Golden, outside the window. Everything is golden. The early morning sun sharing her light. The air crisp, biting your cheeks as you walk outside. The wet wood steaming as it dries. Birds are calling, ‘Good morning old friend, good to hear you again.’ You trudge up the hill. Dips here, lumps and bumps there. The soft and warm pillow of your woolen socks clinging to your toes. The warmness rushing down your throat as you drink your chamomile tea.

Ready for a day of work, you step off the ladder and onto the roof. What can I do first? You spot your hammer and the box of nails. You look around they are nailing the decking down, I will start there. You collect the tools needed. The next board is lain down. Whack~ The board bounces. What am I forgetting?? You ponder the bouncing and how to stop it.

I will kneel on the board, that should do it. You re-position your weight onto the board. Whack~ whack~ whack~ whack~ the board is nailed down. The joists are slowly being covered, more and more. I can’t see the joist~ You stand and evaluate. Your boot weighs your foot down as you lift it. Making your way to the tools, you spot the chalk line. Yes! That will work perfectly.

You grab the chalk line and carry it to your working spot. Hooking the end onto the edge of the joist. The blue string hovering over the decking, waiting patiently to meet it. A gentle snap and a straight line appears. The chalk line is put away and you are back to nailing. Board after board, your upper arm stings, you long to take a break although it doesn’t seem as though you have been working nearly long enough. 

            Stretching your hand, you look around, observe, listen. The octaves changing as the nail goes through wood. The smell of sweat trickling down your neck. The clouds floating above, waiting for us to fly up and cuddle with them. Suddenly you realize~ I am hammering again? You have been hammering this whole time, I didn’t stop for long did I? Finally, you ask, “does anyone know the time?”

       “eleven-thirty”

It’s almost lunch time~ You are motivated once more. You drive the nails in, three on the end, three in the middle, three on the end, all on the blue line. Your arm begins to sting once more, your hand begins to cramp. You loosen your grip. One last board, then I will get lunch. Whack~ whack~ whack~ three nails closer to lunch. Whack~ whack~ whack~ Only three more to go!

Whack~ whack~ whack~ You finish the board and stand. “I am going to have lunch,” you announce as you tuck away the hammer and nails. Stepping off the ladder, you walk back and admire the work you’ve done. The gravel crunches under your feet as you descend down the driveway. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. A classic!  Opening the door, the cool air nips your nose just as it did before. The trees softly whispering, ‘hush hush.’

The rich, brown dirt, like a fluffy blanket under your boots. You hear the echoing sound of hammers, colliding with the buildings and cars nearby. The wind whips the plastic on the roof as you climb the ladder. Standing on the roof, you stretch your gaze to the mountains. Sister sun smiling generously above. The view is breath-taking. If anyone would’ve painted the view, the public would think it un-realistic. The feeling of power fills you. The sight of your new home-land creates a sense of clarity.

Grabbing the hammer and nails once more, you start working again. As you work you watch the sky slowly turn dark. The soft breeze brushing the hair off your face, and cooing in your ear. Your fingers sting with numbness and the hammer keeps hammering. Your lungs sting with the cold harsh air, but your body keeps breathing. You’re tired of working, but you continue on. Every whack as metal meets metal, a ringing sounds in your ear. Motion becomes memory as your thoughts run amuck. Your lower back screaming for you to stop. I can’t just yet. You stand. “Anything else I can work on?”

       “Just cleaning up for the night,”

Scanning the worksite, you tidy up. Dropped pencils, wood scraps, loose nails. Clambering down the ladder, you pause for a moment. Recognizing your breath is aligned with your heartbeat. Inhaling for three beats, exhaling for four beats. The sound of your blood pulsing in your ears. Setting your foot on the ground. You feel a sense of accomplishment, peace, content. The day is over, the night is beginning.