#64 Thanks Giving.

There is a certain buzz in the air on public transportation today. Essie is thinking about the small plastic bottles, textured in the shape of fruit that held sugar powder. Emptying a pile of grape on her tongue when she was ten and letting the tart sugar dissolve in her mouth and sour pinch her jaw. Imagining a bowl of jello powder dissolve when boiling water is added to the stainless steel mixing bowl.  Mix with a stainless steel tablespoon and gently scratch the surface. A pleasing sound of sweet and tart. Clear and colorful. Orange.

There are people smiling under their breath on the 6 train today. The evaporation and condensation on the crosstown bus window where a ghost of a happy face emerges. Like sweet sugar, yellow jello light.

Strangers drag their suitcases through slush down 95^th street: some are heading for the drenched subway platform where umbrellas dripped on seats and are waiting just for them. Others are hailing cabs. Snow, sleet, whining windshield wipers swiping back and forth wiping the window of rain and there it settles. Wipe. Gone. Wipe. Raindrops. There is a creamy cheesecake from Veniero’s in that box. Or maybe a fresh Strawberry Shortcake; it is perfectly wrapped with red and white twine which will be snapped off for a bunch of rounds of Cat’s Cradle.

There is the crowd at Penn Station staring at the sign. The clicking clicking digital letters jerking everyone's head toward Track 1, or is it all sparking Christmas lights on a marquis? Everyone is alone, but everyone is all together. Essie has her soft overnight bag on her shoulder, closes her eyes,wishing for something wonderful.

Something to be truly thankful for.