chasing the light in the Boston suburbs

sunrise:  5:38

Arlington, MA

Yesterday's travel brought me from an island off the coast of Mt. Desert to Arlington, Massachusetts.  This morning I pick up my son, just arrived from 9 weeks in Argentina.  His girlfriend will be arriving with him, and we'll all head for home in Maine - but only after a stop at Mike's Pastry in Boston.  S. and girlfriend T (who has the same name as S's sister, T, which makes for occasional confusion) got this crazy notion about arriving in the states and having a really good American pastry at this Italian bakery in the north end of Boston. 

Well, why not?

City dawn is always a challenge.  I am incredibly fortunate to have friends and family in many places, so I'm staying with a sister-in-law --- easy access to Logan Airport for the morning flight.  I asked her, which way is east?  And she didn't know, but I know she's not alone.

Many city dwellers, and country dwellers for that matter, aren't really keyed into their orientation on the Earth.  I certainly never used to be.  It seems more excusable in a city.  I walked around fields, Spy Pond, Rte. 60 and Massachusetts Ave, following the increasing glow of dawn.

I could see that there was a very beautiful sunrise happening out there, but it was difficult to see it around all the buildings.  I even tried to get into a high rise building on the chance that there was access to an upper floor, but the doors were locked.  Lucky thing, perhaps.  Some strange woman goes lurking about in the hallways with her camera at 5:00 in the morning...could raise some alarms.

As always, I found some breathtaking views, even here.

This noble old monument to fair play sits at the top of some old stone bleachers (1910, the plaque indicates)  The bleachers overlook a large playing field, where it was nice to get unobstructed views of the morning sky.  The plaque set off my occasionally cynical self.

Play fair.  Do we Americans really espouse that notion, as a nation?  Did the minutemen play fair when they hid behind boulders and trees and mowed down those silly redcoats in formation?  Play fair in play, maybe.  When people are watching.  But I think we don't really model fair play in all of our endeavors.  Vigilantes are applauded.  Rogues are celebrated.  The end justifies the means.  All's fair in love and war?  As long as we're right. Is the condition of this monument an indication of how dedicated we are to playing fair?

I'm not sure how I feel about it - but it seems like a slippery stance.