The Woodpecker and the Moon

 We have trash butler service at our complex that picks up five nights a week, including recycling, but I prefer to walk the cases of empty sparkling water bottles down to the trash/recycling area by myself, partly out of consideration for the hard work of others, and partly for exercise.

Crossing the parking lot to the enclosure pen of the dumpsters, I see morning sky is an unbroken cloudless blue dome. In summer this would mean a very hot day. I am thankful it is not yet summer.

While carrying the heavy crate into the pen, it is awkward in the confined space to raise the flap lid of the large dumpster and toss the box of bottles inside in any way that could be considered graceful. 

 This morning the dumpster is empty, so when I drop the box, there is nothing to cushion it. It makes a huge booming thud onto the metal, and then the bottles fly outside the box and make a big mess of clinking noises inside the metal dumpster The echo of glass and metal resonates for a half second and dies down. It doesn't matter if they break at that point, but somehow I don't want them to break. I consider it a victory if they remain unbroken. 

As if inspired by my act, a woodpecker begins hammering away on a metal lamppost above my head. It sounds like power equipment---hard on metal. I look up but do not see the bird. But I do see the moon, which I had missed, amidst the blue. So easy to see once I was looking at it.