Santa Monica, CA 4:19 AM.
A thick fog has rolled off the Pacific Ocean this morning and settled over the quiet sleeping city. Rows of faultlessly landscaped homes and streets planted with Indian Fig trees stretch from Lincoln Blvd to the Santa Monica Airport. Into the neon orange sky, the Crow family flies; above the Penmar by the Sea Golf Course, along the chain link fence that the Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca had installed around the golf course to keep the homeless people from camping there. The fence had been installed just before the election of 2020 and has been there ever since.
On the hillside above the golf course a cluster of 4 palm trees appears. The Crow family lands in the 4 palm trees. The Crows look down on a small white house nestled in the hillside. A lone figure sits on the deck typing in the dark. A laptop rests on his knees. Only the iridescent glow from the laptop illuminates his face. A corncob pipe and book of matches sits on his left. The Crows of Sunset Park begin to disturb the morning silence.
“Caw! Caw! Caw!!!” The Crows call out.
The writer picks up his pipe, strikes a match and cups the flame against the wind. He takes in a deep inhale, coughs loudly and exhales. The Clock on his laptop now switches from 4:19 to 4:20 AM. The Crows take flight. A single old crow with one glassy eye who the author has named Odin remains watching him from the roof.
“Good Morning Odin.”The writer exhales a giant cloud of smoke in Odin the one eyed Crow’s direction. The Sun peeks over the trees on the horizon bathing the sky in orange light. The lone figure starts typing again.