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

0 posted 2011-08-17 10:30 PM




Camelback Mountain, The Ant, and God
(a memory - of course I was asleep at the time -
from Boyhood Tales )
~~~

There was a time when Camelback Mountain,
in Arizona, was a direction.
"Hey Miss, how do I get to . . . "
"Oh, you go towards Camelback Mountain and . . ."
and an arm would come up,
a finger would point , and, of course,
everyone would then know exactly
where you were going.

Except you.

Camelback was always a mysterious place.
I'd sometimes get chills,
or the hackles on the back of my neck would rise
as I climbed through certain areas,
and then I'd wonder -
whose soul had I just walked through;
whose footstep had fit mine so well;
did they wear feathers, or a cowboy hat?

Should I excuse myself, apologize?

~~~

One really hot summer,
near the top of the "camel's hump"
where there are five large, rounded boulders,
full of cracks and other depressions that
I'd use to climb just that much closer to the sky,

in 110 degrees of pure ultra-violet light,
in country where a mouth full of cotton
is the first sign of real water loss,
I was terribly thirsty. . .

and playing with this little ant,
putting obstructions in it's way,
making it turn this way and that,
back and forth - pestering it.

Finally I let it climb my finger tip,
raised it to my eye and loudly said,
"Ant, I am God!"

"And you are just a little, insignificant speck
on the tip of my finger."

"What do you think of that!"
~~~

The little sucker bit me!

I shook it off my finger
and picking up one of the larger obstructions
I'd previously put in it's way,
I crushed it!
Ground it into the sand!

"And I'm a vengeful god you little, little . . .
well, anyway, shouldn't bite." I said,
as I proceeded up the twenty-five foot climb
to the top of the boulder where I again
sat to catch my breath.

Suddenly g-forces glued me to the boulder,
wind rushed past my face,
my stomach kissed my toes . . .
and just as quick
everything came to a stop,
except me,
who flew four feet higher
then fell back to the boulder
in a crash of floundering arms and legs.

"Man, I am GOD!" A booming, echoing voice
shook me to my very core.

"And you are just a little, insignificant speck
on the tip of my finger."

"What do you think of that!"

© wesley james beard, jr.
august 2011




[This message has been edited by jwesley (08-18-2011 09:51 AM).]

© Copyright 2011 Wesley James Beard, Jr. - All Rights Reserved
katahdin
Senior Member
since 2010-07-01
Posts 1196
ME. In the Shadow of the Mt.
1 posted 2011-08-18 12:15 PM


Nicely done, loved the ending, enjoyed.
Kat>^..^<

Margherita
Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236
Eternity
2 posted 2011-08-18 06:38 AM


So, dear Jimmy, while you were asleep, you were given a great lesson, I see!

I love your boyhood memories and this is no exception.

Very well written.

Love,
M

Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
3 posted 2011-08-18 11:14 AM


And did you bite back?
Or just hang on for dear life?

Excellent rendering, Wes.


OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
4 posted 2011-08-18 11:49 AM


I am so glad it was just a dream and that you didn't really hurt that little ant's feelings nor make it miserable nor kill it.  

Owl

Dark Stranger
Member Patricius
since 2001-03-19
Posts 13631
West Coast
5 posted 2011-08-18 12:47 PM


Booming Echoing voice....Hillary Clinton?  

enjoyed it amogo!!

jwesley
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-04-30
Posts 7563
Spring, Texas
6 posted 2011-08-18 12:58 PM


Always honored when you guy's stop in and read, thanks from the heart!

Sunshine...prayed!

Dark ... in her dreams!

j.

suthern
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Seraphic
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723
Louisiana
7 posted 2011-08-19 02:41 PM


I do love your stories and your wonderful telling of them! *S*
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