[ IP ] Said the Stars

I suggest listening to this song while you read. https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=D8zlUUrFK-M 
 
 WONDER 
 
 
 “ Sometimes to see the brightest things you have to turn off the lights ”, said Grandpa Hugh looking at the sun setting. 
 
 “ What does that even mean ”, questioned Anthony playing with his phone. 
 
 “ Sometime when you ’ re older you ’ ll understand ”, said Grandpa Hugh in his usual proverbial tongue, “ Well you better head home it ’ s getting late. I don ’ t want your mother yelling at me again. Here take this. ” 
 
 Grandpa Hugh reached into his pocket and pulled out a five dollar bill. 
 
 “ That ’ s for helping me in the garden today. Don ’ t tell your mother ”, he said with a mischievous wink. 
 
 “ Oh, thanks Grandpa. Really you shouldn ’ t have. I really didn ’ t do much ”, Anthony said with feigned sincerity. 
 
 “ A hard day ’ s work deserves a good pay ”, said Grandpa Hugh thrusting the dollar into Anthony ’ s hand, “ Now go on home. See you next week. ” 
 
 Anthony said good bye to his Grandfather and got on his bike. Grandpa Hugh lived on the far outskirts of town. It was a good 30 minute bike ride until Anthony would get home. It was going to be a boring bike ride too. There was literally nothing for miles. Just empty fields. 
 
 “ Stupid Mom making me come out here all day to waste my Saturday ”, thought Anthony as he rode his bike down the dirt road, “ You have learn responsibility young man… blah blah blah blah… Your grandpa gets lonely… blah blah blah…. I can ’ t believe that I have to come back next Saturday! I mean look it ’ s already starting to get dark. ” 
 
 Anthony was frustrated by all of this. All he really wanted to do was go home and play video games. The thought of losing any time during this summer angered him. This was it the last good summer he ’ ll enjoy. After that he ’ ll be going to high school and everything is going to change, he just knew it. This was his last summer to be a kid. After this he would be an adult. The sun began its final decent out of the sky. 
 
 “ Great now how am I going to get back in the dark ”, said Anthony frustrated. 
 
 Anthony looked up and saw an amazing mosaic of stars appear overhead. 
 
 “ Wow ”, he said looking up. 
 
 In that moment he stopped riding his bike and just gazed at the menagerie of stars forming overhead. All day he was angry. Angry at his mom making him go to grandpas. Angry that his grandpa ’ s house had no Wi-Fi. Angry that he had to ride home in the dark. But now he felt different. All the anger flushed out of him. He felt at peace as he gazed at the wonder above him. 
 
 It seemed so relaxing. As the sun finally fully disappeared more stars filled the sky. There were so many hues filling up the sky from dark purple to light green. The light the stars casted abled him to see at least a hundred feet down the road. He listen to the sounds of crickets begin their nightly serenade of chirping. The faint sounds of owls and other birds could be heard in the woods on the other side of the field. Then something even more magical happening. Fireflies began to flutter around him and the road. 
 
 “ Maybe this was what grandpa was talking about ”, he thought as he took in the painting surrounding him. 
 
 He took in a deep breath of the fresh damp night air and began his journey home to tell his mother about the fun he had at grandpa ’ s and how he would like to go back more often. Maybe he would take the long way home too. 

