The Dark calls

Always a dark remark: “Don’t call us. We’ll call you. No, it’s not ghosting. It’s not you, it’s me.” (USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)

Most don’t mind him. Simply a wanderer – for his own reasons.

You know, the strong, silent type. Mysterious, yet by all known, harmless.

Drifting: here for a bit, then gone who knows where. 

Thought he’d been briefly sighted a few blocks away last week under a full moon. Relief. But last night there was no doubt he had returned.

Hank was the first to know. Couldn’t stop staring in his direction.

We tugged the stubborn husky along – no need to stop and stare.

Loners sometimes take exception to that.

However, he seemed to have something to say.

That startled. He seemed to be right outside the kitchen window once we were inside.

A grudge to resolve?

Stalking?

“You should be so lucky to be even considered as an Owl Buc-ees.” (1919 American Forestry Association/USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)

Owls converse in such an eerie, haunting trill.

“OK,” I replied. “Nice to have you drop in, but please, this time, take your dinner leftovers with you.”

After much soapy water drenching the porch and flower bed, and after a few rain showers, the horrendous smell is finally gone from his last visit. 

We don’t mind the owl guy winging in. There’s all sorts of legends and myths attached to them. But we’re not Owls Inn or owl’s end. 

Hank just grinned “It’s the call of the wild. Can I go out and play? Be a seasonally appropriate Hoot and Howlathon. I hear those are big around these parts…”

Ah, the of creatures of the dark and the falling season.

Time to sort out things as days get shorter and things around you start signaling retreat or defeat.

“So, let’s have a little talk about impending doom. Are you ready for the end of lines?” (USPD/Commons.wikimediaa.org)

Like my phone –  a victim of P.A.D.: Phone Age Discrimination. 

So it’s an ancient Apple 3 generation – but suitable twinsies with a 3G network, right? Lower numbers not the coming thing these days. 

Seems wrong, after so many years of competency and reliability that it is unplugged from the work force due to no fault of its’ own. Undeserved pink slip taken with a stiff upper emoji.

Now I have to struggle and relearn where everything is “explore” a brand new – and while not giant big – bigger phone.

Bigger in size. The new model will have to prove itself before being big in my heart. 

Merit based employment better than mandate.

People were becoming snarky 

Probably laughing behind their sleek updated model when I was beginning to sound like that commercial “Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Now? I’ll go stand by the window…” as the 3G network coverage dwindled. 

No more using the “dropped call” excuse when you really mean “drop dead” when tired of the conversation.

Now the dreaded task: pruning.

Having to take time to edit all the stale phone numbers cluttering the contact list from multiple, multiple companies and jobs.

Something avoided for years as it was just too tedious.

Besides, who knows? Those people might actually return to “A-listers” and be useful contacts someday.

Yeah and that’s probably how people take that dark turn and become hoarders

Slogging through twist and tangles of the list pondering “Who? Who? Whooo?”  

We make our own mysteries  

Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 

“That’s right, Missy. There’s a new G network in town. Either upgrade or go dark.”(1952.Grace Kelly and Gary Cooper in High Noon trailer/USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)