Sharing the Heat

Summer days and summer nights.  The mosquitoes are out, the cicadas are shi-shi-shi-ing from 4 am, the air is always wet, and I have a pet cockroach I've named Sal.  I think his home in the pipes of this apartment building is too warm for him, and I think he is lonely.  I've seen other lonely cockroaches out on the stairs these past few days, searching.  Last night Sal followed me from room to room, but when he crawled onto my mattress I decided perhaps it was time he go back to his friends.  I put Sal outside, as sad as it was to say goodbye, but there is now another Sal.  Perhaps she is looking for her other Sal.  One Sal or another, everyone is hot.  It's summer in Japan.  We're all in this together.