This Really Happened This Morning

— “You hoo. Are you up?”

Me: “What?  Is it morning already?” ( I open my eyes momentarily, and then shut them again.)

— “Hey, hello, pay attention!”

Me: (I reach over to check my cell phone.) “What the …? It is 4:30 in the morning.”

— “I know you can see me. Come on, wake up.”

Me: “Who is shining a spotlight into my window, and what on earth do you want at 4:30 in the morning?”

— “I’m not a spotlight. I’m a desert full moon.  If you thought the New Mexico sunsets were great, you should see me.”

Me: ”I’m sleeping, can you please be quiet and get your boney rays out of my eyes.” (I balance a pillow on the bed in front of me.)

— “Come on, I know you want to open the shades and look.  I’m not like one of those Houston, city moons. I’m a full, winter, desert moon. “

Me: (Getting even more irritated, but now fully awake. ) “ Hey don’t diss our Houston moons. They are pretty great, and I have seen one or two at the end of my street that were so large they looked they could roll down the street and and bowl down all of the houses.”

— “Yes, I know, but this is a desert moon, aren’t you the least bit curious? Don’t you want to open the blind and let my magical powers flow over you while you are in bed. “

Me: “There are no magical or mystical powers in the moon. I really would rather sleep.”

— “No magical powers— I make tides. That is pretty darn incredible you know. Lets see you do that. Besides if you wanted to dance naked under the New Mexico sunset.”

Me: “Hey, how did you know, and besides, I never said I wanted  to dance naked. I wrote.

(The sun sets, a crescendo of color and texture, clouds mixing with hills, fire in the sky. It makes me wish I had a drum or a fire, and I could dance and praise the gods for such delight. )

— “You should see me. I know you want to look.  I’m quite stupendous. There are many things that are special about a full moon, in the desert, in New Mexico. Google it.”

Me: ”I don’t want to Google it. I don’t want to dance. I don’t want to open my shade. Please go away. Hey, quit moving around, peaking in and hitting my eyes with your brightness. I really want to sleep.”

— “No, I don’t believe you do want to sleep. You have an adventurous soul.  I think you really want to take a moonlit walk in the desert.”

Me: “I barely walk in the desert at daytime. Nighttime? I’ll probably walk into a cactus. Wait, what am I talking about? I don’t want to walk around at night.”

— “It is not really night any more. It is early morning. And then you will not miss your buddy —the sun, he comes up just over there you know.”

Me: “Yes, I do want to watch a few sunrises, wait. I’M NOT TAKING A NIGHTTIME WALK.” (I jump out of bed and open the blinds) “There, I’m letting you in. Are you happy now. Please leave me alone. “ (I look  up expecting to see the man in the moon with a menacing smirk, but instead I shriek) “Oh, my God ,I think you have burned my retina. What is wrong with you? (I cover my eyes, concerned with the damage I have just caused.)  “That is a horrible trick. Are you sure you are the moon?”

— “Yep, Beaver moon.  Google it.  I know your curious to see if I’m telling you the truth.“

Me: “You are not  big, but you are terribly bright. I expected more. I can’t even look at you. And… I’m not Googling anything. I’m paying attention. Isn’t that enough? Can’t I just rest here and let you do your thing? “

— “Beaver moon because I remind people to set their traps.”

Me: “I’m a sculptor and a writer.  I live in Houston. I don’t hunt, and I think it is cruel to trap animals.”

— “Yes, but you were going to hike in the dark, lots of things are done during a full moon. It is an entirely different adventure. Come on, get up and walk with me.”

Me: “ You are relentless.” (I open my eyes.) “Good you have gone away.”

— “Nope, I’m just behind this pine. I’m still here, waiting.

Think of it… a moon walk, sunrise, hot tea, there might even be wildlife.“

Me: “Right I’ll get eaten by something for sure.”

— “Now you are being silly.”

Me: “Give me a break, I’m tired.  It does sound tempting, Can’t I just close my eyes for a few minutes?”

— “Sure, but first take a picture of me like you do the sunset.”

Me: “It will never work, besides you are behind the pine. “

— “Yea, but I can see your feet, so just sit  up.”

Me: “There. I told you it would not work. Please just a few minutes to rest my eyes. “

— “It’s a marvelous night for a moon dance. With the stars up above in your eyes…”

Me: “Are you really singing? You are not just annoyingly bright, but you are singing?”

( I pull the cover over my head.)

— “Yep and I’m shimmying as I sing, but you can’t see me because I’m behind the pine. Come on out and take a look.“

Me: (Silence)

— “Come a little bit closer

Hear what I have to say

Just like children sleepin’

We could dream this night away.

But there’s a full moon risin’

Let’s go dancin’ in the light

We know where the music’s playin’

Let’s go out and feel the night.”

(Pause)

— “… Hey, you still awake?”

Me: (snoring loudly)

(A banter with the moon, early morning hours. By bridgette Mongeon )