Night in the City

It is never really dark at night in the city. Even my small town is more or less illuminated 24/7 by street lights and the diffuse glow from nearby businesses and parking lots. Walking through the house after everyone has gone to bed, I seldom need to turn on a light. Some parts of the house take on an enchanted aspect. I sometimes just sit in the dark gazing at a window and, as my eyes adapt, details hitherto unnoticed become visible while indistinct shadows form suggestive shapes. The refrigerator whirs while the low moan from a freight train is heard in the distance. When I get a little chilled I head back to bed with a sense that everything will be all right.