It was cold this morning. The fog coiled and filled every crevice of the town, probably the world. My vision is blocked, and my breath is heavy.
Air has become a device.
Every element was trying to tell me to turn, don't go.
Every sense a warning.
My feet were concrete walking up those front stairs. My face was covered in sweat on this cold frigid morning. My hands were palsied, cracking like oak after a frost.
Oddly, my mind was blank. But than again that's the norm for me.
Three smalls steps up to the porch and the front door. Three small steps. Those steps have become my Everest.
As I was standing like a pervert with one leg hovering over the first step, my cell phone rang.
Who the hell would call me at 7.00 in the morning?
Also, you might ask yourself, why would I be going to this house this early in the morning? Because I scouted it out yesterday and around 7.15 is when the people inside go to work. Stop interrupting me, it's fucking rude.
So anyway, my phone was ringing...
The caller ID said Rabbi.
"Uh hello?"
"Sam, Sam my boy this is Rabbi Levi."
"Yes, I know, what can I do for you?"
"I tried to find you last night but you weren't at the bar. Something is going on this morning that I thought you might want to take part in."
"Can you call me later, I'm kind of in the middle of something."
"Actually no, it might be too late already. Just look toward the sun and repeat after me. Baruch atah Adonai eloheynu melech ha olam oseh ma aseh b'reshit."
I repeat the words looking into the newly risen sun. Something began to flicker in my peripheral vision. When I looked directly towards the whatever it disappeared, when I returned to the light it came back.
He said one word at a time allowing pauses for me to repeat. Towards the end of the sentence I heard another voice louder, more persistent, but still yet just a whisper, "Everything will return to start....It is almost time."
When I said aseh b'reshit the flicker seemed to become solid and was a hazy outline of a man with wings.
"My boy, my boy that was the Brikat Hachama, the Blessing of the Sun. Did you recognize it?"
"A little."
"Every twenty eight years the sun returns to it's exact position the day Adonai made the world. Only every twenty eight years, I didn't want you to miss it."
"Thanks, Rabbi...uh...did you say anything else while doing that blessing?"
"No. I have to go my boy, Pesach is tonight and all. Next year in Jerusalem."
My vision was spotty due to the sun and I sort of drifted off in my thoughts.
When I finally returned my gaze to the house, there was a woman and man staring at me.
"Can I help you...sir?" She looked apprehensive as though she was debating helping me or calling the cops.
"Are you Naomi Rose?"
"Yes, how do you know my name?"
"I'm Sam...Sam Conners?" My voice rising at the end.
"The hell you are, that motherfucker didn't look anything like you and if you know that prick and are trying to pull some kind of joke on me, then you and your boy can both go fuck yourselves. You and your mother."
