It's early morning, not yet light, and Francis Scott stands out in the cold air by a turnoff. He has a long journey ahead of him, and he's about to start walking when someone stops to give him a ride. Thankful for the ride, he chats with the driver.
The topic of conversation turns to last year's fire in the hills. The driver mentions how all the homes in the area were burned down. Francis tells how the woman he was going to marry, a cell painter in the same animation studio he worked in, died in that fire. Scott remembers his birthday last year, with Rosita. He recalls the song "Las Mañanitas" that they promised they'd sing to each other on their birthdays. Now it's Francis' birthday again, and he says he's going to see Rosita again.
"The Little Morning" is a simple story, yet a deeply moving one. "Las Mañanitas" means "the little mornings", and the story is of one specific early morning, where Scott makes his journey with the aide of the driver, and tells his story as the sun rises above the canyon.
A year ago this morning... it seems a million years ago, though.
Francis Scott