If There Are Monsters I live on the shore. I have long loved the winters here because everything freezes. And so everything seems to stop, to stand still. As if time itself were stopping. And therefore we could just relax and take a breather. It's why I don't fly south. I have warm clothes and a wood stove. And I love miracles. And I love my home here. Here in Canada. I once auditioned for and got the part of an American sergeant in a force that was invading Canada. Unfortunately the pilot failed and so that was that. The concept, apparently, was too fantastic. Oh, Canada. If only the cold could cool the madness down south. I once lived there, down south. Once in a while, I go back for a visit. And I encounter many good people each time. Monsters can arise anywhere. If there are monsters, let them come when the ice is thin. And let them think it is thick. 9 January 2025 Texas Jim Prospect, Nova Scotia www.granitecoast.ca