CLEAR SKIES AHEAD©
By Pamela Garza

She stands on the crowded sidewalk, craning her neck higher and higher, until she sees sky. There isn't much left of it after that building claims all its space.

Her new ex-husband is like that. There isn't much left to go around after he got done. Now that they are divorced, split 50-50 the meager assets and monstrous debts, she discovers that she's got to go to work again after 10 years.

She sniffs as she enters the office building with the crowd pressing up against her. Her knowing smile is meant more for herself than anyone else it happens to touch, as she steps into the elevator.

It calms her to think that ex-husbands are like tall buildings. At first, they seem intimidating, even frightening, but when taken floor by floor, it is easy to rise above them. And when it's done, there's plenty of clear skies ahead.

"Roof, please."