Wonder on Wednesday

President Barack Obama spoke tonight. I appreciate his candor. I want his words to come true. The hopes and dreams I have for this country. I still have the audacity of hope. My prayers to the president, as they did for the former president, who lives cross town from me. Stay tuned.

Also, a few weeks ago I spoke of my across the street neighbor, Mr. Woods. How I'd not seen him since Thanksgiving. How his van was parked in a way he didn't usually park it. Since then, his van is no longer parked there. A light burns inside all day and all night. Mr Woods is not there. Turns out he suffered a stroke. All we know, he's out of the hospital, but don't know location. If in rehab or with family. I've missed his kids at the house, they seem to pull away when I drive up. I'm bound and determined to ask them about Mr. Wood. The street still doesn't feel as safe, without Mr. Wood on patrol.

I wonder about tomorrow. The adventure, good and/or bad tomorrow holds.

Stay tuned.

Wednesday Wonder

Every neighborhood has one. Ya know, the person who knows everybody on the street, what they do and where they go. Mine is Mister Bob. A seventy-something nice ol' gent who informed me right off the bat, he was OK living alone and wasn't looking for a woman.

Well, OK.

Mister Bob also informed me how he once shared coffee with the lady who once lived in this house I now call home. How such a fine lady she was and how saddened he was of her passing. Mister Bob filled me in on every fact of our street.

Mister Bob lives right across the street from me. He's like the dad who watches from the window. I'm sure he has my schedule down. We do our smiles, waves and small chit chat. And ya know know, I felt safe knowing Mister Bob was close at hand.

Yet, I've not seen Mister Bob for about a week. His van wasn't parked there since before Thanksgiving. I knew he had grown kids, so I figured time was spent with them. Then last night, his van re-appeared. Yet, not the way Mister Bob parks it. He's backs into this driveway--his van now is the other way around. With the rain last night, I thought perhaps it was closer to front door for him. Yet, I never saw lights in his house. Turned in early, I thought.

Then tonight I get home. Mister Bob's house was as dark as the sky. The van hasn't moved. I wonder what's going on? It was too late to knock on my other neighbor's door to ask if they knew what happen to Mister Bob. If they know if he's OK. I will make a point to ask them tomorrow.

And for the moment--I don't feel as safe as I did.

Stay tuned.