I woke with a start as my alarmed blared into my head. The sun was blinding. I rolled over to the cold side of the bed, a memory flashing through my mind. I pushed it away. After showering and eating a quick breakfast I was out the door, on my way to work.

The streets around Syracuse University were already busy. College students walked with books in their faces getting in the last minutes of study before finals. Crunch time. I could sympathize, having graduated the previous spring.

I walked to my favorite coffee shop, made small talk with the counter help and went on my way toward the playhouse. I got the job through one of my professors painting scenery for the drama students' performances. I was currently working on three different projects for finals.

"Joslyn!" I heard yelled behind me.

It was Kara, one of the students I was painting for.

"Hey, Kara." I said as she approached me. "What's up?"

"Oh just freaking out over finals. Like everyone else." She smiled. "I don't know how you double majored without killing yourself."

I smiled and sipped my coffee.

"So, how's the project going?"

"Good. I'm heading there now to finish up one of them."

"Not ours?"

"No. I'm close with yours though. You can come see it if you want." I said.

"We're meeting for a pre-rehearsal rehearsal." Kara explained. "I'll come around after though."

"I'll probably be there."

"OK. See you later then."

She walked in the opposite direction toward the Performing Arts building. I didn't run into any of the other students I was doing projects for until I actually got to the theater. Where I was bombarded by requests and inquiries before the door closed behind me. Slight changes made to my most finished project, my least finished project. Lucky for me, the theater wasn't going to be used that night so I had 24 hour use of the space. My cell phone rang multiple times; panicked students calling to make sure I wouldn't forget something. I stopped answering after the fifth call-back.

Every inch of me was aching by the time I got enough done to leave with a clear conscience. It was almost one in the morning. The air outside was cold and damp. I didn't notice it had rained. I started down the street toward my apartment. The local bars weren't quite as busy as usual so I stopped in for last call. A beer before bed would probably relax me enough to get to sleep relatively quickly.

"Hey, Jos." Frank, the middle-aged bartender, said with a smile. "What are you doing out so late?"

"Working." I said with a sigh, sitting at the bar slapping three dollars on the counter. "Whatever's on tap' please."

"Those college students got you working pretty hard, huh?"

"I can't really complain." I shrugged. "I'm getting paid, that's what matters."

"I suppose." He slid the beer in front of me. "How many projects you got going right now?"

"Three." I said. "Why? What do you need?"

"Never mind." Frank said with a wave of his hand.

"It's your niece's birthday again isn't it?" I asked remembering it myself.

"Not for another few days. But don't worry about it. I'll get a card from the pharmacy."

"Oh Frank." I sighed. "I can do it tomorrow morning. What's she into these days?"

"Still dancing." He pulled a picture out of his wallet. A little girl in a red sequined leotard smiled gaily. "Just went to the recital."

"Gosh, she's so big."

"Yeah, hard to believe it's been five years huh?"

"It sure is." I said and sipped the beer.

I looked around the bar. It was practically empty. A small group of college students nursed their glasses. Winding down like me no doubt. I finished my beer, bid Frank a good night and stepped into the light drizzle of the night