Red Sky at Night

     Me and Hobart’s pre-bedtime walk tonight started at around 10:30 and it was still about an hour before the sun would be touching the horizon.  The western sky was an impressive fiery yellow but the southern sky for some reason was a beautiful mix of reddish-orange-pink.  The redness of the sky was reflecting on the snowcaps of the Nulato Hills in the distance and sandwiched in between was a bruised dark purple streak of clouds.  The whole colorful display got me thinking where else I’ve ever seen colors like that.

       The first thing that came to mind was a ripe persimmon I’d seen growing on one of my father’s trees in his backyard.  Persimmons are a very beautiful fruit with an unfortunate name.  Then I thought of a religious pamphlet I received for a small donation from a Hari Krishna at an airport several years ago.  I just remember how colorful the pictures were in that magazine.  There was a chant inside that was supposed to wipe the dust from the mirror of your mind but I can’t remember how it went.  There is probably a good bit of dust on my mirror.  You don’t see Hari Krishnas much anymore.  They always used to hang out at airports.  I wonder where they all went?

      Another thing you don’t see at airports anymore is the coin-operated television.  Remember?  You sit down in one of those uncomfortable chairs with a TV attached, put in a few quarters and watch for 15 minutes.  I guess they went the way of the pay-toilet.  The last time I saw a pay-toilet was at South-of-the-Border on I-95 years ago.  What a bad idea, both the pay-toilet and South-of-the-Border.