New York City, August 8, 2016

★★★ The air was thicker but things were otherwise fine, at first. Soon enough, though, the sun was coming on strongly enough to force the crosstown walk to the shady side of the street. The way back from the coffee shop led over white sun-blasted pavement empty of people. In the afternoon, enough clouds had come on that the harshness was countered, leaving an easy heavy warmth. The sun slid past them, bright again but bearable, throwing the shadow of the notebook’s rings across the page till it was hard to read. Once again, daylight flooded the 27th floor while evening was already settling over the streets. The wine bar had opened its front to bring in the freshness of outdoors, but the result was simply that the sidewalk smelled like the inside of a wine bar.