Saturday, July 17, 2010

blossom



I always loved the moment of leaving the house, pulling the door shut behind you and being on your way Out.

I haven't had it so much recently, because I don't feel it unless I'm walking. These baby-days, going out is a final desperate rush out the door late, to hop in the car and speed off for a couple hours of freedom, overshadowed by having to come home again too soon.

But sometimes, I'm walking off out somewhere. In cold weather there's the beautiful feeling of striding in boots and long coat, wind on my face as if the moors were about to open out in front of me. In summer there's the freedom of no jacket. A bag slung over my shoulder, an open road ahead.

Do you know what I mean?

Our laneway is very pretty. As summer comes on, the tall trees are all green and in flower, the hedge grows out over the lane. It seems rural and quiet and verdant. One day this spring, Axel and I were going out. We walked down the lane and I felt the feeling, the free feeling, the heroine of my own adventure feeling as we left kids and house behind. Half way down the lane, white cherry petals were arcing out over it and showering down from the branch as we approached. It was so beautiful, it was weddings and romance, they were lit in the evening sun and flittering down to carpet the ground around us.

It would have been a good time for a man to take his wife's hand, or put an arm around her and pull her to him for a kiss among the falling petals before heading out into the great unknown.

He put a cigarette to his lips and lit it, and surrounded himself with a wall of acrid smoke. And staring straight a head, he walked on down the lane.

5 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

Oh darling.
A beautiful illustration of a very sad moment.

geeks in rome said...

Did he at least offer you a drag, darling?

Unknown said...

Jo-

So often you leave me speechless with the beauty of your words. Often I can't comment because of this, but I wanted you to know that you touch me and I'm thinking of you.

Jo said...

Well, I'm left speechless by the loveliness of your comment, Aden, thank you.

And you Mary.

And geeks, well, that would have been worse, so thankfully, no.

Mwa said...

Oh Jo.