PostCard to NYC

Last time I saw my friend from New York City she asked about the rat’s here.
We were riding the bus through one of the many particularly diversified neighborhoods, ethnically speaking not economically. No re-gentrification here. She had brought her faux Louis Vuitton for the occasion knowing how at home it made her look in the economically deprived areas of NYC. You’d look odd without one there, not so much the case here. I told her that honestly I hadn’t seen one yet. I live near a body of water, surrounded by restaurants, the general hustle and bustle of a metropolitan area. My neighborhood is edging into the big city. I’ve just never seen one.
I had to write her. It’s day 8 of the garbage strike. I saw the raccoons first.
The first night I let my dog follow ones trail along the ground as I saw it slip over the edge of the embankment into the water. The second night there was some guy in the park warning people. I saw a raccoon slip up a tree behind me. I didn’t know what the guy was saying and had to ask him. “You better put your dog on a leash, the raccoons are loose”. City boy. I should have told him that was who the leash was for. Loose raccoons. Really. What else would they be? I haven’t seen too much of the rats but I think it’s because they are at war with the raccoons. Everybody’s coming into the city for the trash. I think the coyotes are next. The next day in the park I saw a couple dead rats. More mice by NYC standards I’m sure. Not as big a lab (type) rat maybe more like a large gerbil. The raccoons are a whole other story. These things are the size of dogs. And not particularly small dogs either.
Yum, It's a smörgåsbord here in the windy city!

I’m just trying to stay up wind at all times

Man damn it’s nice outside. Too nice for the purple mohair and corduroy I unearthed and pulled on in honor of fall. I love fall with the crispness that smells and feels clean. It’s too warm out to be a typical fall day. Like it’s trying to do a last blast thing: remember this come January.
I went out and spent Grant on art supplies last weekend. It must be time to get creative again. I’ve been off the track for a while. Not writing, or drawing, or painting, or anything recently. I haven’t even been reading. It’s like I got all caught up in work and nothing. I don’t know what I’m doing with my spare time anymore. I know I have it. There are hours at night that have become wasted as I sit in front someone else’s T.V. I am there for proximity which is ok, I guess, but not productive. I haven’t felt the need to be. Have I lost the creative flare? Have I become dull over night? Well, it’s been a gradually slowing thing. I need inspiration. For some reason I can’t write about the love of my life. It all seems so trite and forced. I’m very critical of writing towards him. He’d probably read it, get it, and critique it. Sure it’s what you want (most of it) but I’m not used to it.
I want to write, and I want him to read it, and I want him to critique it and think “hmm not too shabby”
and there is my block.