The day started like always, though, on this particular morning, I remember waking up a bit earlier than usual. My place is a one bedroom apartment located on the east side of the city. My crib is not too spacious although I must say that it is very cozy. I got up from bed and slowly started towards the kitchen to make a bowl of oatmeal. My shoulder brushed against the sides of the hall. I was feeling extremely tired since the day before I had ran a few miles around the lake. As I got to the kitchen something caught my eye; through the window, a white powder was hitting the side of our building. Snow would be unreal for this time of year, I thought. Slowly I made my way towards the balcony and immediately saw the entire sky was covered by a thick layer of smog. The sky was orange and the sun was dark. I looked down and realized what I had thought was snow was really small bits of ash which were coming down and blanketing everything outside. It didn't take longer when I began to cough. Across the building I gazed and noticed shadowy figures appearing and disappearing in the smog. The garbage collector truck slowly passing by, lights blinking, dragging one of those green heavy duty metal dumpster. The lighting on this particular machine seems sophisticated. Overnight the entire city had somehow endured significant transformation.
I heard my phone ringing back in my bedroom and I ran to it and see it's my wife. She is out of the city on a business trip and she is calling to ask if I'm seeing what she's seeing out her hotel window. Neither of us had ever seen anything like this before. She asks if I'm going to work. I say I don't know; I got laid off a few months ago. She laughs. She asks if I can bring any clothes on the line inside. I say I will. She says she loves me. I say I love you too. She hangs up.
