It's a winter night; not raining, not windy, just a bit
chilly. I woke up at 10pm. The hour when most people remain
awake, usually preparing for bed or getting back from a busy
day. If it's the weekend they'd be ready to go out, and I
would finish cleaning my place before a couple of friends
come over for sushi and movies, after which we'll go look
for some fun in the city, maybe some guys are available. But
it was a week-day, and all my neighbors go to sleep at this
hour. I, on the other hand, am just going out. I had a
headache so I took two pills, swallowed them dry and put on
my long coat. It's a cold winter night. I went out of my
apartment smiling at my neighbor, she's cute. I descended
the steps quickly. Sometimes I think that is because I'm
excited at the beginning of a night, but quickly realize I'm
just making wishes. This one will be just another night.
Maybe not.

The stroll headed me towards the all-night drink shop, one
of the few convenient shops in the area.  I usually go there
to buy some snacks and a drink if I have someone coming over
at night, or when I'm just bored. While walking I looked up
at the treetops, searching for bats - they wake up at dark
and flutter silently from treetop to treetop, taking the
place of the daytime birds. Only those looking up might
catch a glance of these humble creatures of the night, how
they so remind me why I am awake. The street through which I
make my way to the store is a quiet one, the two story
houses on both ends of it stand solemn and quiet, not a
single window letting out darkness-omitting light. Between
them the street is paved with red and orange rocks, dark
shades of blue during the night. Every few houses there are
small gardens with flowers, benches and sandboxes for the
kids. It's quiet, not a soul bothers the chill and quiet.

I often find myself walking there and half-unconsciously
fearing a crook or thief ambushing me from a corner, with
which this street is filled. But it hadn't happened (dare I
say) yet. This night all I saw was a single person, probably
homeless, sleeping on the last bench before I exited the
street and headed to the road. After a few minutes stroll
with only a couple of cars sailing along the silence, I came
upon my destination. The store is not large, and has a
pink-neon sign letting everyone around they've reached
'Dudu's Place'. I walked in uttering a polite 'hello'
without looking at anyone. The first reply, or rather sound,
which welcomed me, was a bad cough from one of the
costumers.

I did not look up at anyone until I reached the drink-cooler
on the end of the small shop, from where I could observe the
whole store almost unnoticed. The coughing costumer was
actually a boy, almost to his 20's, with red hair, a
warm-looking coat covering his entire torso and a red scarf
wrapped around his neck. He looked ordinary, and was looking
at the snack-shelf. "Bad cough there, kid", I said, closing
in on him. He gave a half-embarrassed smile and nodded.
"Yeah, I knew I couldn't make it through this winter without
some ailment. This was coming straight at me". I nodded
acknowledging his statement without a word. "Hungry?" He
asked, "Sure", I said quietly, "Why, you offering anything?"
"Well I was in the neighborhood, and I couldn't sleep cause
of... Well you know. And got hungry. I could use some
company". I shrugged. "Sure, why not, what's there to eat?"
"Chocolate", he smiled weakly and raised a pack of chocolate
cookies. I chuckled, bought a large bottle of cola and a
small bottle of rum for myself and paid. The coughing man
and I left together, walked all the way back to the
park-street and sat at the bench now lacking one homeless.

Our talk wasn't interesting, and the cookies weren't that
good. The rum and coke made me a bit hyperactive. I said I
was bored. He shrugged and said he can't offer much help
since he was pretty much sedated on antibodies which somehow
prevented him any sleep. "Come on, I'll show you something",
I said, and he got up and followed me without much of a
reply. We walked for a bit, telling some about ourselves to
each other, laughing at a few jokes told by the other. It
was a nice walk. An hour and something later, he stopped to
yawn and stretch. "Wow. I'm getting tired. Are we there
yet?" he asked, and I replied with a sly smile, "Will you go
to sleep now?", "I would if I was somewhere I can sleep,
but, don't you have something to show me?" He asked, without
much of an interest, seeing how his eyes were now half
closed. "Well, you've seen it", I said matter-of-fact. "I
have?" I nodded. "What I wanted to show you was how to
become tired at this hour. Just walk, next time, and you'll
be able to sleep the next second", I turned to him and
pointed at the building next to me," That's my apartment.
You can come up if you want, I'll prepare the couch for
you". I turned my back on him and towards the entrance.

The coughing man gave a weak cough, and followed me,
convinced of the wonder of the sandman. He did not ask,
however, why I wasn't tired. If he had, I'd tell him.

I just like the night...