01 / 12
Almost ready
Koa had brushed his teeth and found his pajamas.
Dad turned the hall lamp low.
'Ready?' he asked.
'Almost,' said Koa.
Almost had several places still to visit.
Back to contents ↑02 / 12
The bus stop
The red bus waited beside the sofa.
Koa rolled it under the shelf.
'Last stop,' he whispered.
He checked that its wheels were straight.
A bus should be comfortable at the end of a day.
Back to contents ↑03 / 12
A book with a bookmark
His book lay open on the chair.
He slipped the ribbon between the pages and closed it.
The story could wait in there.
Koa patted the cover, just to let it know.
Back to contents ↑04 / 12
The round cushion
The sofa cushion had fallen sideways.
He stood it up.
It fell sideways again.
Koa considered this.
'Perhaps that's how you sleep.'
He left it as it was.
Back to contents ↑05 / 12
At the window
Across the courtyard, windows shone in different colors.
Someone pulled a curtain.
One square went dark.
Koa waved at the other squares.
They were busy being windows and did not wave back.
Back to contents ↑06 / 12
A quiet bowl
In the kitchen, the cat's bowl made a little click.
The cat was having a late drink.
Koa waited until it finished.
Some goodnights should not interrupt anything.
Back to contents ↑07 / 12
A tail went past
He offered the cat a goodnight.
The cat rubbed his ankle and walked away.
Its tail brushed his knee.
That seemed to be an answer, although it had no words.
Back to contents ↑08 / 12
The last corner
Koa reached his bedroom.
Then he remembered the hall.
He looked back around the door.
The lamp made a soft pool on the floor.
'Goodnight to that bit, too.'
Back to contents ↑09 / 12
Dad waits
Dad sat on the edge of the bed.
'Was it a long journey?'
'Quite long,' Koa said.
He climbed under the blue blanket.
Dad tucked in the corner that always escaped.
Back to contents ↑10 / 12
One sound left
A bus passed far below the window.
Koa listened until its sound grew small.
Then the apartment creaked.
'That wasn't me,' Dad whispered.
Koa smiled into his pillow.
Back to contents ↑11 / 12
The small goodnight
There were no more corners to visit.
No wheels to straighten.
Dad touched the blanket once.
Koa said a very small goodnight.
It did not need to go farther than the bed.
Back to contents ↑12 / 12
Arrived
Dad left the door a little open.
The hall light lay in a narrow line.
Koa's eyes followed it halfway across the floor.
The rest of the journey could wait until morning.
Back to contents ↑