ms. rabbit

I broke routine this morning, and decided to take a quick jaunt with my ladybug umbrella in the rain. Usually I take the dogs with me for the pre-work walks, but because of the rain I knew that, A) Ollie would resist, and B) Luna would love it but then run back in and rub herself (and mud) all over the furniture. So there I am, bopping along and listening to Bruce Springsteen, and I see this little stuffed toy rabbit, about the size of my palm, lying sadly in a crack on someone's step near the sidewalk. It was pouring on her -- she smiled regardless -- and I propped her up so that she'd be noticed by the people who own the home. I walked away, but glanced back and saw that she'd toppled onto her side, and I frowned. How could I leave her out in the rain? Was anybody really looking for this dirty, abused little rabbit sitting right out in the open? So I snatched her up, took her home, and gave her a bath.

Barbwire: it's been on my mind a lot lately, the barbwire around our hearts that is. How nice that I see now how much I've resisted letting men past the wire, how I need to date men who are open to being real with me and not locking themselves up in their own barren gardens. It was lovely to chat about this idea with Marianna last night, as we sat in Crush in front of that art project that's still on the wall, where people can write and tuck secret messages, where my message might be there still. One of Crush's owners said to a new patron, "You never know what you're going to find in there. It's all part of the fun!" I agree. Life is a mystery, as Madonna would say. But, Maddy, we don't need to stand alone. We have friends and family and lovers to be there with us, lighting up the dark.