LA di da

It is 11:30 pm and the beginning of a new day. The comfort in familiarty. G driving, M riding shotgun and me sitting behind shotgun. The car noses out of the parking lot and merges into traffic. The neon sign screams "Girls! Girls! Girls! Nude! Nude! Nude!". Welcome to LA. Late at night the smog settles down in the city, casting a halo around the sodium vapor lamps. The city where the weather never changes. And on many days, where one can go surfing in the morning and skiing in the afternoon. Where the hot afternoons turn into nights so cold, the cold seeps into your bones. No smoking in bars, not even cigars. If you can see the sky, you can light up. Welcome, not just to LA, but also to CA. Start the car, point east, and drive 2500 miles uninterrupted. Talk about being in a fugue state! Welcome the USA. Comfort in familiarity. Where nothing has changed, and everything is new.

Wake up early and drive down Malibu canyon road. Past rabbits foraging for food, coyotes slinking back into their lairs, birds of prey soaring above the canyon, past the Hindu temple, the horse ranches, fishing holes, the road meandering enough to keep the drive interesting and then BOOM! To the South the first view of the Pacific Ocean, from a height that lets you look down on the horizon! Drive past the lawns of the university where deer graze peacefully, the sprinklers creating an arc of water, revolving languidly, holding patterns just that bit longer to create an impression. Drive straight past the light, park and start the early morning run. Pacific Ocean to the left, steel gray living, writhing , exciting, dangerous mass of water. The mountains to the left, early morning clouds kissing their peaks, an amorous rendezvous soon to be scorched away by the rising sun. But for now, the sun is behind the clouds, and there is a nip in the air. Forget the run, take in the location. The trail between the moutains and the ocean and all the creature comforts catered for in this awesome setting. The Ocean. I will be in you soon, but for now I am going to look at you from far, enjoying the challenge, the vast unknown...

Finish the run and drive down to Starbucks. Venti, Iced Tea, Sweetened, Easy on the ice. Oh, Green Tea please. Yes, with milk. Thank you. Comfort in Familiarity. Outside, in the sign, a starling has built a nest and two chicks are waiting for mommy to come and feed them. They turn raucous, as they feel mommy coming back with food. And the spectators, who have been waiting for this event throw up a quiet cheer. An ordinary day made extraordinary by an event usually not noticed. Its 8am and its the beginning of a gorgeous day!