Sounds on a Quiet Morning
4:00 a.m. “I need the car today, honey. Brian texted me.”
The cat still curled up between my feet
but wakeful, watching all.
Rustling of sheets and duvet as he tosses it all over to my side
Ahhh, hhuuuu, “14-15-16-17”, ahhh, prffft, “28-29-30” thud, hhuuu, “27-28-29-30” thud, ugghh, “7-8-9-10-11”hhuuh, thud, burp, “excuse me”, ahh, hhuuuh, thud, ahhh, hhuu, thud, ahhhh, “10-11-12-13” prfft, “excuse me”, hhuh, thud
Rustle, rustle, TUG and half the bed is made…maybe.
I feel the cat stir at my feet.
I hear the SNAP of elastic for his gym shorts and his struggle with his socks, then the slide of feet into sneaks,
and the cat is off the bed and bounding.
Thump, thump, thump down the hall and stairs to the kitchen.
It’s finally breakfast time.
Strides down the hall and thumps down each of the six stairs,
the squeal of the pantry door and rattle of cat food hitting a tin dish.
Crack, crack, crack as she eats like a starving animal who doesn’t know where her next meal will come from.
Thumps down six more stairs
click, and the woosh of the front door
as he’s off to the gym when it opens at 5.
And I doze in a quiet house.
The cat returns shortly and settles into a nest in the blankets near my feet after making her dainty way all the way from my shoulder down to my feet.
6 a.m. Back from the gym, the door wooshes closed,
and the inner door click, and each shoe
hits the stairs, all the way up, all 12
blowing and huffing, sweaty clothes
are pulled off and stuffed in the laundry bag.
Sneakers to the corner and strides down the hall
to the shower – we really need to fix that
squeaky faucet, I think once again,
as the curtain rings CLATTER across the rod.
From the other room comes the third snooze
and the sound of tags on the dog’s collar
clanking their metallic clink as she stretches
and shakes it out for the first time today.
Soft padding a few whispers before
the back door s-l-i-d-e-s and a little bark escapes
and is quickly hushed by a loud whisper
“Go do your business”, I’m sure…
THUNK, and the water ceases…pat, pat, pat…
Clatter, clunk, clatter, click and the dog is chowing down.
…rub, rub, rub and the towel slides on to the rod,
a tiny squeak and some splashing water…
Clunk, clatter, click, clatter and the ka-woosh of
the fridge says she’s got breakfast, too.
…and I hear toothpaste and bristles over teeth.
Then water and the CRUNCH and squeak-CLUNK
as the crushed cup hits its target and the lid closes.
Soft padding and metallic clinks,
A click and she and her dog are tucked away in her room again.
Strides along the hall and the s-l-i-d-i-n-g door
travels across its metal course and CLICK
the closet light shines forth –
on my side of the bed, of course.
But I’m prepared, a veteran of many
such mornings,
and I’m already rolled in my cocoon of blankets
the cat still at my feet
facing away from the cruel closet light.
Click, click, click, and the sliding of fabric on skin,
the clatter of his belt buckle nipped into place
and the twist-twist-twist of his tie.
DARK,
and the closet door makes its way
across – the – metal – course.
Strides along the hall and a “Good morning, Girl”
to the dog, whose day has now started – free of the bedroom
Click, click, click of little claws
as she checks on all her people and places to be sure all’s secure.
Clatter, clatter, slurp, sip, clunk,
and his breakfast is done
with the morning news that he kindly shares with us all.
“Have a good day, dear, I love you” he calls
click, and the woosh of the door
and he’s gone for another day
Ca-lick, ca-lick, zip, zzip, clink, click,
“Bye, baby, I love you, love you Mom, bye, Zuzu, take care!”
Click-click-click-click-click
click, and the woosh of the front door
and she’s gone for another day.
7:00 ahhh, a quiet morning, so nice to sleep in…beep-beep-beep, beep-beep-beep
grrr…
jee1.2018
