the city, never left it. She lived at home until she was 25 and married, traveling seldom and experiencing little. Paul was a small-town boy from out west who came to the big city to make it on his own. Single life agreed with him and he traveled, shopped, partied, and lived. Most of all though, he worked. Paul loved his work, and loved his job. He showed his whole family that he was not a momma’s boy who needed to inherit the farm to make a living. Now Barrie was a new town for both, and a chance to make friends as a couple, find favorite restaurants as a couple, and build a life as a family. Tonight seemed darker. Paul’s last walk around this block was late, around eleven thirty, and most houses were black. Televisions could be seen flickering in the odd bedroom window over the garage. Despite the late hour, no stars were to be seen as the small town had become a large town. The green area behind this row of houses had been replaced by an alley and another row of houses. The lights from yards, doorsteps, and streetlamps made the nature completely disappear – unless you count the small patch of grass on every front lawn. The moon was absent tonight as well. Paul thought about his life as he walked by his own house and started his second trip around the same block. He thought about his religious upbringing and how he never developed bad habits like smoking and going to nightclubs and bars. He was grateful for this part of his life and was sure the things his parents taught him served him well when he chose his career, and made major decisions. “I may not be a handyman, but I'm not completely inept!" he muttered – a little louder than he meant to. His own voice snapped him out of his walking trance and he looked around: partly to see if anyone had overheard him, and partly to see where he was. No one had, and he saw his four-door Toyota three driveways back. He didn’t start walking right away. He paused a moment and took in the scene. A frosty night, clear air. His two biggest purchases sitting next to each other. He admired the car briefly, and focused on the house. It was bland, yet appealing. Boring, but captivating. He stared for a couple more moments, then slowly sauntered towards his door.