I often have some sort of camera with me but not this evening as I took the dogs out for a walk. This failure may have caused the event I’m about to describe. We had crossed the field at the filtration plant, walked down the hill and through the narrow stand of trees and turned south. The clouds opened up to the west, up the hill and the sun reached down and grabbed hold of the tree at the base of the hill, turning the yellow leaves into strangely illuminated fluttering bits of fire. I looked south and watched yellow-green streamers reaching down to the lake. To the east, a rainbow appeared and then another, a perfect double rainbow across the sky.

At that second I thought anything might happen… But no, I was not saved. I did not land in OZ. I did not meet the ghost of Dave van Ronk. As suddenly as it began the event ended leaving only a drab fall evening in front of us.

Memphis nudged my pocket, signalling me not so subtly that a treat was in order.