Monday morning.

Kate stopped in last night as she was passing through town to pick up Nu. She's driving back to New Orleans today. We ate at Mangia, looked at pictures of her recent trip to Thailand. She brought back images of monkeys, mopeds and meals. The alien fruits and little girls chopping vegetables on the sidewalk, the brightly colored minibuses and blue water beaches invaded my dreams last night. I was lost in a market, swimming in the ocean, fixing a kickstart with a shoelace. I dreamt Kate approached with a basket of pink fuzzy melons and acorn-shaped citrus, offering them in exchange for Nu. "It's alright. She'll be fine with me. I can take her now." she explained. I couldn't speak, my mouth wasn't working. She left the basket at my feet, put Nu's leash and collar on and walked away. I woke up confused. Nu belongs with Kate. Nu is Kate's dog, but I have grown accustomed to her comforting presence and will miss her company.