A half hour shy of noon a few weeks ago, in need of some exercise, I raised my bony ass off the living room sofa, exited my house and took a walk around my suburban neighborhood. It was a hot and humid summer day, the type that normally causes me to spew sweat like a volcano. I guess the dermatology gods took pity on me, though, for my wrinkled skin became only mildly moist during the stroll.
I usually don’t spend a lot of time looking upward when I’m outside, not in daylight nor when the skies are black. Pretty foolish of me, because, obviously, the heavens are incredible. But, on the day in question I decided to alter that orientation by examining the clouds filling much of the sky. They were of two sorts, some of them bright and friendly and perfect partners for the sky’s blue areas, the others darkened and signaling that rain, which ultimately never arrived, might be a-comin’.
And I also had my eyes on trees, which are fairly abundant in my neighborhood (I live a few miles outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA). It would be cool, I decided, to snap some photos in which cloud-filled skies and trees appeared. But only cloud-filled skies and trees. This turned out to be harder than I thought it would be. I shouldn’t have been surprised, of course, since my neighborhood is jam-packed with houses, utility poles and overhead-utility lines, nearly all of which not only were in the way, but also cursed me out when I told them I wouldn’t include them in the photos. What a bunch of obnoxious bastards! Persevering, I found a fair number of vantage points that allowed me to meet my criteria. I tell you, the life of an amateur photographer ain’t a breeze. On the other hand, just about nobody’s life is a breeze. Hell, that’s life.
Two photos from my mini expedition adorn this essay. I regard them as semi-abstract compositions, the amorphous clouds offset by the tight structure of treetops. I bow before Mother Nature. Her variety of creations is dazzling and just about infinite, yet limited and uncomplicated displays of her wares, such as these, have no trouble awing me. There’s a whole lot to be said for simplicity.
Getting back to life, this month I was swept away by a novel that tells the tale of one David Granger, a 68-year-old American whose adult life has been the opposite of a breeze. Months and months of violent combat in Vietnam jungles in the late 1960s saw to that, not only while he was fighting the Viet Cong, but also every year since then, a decades-long period during which war-induced nightmares have bedeviled his bedtime hours. Granger is the narrator of The Reason You’re Alive, the madcap, profane and humane book by Matthew Quick published in 2017. (Matthew Quick’s best-known novel is The Silver Linings Playbook, which was turned into a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.)
David Granger is a piece of work, an over-the-top character who wears his lengthy list of opinions on his sleeve. A widower, he has an uneasy relationship with his one child (an adult son named Hank), and adores his young granddaughter, Ella. His friendships are pretty plentiful and also profound. And although he possesses a conservative, America-first outlook, he does not meet the definition of a Trumpster, because he is completely accepting of, and admires, the USA’s racial and sexual minorities. A complicated guy, Granger feels compelled to put his story down on paper before it might be too late, seeing that he recently went under the knife for brain cancer, a disease he believes was induced by heavy exposure in Vietnam to the poisonous chemical Agent Orange. Post-surgery, Granger gets it into his head that he should return a valuable object that, under shameful circumstances, he stole from a fellow soldier during the war.
I don’t want to spill too many beans about the plotlines, so I’ll say little more. I will add, however, that the sentences in The Reason You’re Alive barrel along like a high-speed train and pack a punch. Here’s a sample paragraph from the book:
Doctors had sawed through my skull. They had cut out part of my brain. I was still freeballing it in a lime-green fairy gown. I was in a fucking hospital bed, for Christ’s sake, and Hank’s machine-gunning me with entire belts of words just because I didn’t tell him about the surgery until after it was over. I figured, why worry him? We hadn’t been speaking since summer anyway. Ever since we had a blowout at the Phillies game.
See what I mean? Matthew Quick can write. I unhesitatingly recommend The Reason You’re Alive.
Yeah, Another Blogger 
There are two situations in which I cannot take my eyes off the skies: 1) When I’m out in a wide-open space like the Quabbin Reservoir or the Bronx Botanical Gardens where the sky is so astoundingly vast, I am reminded that the humans are pretty small potatoes–this is somehow amazingly reassuring, and 2) the night sky, especially in Barbados where a zillion stars shine in the darkness. When I’m feeling blue, I make it a point to check the nigh sky at my house–most evenings, I can see Mars, Venus, the moon and a smattering of stars. It makes me feel that if the greedy billionaire MF-ers achieve their goal to end life on earth so they can relax in their bunkers, they will NOT truly end life on earth. There will be people left. We will start again, perhaps a little wiser.
No, “nobody’s life is a breeze”, but I remember a popular poster from my freshman year of college–one that adorned just about every dorm room: Hang onto life for all it’s worth. That was a half-century ago, but I believe it to be as true now as it was then. Take care.
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The night sky is something else. Captivating and mind-expanding. I haven’t looked at it in a few weeks, I guess. But you know what? — I’m going to go outside right now and stare at it.
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WordPress, in its usual “infinite wisdom” is not letting me “like” so just to say: I LIKE!
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you are one interesting dude!
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I have my moments, I guess.
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Great sky pictures Neil, and a great book review as well. ♥
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Hi Lynne, and thanks. Have a good day!
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I look forward to your posts! Always interesting and what a unique perspective. Thanks for sharing it all with us.
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It’s really good of you to say that. Thanks!
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You certainly know how to paint a picture with the sweating. Ha!
Glad you got out and saw the sights. Nature can be so restorative. And happy you found a good book. That guy can write for sure. Thank you for sharing that snippet. 🙂
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Hey there. I’ve been on a hot streak when it comes to finding good books. A real good one I read last month is The Heart In Winter, by Kevin Barry.
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Nothing like escaping into a good book! Especially if you can also do it while sitting outdoors.
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Love the clouds and trees! I have a friend who likes to say, “Always look up.”
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Your friend has the right idea.
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I enjoyed your photos of clouds. They are so fascinating to look at. Thanks for the book recommendation.
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Hi there. That book would make a real good movie or miniseries. Maybe it will happen one day.
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This book sounds very intriguing! Thanks for the recommendation. Love the photos, too. Trees are clouds are an excellent combination for relaxing vibes!
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Over the last few days I’ve reminded myself to look up at the sky. Looking up isn’t something I ordinarily do enough.
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thst could easily be an Irish sky.Beautiful though🤩
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Hi. My wife and I were in Ireland for a week in 2006. Mainly in County Clare. We loved it. Ireland is beautiful.
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I always enjoy your slice of life narratives.
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Hi, and thanks a lot.
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We sure don’t miss the humidity you talk about! That’s a good exercise you gave yourself. I love self-assignments and they don’t have to end in one session. You could certainly build upon that theme. Also thanks for the book review … will write it down!
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Hi. The last couple of weeks I’ve been looking at the sky more than I usually do. I hope this becomes a habit with me. Take care. Have a good upcoming week.
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Sounds like a lovely read. 🙂 I hope you’ve got the lookout for Autumn foliage–I’m seeing a little where I am! xxxxx
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Hi there. In my area (southeast PA), some leaves are starting to turn slightly. Maybe in two or three weeks the changing-color show will be truly gearing up.
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