July 17, 2009

• Falling (Scavenger Hunt 16)

  “Leaves become most beautiful
  When they’re about to die
  When they’re about to fall from trees
  When they’re about to dry up
  Time is all around
  Time is all around” – Regina Spektor

  We’re walking fast, you and I. It’s October. You’ll remember that because it was the night after your birthday party. The leaves have already lost their color and they’re starting to fall. It’s amazing that a simple retraction of chlorophyll back into the tree branches has the power to do this year after year; to make things beautiful year after year. It’s our favorite season.

  We make our way down the street. I don’t remember which street it was but I know that it’s the one with the big Craftsman style house with the maple tree out front. We said we’d live there. We said it was our favorite. We walked to that hole in wall coffee place. The coffee was never good but it had tables out front where we could sit and watch the leaves fall.

  We sat there not saying much for awhile. You burst forth with something that I never thought that I would hear you say. After all this time, I am still not sure of what you exactly said but I’ll never forget the feeling it gave me. Those falling leaves and I, we have something in common now. Fall happens slowly in that part of the country. It takes its time. You didn’t. There was no time to digest what was going on. I needed more time; we needed more time. You left without your coffee. I watched you make your way through the falling leaves and disappear around the corner.

  Fall has come and gone since then. It gives me comfort to know that fall will come every year whether I’m in my city or if I’m in our city. It is something constant. I need that. Time is all around, time is all around.

  (This is another work of fiction)

   

  • 2:48 pm
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