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jwesley
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-04-30
Posts 7563
Spring, Texas

0 posted 2006-12-26 04:23 PM


                                                 THE PARK

Kisses woke me. Tongue-licking, sloppy, wet kisses, slathered across my face.  Damn dog, I thought as I rolled to the left, wiped my face with the sheet and fully prepared to kill Buster, our all-breed mutt.  

I rolled back, eyes open, hand raised for the kill, and it was your face I saw behind the teeth of an enormous grin. Anger ebbed, but the urge to lay you out lingered a moment longer. An urge that died when you kissed me hard, passionately, then sprang back to life when you leaped out of bed and laughingly closed the bathroom door behind you.

I rolled back over to swing my feet off the bed, and Buster laid one on me. My god, how could I ever mistake yours for his! “Buster, get the . . . “

“Now, now”, you said from behind me.  “Mustn’t upset the animals. They’re the only buffer between you and today.”

Today.

Yeah, today.

Can’t forget about today.

We skipped coffee, opting instead for Breakfast Taco and a cup of Dark Roast at Chick-fil-lay on the way. A little later we pulled between the parallel, white lines of a parking space not far from the edge of the lake, the only vehicle in the lot. We got out, the car doors sounding obnoxiously loud when they closed.  We sat close on the picnic table in front of the car, feet on the bench below. We ate, and sipped coffee.

Quietly.

I threw a piece of taco to a sparrow on the ground below. He rushed to it, picked it up and flew away, three others chasing. Quietly.

Today it all seemed to be happening quietly, solemnly, just like it should on a day like today. I looked at you, you looked back, tears brimming in your eyes. Our foreheads touched, then our lips in agreement that the time had come.

You took my hand, we pushed off the table and you led me back to the car. I opened the right rear door, unbuckled the straps holding the shining, silver urn in the seat, and picked it up.  We walked back to the table, through the dew covered grass beyond it, past the swings, and another twenty-feet or so, to the lake.

And there we stood for a long, long time.

Later we left the empty urn on the table for anyone who wanted it. It had served it’s purpose.  It’s job was done. Our child was forever in the place she loved so much.  This place with it’s little lake, it’s swings, picnic tables and sparrows that would eat right out of your hand.  Our little girl was where she always wanted to go.

The Park.

© w. james beard, jr.
December 26, 2006

© Copyright 2006 Wesley James Beard, Jr. - All Rights Reserved
latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida
1 posted 2006-12-26 07:41 PM


Park, A tender story. Thank you for sharing that sad day with us. martyjo
kaila
Junior Member
since 2006-12-24
Posts 37
PA
2 posted 2007-01-08 06:51 PM


Oh my--what a touching piece. I loved the opening and expected this to be a light-hearted, early-morning love story. It was a love story; however, I got all of the anticipated details wrong.

Thank you for writing this.

kaila


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