I gave the woman at the donut shop a dollar to apply to the remaining seven cents due. "Keep it", she said "next time". "Next time", I said, and meant it. Seven cents next time. The bookstore in Wylie invitingly named Eerie Books was closed until 3 p.m.
On the drive down 78 from Farmersville to Half-priced Books in Garland, my friend and I saw a huge red-tailed hawk, flying telephone pole-high to the right of the highway. In its talons it clutched a rough green snake. I felt in awe of the hawk. I felt badly for the snake, though is the way of hawks and snakes. At the bookstore I bought a book about the rock band Roxy Music.
We walked in Breckinridge Park in Richardson, where we saw wildflowers, flowing creeks, the dreamy-light ways of a morning lake under clouded skies, and charming dogs. White cabbage butterflies and yellow sulphur butterflies
flitted from one flower to another. We watched a squirrel in a tree and mallards on the water. Kids played soccer and other kids fished. When we hit a stopping place, we turned around and returned to our car.
We went to Maxim's Restaurant in Richardson for dim sum. We got lots of little plates of dumplings, steamed scallops, a shrimp dish, a cauldron of a grand soup I could not name, and Chinese broccoli, as well as a tasty package of sticky rice. I thought we had said "yes" too many times to the passing tables of dim sum food, but the food provisions proved almost exactly right. I enjoy using chopsticks. My friend said he'd never used them as his sole eating utensil beforehand. We enjoyed our meal very much.
I shopped for a gift this afternoon, and bought cards. A man behind a bookstore counter told me of a different store with great poetry books. The day went by before I knew it, and yet I enjoyed it quite well. The predicted storm never came, except for the cute green snake.