The alarm clock rang at the usual 4:00. Derick groaned, wanting to hit the off button. Stretching his arms and legs straight he instead hit the light switch on his bedside lamp. Wincing as the soft amber glow hit his eyes. Fighting off the warm grasps of sleepiness trying to beckoning him back to the warmth and sleep. He resolved himself and grabbed the covers and in one motion folded them to the side to allow the swamp cooled air to rush against his freshly exposed skit. The cold, feeling like a small shock when coming into contact with his momentarily content warm skit. A sigh and a groan, then he sat up and rolled out of bed. He looked back at the bed and seen his female German Shepard squinting and looking offended at him. “Don’t look at me like that.” He uttered. The only response from his companion was to slowly close its eyes. Shrugging he turned around and flat footed it into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator he glanced at the clock on the stove. Calculating that this morning he had enough time to make lunch. He pulled out the bread, cheese, and bologna. Setting them on the counter, almost assembly line like. He assembled the full loaf of sandwiches. Many people thought he was crazy for making so many sandwiches at once, but he did not care. Most people knew that they would be home every night. He thought about this then and elicited a partial chuckle or a groan. Putting all of the sandwiches back into the plastic bread bag he tied the end and left them on the counter. Placing the remaining supplies back in the fridge he then shuffled to the laundry room. More awake now he sifted through the cloths hamper and found a matching set of socks, well mostly matching. They were at least the same length. He then grabbed a work shirt and a pair of pans from the stacks on the folding table. With his outfit in hand he set them on the counter in the bathroom and proceeded to do his daily ablutions. He paused and looked in the mirror and mentally remarked that he looked good but man, do I really look that depressed. Shrugging that mental note aside he pulled on the pants, shirt, and socks. Realizing that he did not have his belt he then proceeded to wander from room to room looking for his belt. Finding in on the sofa chair next to the front door. Now belted, he grabbed his hat and sun glasses. Finally the German Shepard lazily walked into the front room and plopped down on its dog bed with a great sigh. It rested its head on its paws and looked gloomily up at him. It almost felt like the dog was seeing right through him with the intensity of the stare. Now looking at the clock he could see that it was now 4:35am. He slipped on his steel toe cow boy boots and walked outside to the Luke warm air. There was no breeze and the air still felt dry and full of heat energy. Feeling this he knew that it was going to be a very hot day in the streak of very hot summer days. Walking over to his work truck he grabbed a large thermos and water jug. Returning to the house he filled the jugs with the water from the kitchen tap. Gathering up the sandwiches, water and the other business things he carried all of these to the truck. Carefully storing every item. Upon the last trip his dog was there waiting for him at the truck. “Not today Remy. Its going to be too hot today.” He said. “Yard.” He commanded in a medium tone. The dog looking utterly defeated sulked back behind the garden gate and sat. He closed the gate and reached over the fence and affectionately petted the dogs head. “ Maybe tomorrow. Be a good girl” he then got into the truck and turned the ignition. It fired up just as it had every morning that week as if it had never sat a day in its life. He eased off the clutch and drove away into the moon light.