watching things dry is always the same: the paint, the tears, the puddled up fear that sits on the bench and then lives to regret it, the solder that cools, the hair in the breeze, the ruffled bird's feathers when she learns she's not free, and she. a slight glistening gone, trick of the eye, flight of the bird, end of the cry. watching tears dry is like watching paint dry. the toll taker sighs on the bridge, takes your money and holds it while he waits to give it to somebody else, just counting coins and watching the water hit the sky.