Fall Landscape

A photographer showed up at my door,dragged me outside, and said, "Look at this."He pointed past my Japanese maplesto the sun dropping onto the horizon.

"Let me take some pictures," he said,already clicking away, "and I'll makea giant print, as big as your living room,which I'll sell to you for a modest fee."

I'd never noticed this particular viewand agreed that I might like to see it again."Give me some time to save the money,"I said, and sent him away. Week after week,

I'd cash my Friday paycheck and sneaka single brick home from the yard.I'd stash a twenty under a sofa cushion,and cement that brick over the window.

By the following fall, I was ready—$1,000 cash and fifty-two brickscovering the window on the west wall.One day the photographer returned.

I handed over the cash, showed him in,and said, "Put it there." He did, and left.I sat in the recliner, tipped it way back,and fell asleep staring into the sun.