I statued mid-thought, between puffs. A dark shadow had alighted on the deck railing, just missing a moonbeam.
I remained motionless for an eternity, until I became a little bored. There was no movement, except in my mind. A desire rose in me for another puff, but I resisted. I preferred a photo first. I deliberated on my action plan for a couple of minutes. First, I placed the charred joint on the armrest, relieved the movement didn’t create a disturbance. Maybe it was facing away from me and hadn’t noticed me in the dark of the eve.
Second, I opened the blanket and retrieved my phone. I activated camera mode in the cocoon of the blanket, checking the flash was off. I fired off a few shots, first in normal photo mode, but all I captured was a few streetlights penetrating through the trees. Next, in night mode, I guessed a few zoom options and index-fingered some hope.
After exhausting all possible photographic options, except one, the flash, a little boredom crept back in. That, and the desire for another puff. I had my fill of magical moments and was ready to return to my sitting, my normal life. I was okay with the owl flying off, so I flicked the lighter and inhaled a momentarily blinding orange flame. Probably too much butane. The owl remained.
The owl knew I was there. I felt a little honoured the owl was at ease with me, and returned to my peace, my gaze to the stars. My periphery vision included the nocturnal visitor, but my attention drifted back to normal star wonder (or is it unexplained expectation?). I wasn’t surprised when the nocturnal visitor spread it’s wings and disappeared into the darkness. I wasn’t saddened by its leaving, but by my not being attentive to the moment. I drifted back into the traffic of random thoughts. Moments blurred in the returning sleepiness.