Into my pleasant reality.

I create my own reality. Right here in my blog. Because I record what I'm thinking. And feeling. And seeing. Something nice. Ordinary life. I'm out for a walk. And I've taken a break. Sitting on a concrete stoop. In a piazza, of sorts. Next to a coffee and snack shop. Actually, I'm in a parking lot. But not the usual blacktop one finds in the U.S. Instead, it's paving brick. Rather classy. The modern-day version of cobblestone. I like it. Across the road are two four-story apartment buildings. With businesses on the lower levels. Including one that specializes in home security services. There's also a post office. And several small businesses. The street is lined with trees about 10 to 12 feet high. Some day, they'll be much bigger. Making for a more attractive thoroughfare. A small dog has just run across the pavement. Right past me. Hardly gave me notice. A man in a jogging suit also walked by. His hands clasped behind his back. As if handcuffed. It's about 6 in the evening. And the sun is setting. An amber-colored sunset. Highlighted by a small patch of cumulus clouds. In an otherwise clear sky. Maybe a sign of a weather system moving in. It's been sunny all day. Now a man walking a cocker spaniel on a leash has appeared on the scene. If I spoke Italian, I might approach him for the purpose of paying attention to his dog. Beyond a metal fence where I sit is an elementary school. With three flags hoisted on poles at the front of the building. The Italian, the Sardinian and the European Union flags. And the school building is decorated with modern art. Graffiti. Dusk has set in. And I'm off for more walking. Into a dark night. Into my pleasant reality. In Sardinia. In Italy. --Jim Broede