If I Were a Carpenter

House construction sites fill me with renewed optimism.

I associate the smell of lumber with the chance for a fresh start. As I step over power tools, I imagine life in the brand new home. The delicious meals I could prepare in this kitchen! I could spend days in this lavish media room! This looks like a perfect master bedroom!

My daydreams about new beginnings often end abruptly. A goon grabs my arm, the word "trespassing" is bandied about, and I’m impolitely escorted off the property.