Peter Newton

The Anatomy of Hope

We are all on guard. Waiting for word. The topic is locked on the missing Malaysian plane. Thirty four days of near-constant coverage and tonight they're calling it: The Anatomy of Hope. A blatant ratings grab no one seems to mind. We are listening for the cockpit voice recorders. We are spellbound, hypnotized and desperate for that errant ping. The panel invites us to dive deeper into the mystery. During the commercial break, there's been an outbreak in Africa. A car bomb in Kabul. I am standing in my quiet kitchen, staring back at a row of windows. A soldier at lost attention. The world is in ruins and I am thinking maybe these people on the plane have gone searching. That kingdom of kindness I've heard tell about. Or was that only me talking, spreading rumors of a better world.

mid-winter
the drive-thru cashier's
scripted greeting