A sunny day in October is truly something to relish. I’d been looking forward to Monday’s weather all weekend:

This morning (MONDAY), though, it was cloudy and cold. Practically freezing. We’ve learned not to put too much credence in the forecast; opportunities for disappointment abound.

I had some errands downtown and found myself near PNCA. I had a hundred in my pocket and thought I might run into someone who needed a little lift. A woman walked by with a large portfolio under her arm, but she crossed the street before we could connect.

I wasn’t dressed warmly enough and was starting to shiver. The gray of the sky reminded me of a freshly opened clam. Somewhere, it was blue.

A young man carrying a box of food and a cup of coffee was walking down the street, coming right toward me. The first thing I noticed was his glasses. And a stylish self-confidence that reminded me of our younger son, Elijah (not that Aaron, the elder, isn’t stylish and self-confident – but his aesthetic leans more toward REI than Barney’s).

That's Elijah and me

“So, do you think the sun’s gonna come out after all?” I asked, stepping in front of the guy. He stopped and gave me a big smile. “I don’t know. Maybe. I think so,” he said, casting his eyes upward. The clouds were drifting apart, revealing little patches of blue.

I told him about my mom and how I was honoring her by passing along a gift. I gave him the hundred and he slipped it in his pocket. “Thank you so much!” he cried. “Wow!”

We chatted for a few minutes. His name was Zach. He told me he’s working at a deli these days but plans on going back to school soon. Maybe PNCA; maybe photography.

I told Zach about the blog and he said I could take his picture. He shook my hand a couple of times before we parted ways. At the last minute, he reached into his bag, pulled out an old Nikon film camera and snapped my photo.

Zach and a little slice of blue sky

After we said goodbye I got in my car and headed for home. The blue sky had won out. As I rounded the corner, there was Zach- enjoying the sun.