New York City, July 24, 2016

★ Morning blue faded from the sky in the west as the day baked on. The four-year-old was ramming around in the air conditioning, and so went out to kick a soccer ball around the forecourt. An adult error immediately sent the ball into the algae-greened water of the fountain. It dried out a few kicks later under the press of the heat, almost as fast as the boy wilted and quit. In the elevator back up were neighbors defeated by a bike ride. It took multiple scrubbings to get the doggy smell of the fountain off the hands that had retrieved the ball. Hunting for a water pistol to replace his shattered old one, the four-year-old decided to go out again. The openable glass front of the wine bar was closed. So was the shutter on the toy store. A sign invited would-be customers to enjoy the summer.