New York City, December 9, 2015

★★ Something less than daylight seeped through the clouds. Bald white mannequin heads on a sidewalk table awaited their inventory of winter hats. The dim slate-colored glow falling to the subway tracks from the grate seemed a representative sample of the light above. The chill traced the new line left by the clippers and the razor, and got in behind the ears. Two people in puffy coats were sitting at the sidewalk table of an expensive cafe, beside the winter vestibule. Just before the afternoon was gone, real sun found the water tower on the roof across the street.