Vol. 66, September 19th, 2023 (Published a day early online)
We’re back in voiceover format! Listen here, or on Soundcloud
.
Faded Green
Wanders in Late Summer
“It’s HERE!” I said, turning suddenly in line. “Pumpkin spice coffee!” The lady’s face relaxed into a smile. “Yeah, getting to be that time of year.” And indeed it is. Back on the road, another country byway unfurled beneath the tires, the pines and oaks closing in around the quiet pavement.
The high noon of summer has faded, but autumn is still cooking the reds and golds. It needs more time. A faded green blankets the forests and foothills, waiting, punctuated with a dusty lime and brown where the trees are thirsty.
I rolled along, admiring the view. The Yellow Wingstem is joined by a new flower, blooming an understated white, congregating on the wayside, country ladies watching the great road race.
Have you noticed the light changing, mellowing, turning a September gold? Climbing a hill on a morning walk, I stopped to notice the mint blooming in the grass. There’s rain in the west, and soon the maples will blaze. I’m savoring the pause, eating the last bell peppers of the season.
Pumpkin spice coffee says things will be changing.
Tribute to the Bugeye
Shortly after the Civil War, these shallow-bottomed boats were built to catch oysters on the Chesapeake bay. A monument stands watch at Solomon’s Island, MD, remembering.
Quote of the Week
“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”–Aristotle
Song of the Week
Schubert “Fantasia in F minor for Piano Duet” (1828)
Dedicated to the Countess Caroline, you might hear moonlight sparkling in the eyes of Schubert’s unrequited love...
Or at least some darn good piano.
Down the Rabbit Hole
You say “Pet rock”. I say “Suiseki”. This week’s topic of fascination is a suggestion to look up Suiseki, the Japanese art of stone appreciation. Rock on.
Happy Birthday “The Twist” (1960)
Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” hits #1 on the charts, ushering in a national dance craze. Adults finally dance to rock ‘n roll.
Write to Us!
The Nighthawk is a new old-fashioned way to connect, published weekly. You’re invited to write back, or just enjoy reading. Let’s have some fun! It’s a social paper! Send stories, etc to: PO Box 783, Rustburg, VA 24588 or JoshUrban@protonmail.com
Letters from Josh
(A weekly update from Josh Urban’s adventures on the farm and in the city. #152)
Appearing in the Altavista Journal:
Late Night Radio–Imagine If
Howdy, folks, and welcome back to the show. Sometimes I get to thinking. (Maybe I should do that more often.) That turns to imagining, then, with the right thought, a good laugh. Nothing makes me chuckle quite so much as imagining if.
I went to get groceries and struck up a conversation with the fella at the checkout. His eyes lit up when I told him about a trip north.
“You’re going to the city? I hear DC is loaded with spies.” He scanned the coffee and pasta.
“That’s the word on the street” I said. “Used to live there. Wonder how many spies got frustrated with me.”
“Oh?” he said.
“Yeah, I mean...Imagine if you were a secret agent, trying to get information from me. I go blah blah blah, without saying anything. How maddening to fish for secrets like that. In fact, I knew one foreign girl who wrote for an enemy nation’s paper. She said wanted guitar lessons, but...once she found out that I had nothing to say–at all–she kind of faded away. Or maybe I just bored her.”
He paused, thinking, then bagged the orange juice. “Hmmm. Hard to say.”
(I didn’t tell him about how I used to dance with her, and knew as many smooth moves as national secrets– None. Bet her foot is still bruised. Well, being a spy is dangerous.)
Imagine if one could save the world by talking about the weather, and telling long, pointless stories about a pet goldfish. It would tie up the resources of the bad guys, and nothing sinister would get done. I might be a national hero, and not even know it. The awards ceremony would ramble on. My fellow Americans: thank you for this medal. It reminds me of the time...
Yes, it’s fun to let the mind wander a bit. Another idea popped into my head today. Imagine if we had personal sportscaster announcers for everything we did. Tuesday might sound like this: Blazing electric guitar jingle... Announcer 1: “Annnd it’s a beautiful day here in Rustburg at the Don’t Screw It Up Games. We tune in to find Josh Urban fumbling with the excavator, trying to be helpful on the family farm by filling in a few holes. He’s burning a lot of diesel, but can’t seem to tell the difference between left and right at the controls. What an awful racket. Oh no! He’s dug a second hole by mistake.” Announcer 2: “Yes, Jim, and the dry earth isn’t doing him any favors. It’s quicksand out of the bucket, and he’s scattering dirt like a toddler playing with peas and mashed potatoes.” Announcer 1: “Urban’s turning a park into a moonscape, or a battlefield. I’d say he must be a World War One buff, but maybe that’s over the top.” Announcer 2: “Clever history pun right there, Jim. Well, we wish Urban the best as he struggles to Not Screw It Up! And now, a message from our sponsors.” (They’d probably run an ad for the auto body shop.)
So, no matter if your day is spent frustrating spies, fumbling with heavy equipment, or plotting to join the circus, I hope you find at least one chuckle along the way. Life can be a little more fun to imagine if.
Catch you on the flip side.
– Josh