Not even the birds are up yet, but I’m on my way to lane swim. The air is pleasant. In the east, the sky has the tone of melted ice in the dregs of cranberry juice. Quiet, except for the dull hum of commuter tires on Leslie Street. Car windows are fogged up. In auto mode, I shrug my gym bag and sack of flippers and snorkel mask onto the back seat and pull out the fake cloth shopping bag I use to wipe the morning-misty windows. What? Nooooo. There’s frost on the rear window. Ice. I have to get out the SCRAPER. Flip the defrost controls to jet engine speed. Lord have mercy – it’s September 24, only the second day of autumn.…

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