I got up. I gave thanks.It was just another day with me looking for the extraordinary.

       Before I left the house ,I heard the news at six. Somebody got shot last night.

       It still hurts, my senses have not been dulled as yet, even if its nobody I know.

       I still gave thanks it could have been too close to home.

      I walked out the door and I saw people headed for work , children headed for school and the buses

      packed to capacity.There was going to be a long wait to get to where  am was going.

      I have got to get up earlier If I am going to get to work on time.

      I finally got on the bus. It was like an oven,the middle passage all over again. I am no slave.

      I am a free man. It seemed though that there was no other choice I could not afford a car . I can not even

      drive. Speaking of driving along the way I saw an accident the tape was already up. The police were asking

      questions. Why did someone have die that way that day? I can still see the blood,the broken glass

      and the wretched remains of a car beneath a truck carrying who knows what at that hour of the morning.

      There ought to be a law or something against hauling things in peak hours.

      I got to work and I was all sweaty. There needs to be some place to cool down.There is no lounge for

      us and the overhead fans only give off hot air.Then I saw Kwame,he looked sad as though the world

      was going to end before its time. He got layed off that morning.It was curious when his time card did

     not punch in as usually . The supervisor sent him to the main office where he was told there was a letter

     waiting for him from the manager. It said they regretted it, but his services were no longer needed.

     They must have had a lot of regret that day twenty other employees recieved similar letters.

     Blame it on the recession they said. There was no golden handshake just three weeks pay

     and references that said these are former employees of the highest calibre who we regret

     having to cut from our workforce due to the downsizing of our operations.

     I still gave thanks, it could have been too closer to home.

    The day ended with a hurriedly called meeting to tell us that there would be a wage freeze.

    There would be no hikes in salary as was promised in union negotiations. I am not a union man, but

    it still hurt , my senses had not yet been dulled. 

    Leaving work headed home taking the same dreary and cramped bus ride I finally got to my door.

   I saw the letters beneath, the bills, an offer from a credit card company. I was in overdraft with the bank.

   To get a credit card was tempting, but I realized I could not afford the high interest rate.

   I gave thanks, my senses had not been dulled as yet.

   I turned on the news at seven and it was no different from the news at six. Somebody got shot.

   I was time to retire for the day. I still gave thanks.It could have been closer to home.