It was a Wednesday night, and Dave and I had just finished eating a late dinner in the living room. As the end credits scrolled across the television screen, I lay back on the couch. Long orange light slid across the kitchen floor - it was just before sunset, the night of the summer solstice. Dave stood up, thanked me for making dinner, and went down to the basement to work. The DVD looped back to the menu, so I rose to eject the disc - season one of The Simpsons , the third disc of three. I reached for the plastic rental cover and popped it back into place with the two others. I walked toward the basement stairs. "Be back in a minute - don't lock me out!" I called down to Dave. I heard the soft thunk of something mechanical. "OK," he called back. Discs in hand, I slipped into sandals and opened the front door. It was a beautiful night, and a thin summer humidity cooled by the evening wrapped wide ribbons around my ankles, calves and ar...