Contrails

So, I'd just gotten out of the shower, and I was standing at the kitchen sink, washing the dishes that had built up throughout the day, when I looked up, out the window, towards the western sky. Twilight had fallen; the horizon was still lit by the golden glow of sunset. I noticed an airplane's contrail, vibrant pink, rising up from the horizon. I remarked at its beauty, then I saw two more, each at angles to the others, in a serendipitous triangle formation, with the crescent moon at its center.

It was picture perfect - the kind of fleeting moment that you can't anticipate, but want to preserve for eternity. Would that I'd had enough warning to set up my camera in time! Still, I switched instantly into action mode, knowing I had only seconds to react. I shut off the water at the sink, half-dried my hands on a towel, and ran into the bedroom to grab my phone. I opened the camera app as I rushed out the door, and sprinted into the middle of the yard.

Mind you, I was stark naked, on another cold, January evening, with the temperature hovering around freezing. There was still snow on the ground from just a few days past. But I didn't care. Art doesn't wait on man's convenience. As Vegeta once said, being a good villain is a lot like being a photographer - you have to search for the right moments. So I stood there and took as many pictures as I could before the trails dissipated. This was the best one I got.