I have to run in the morning which I don't like to do. But there's no other time I can do it so out the door I go, to the right. I'm in Pearland, TX. And it is 80 degrees at 8:30 am. I get about one block before the sweat starts. There is no wind. Just hot thick air that is moving only because I'm running through it. I'm in a planned unit development which means that I can run back and forth up and down and never really get lost because eventually I'll hit a fence that will take me back where I need to go. The street names are like: rosesprings, willowsprings, happysprings. Wishful thinking.

Down the middle of the development there are small man made bodies of water with fountains and a few brown ducks. Mainly I notice the mosquitos who also notice me. There are nice little sidewalks that I run on, separating green lawns from the roadway. I find a house with its sprinklers' on. I run over and stick my hands in the water. Even the water is warm. I don't know where everyone is. I only see two cars pass the whole time I'm out there. Plus one other jogger and three people walking. As I run, I notice that there are little slugs that traverse the sidewalks from time to time. At first I assume they are dried up dead slugs but on further inspection I realize they are alive. In Seattle, our slugs are big fat slimy critters. Pearland slugs look like worms with antennas. They are probably so skinny because all their sweat has been drained out of them. I can relate!