This Sunday was Different

In my old life I used to go out to the Ranch on a Sunday afternoon. I would mow the property around Mom's place, change the oil to her car, make certain the cows had water in the trough, and perform other little fix up jobs around the place. Mainly though, I spent some quality time and conversation with Mom. I'd cap the afternoon off with a cold beer and enjoy the quiet of the place.

This Sunday was different. After four very warm days on Uncle Sam's Yokosuka naval facility here in Japan I found myself with no script for this very different Sunday. On this day a typhoon just off the coast of Japan brought us very overcast skies, drizzle and rain, and very cool temperatures. Except for a bus ride to the pizza place and the walk back, we were most confined to our temporary home, the Naval Lodge on base. There was no cold beer on this Sunday afternoon accompanied by the soft whisper of the wind through the old mesquites. The grating squawks of gulls was what could be heard out our window instead of the melody of South Texas songbirds. This Sunday was different.