Flowers gone black. Not dead. Just Black.
She sat there pondering, wondering if she was ever going to finish. Stumbling over her thoughts, each one tumbling out from her imagination and on to the blank pages. It was half way through the quarter and yet she still couldn't figure out what she want to write for her big paper. She had a million ideas, all very successful, but none that could quite satisfy her appetite for a good story. Think...What would Shakespeare or Lewis Carroll do in my situation? She asked out loud. Of course, no one replied, only the silence looking back at her and her hopelessness. She sunk lower into her chair with a little more doubt than she had before, the light from the dreary day poured in through the big bay windows, the rain pitter pattering against them. At her desk was her laptop, which she used all the time. Next to it was a stack of white lined paper, unused, a cup full of #2 pencils, one red pen to correct errors and a bouquet of flowers her boyfriend bought her the day before. She was a very organized girl. Some would say she was a bit punctilious. Looking out the window towards the park, her thoughts became daydreams.
Running hand in hand with her love, to where he had laid out a blanket in the park. And awaited them was what looked like a surprise picnic. Upon the checkered white and blue blanket was a red box with a pink bow. He gestured for her to open it. Eyes smiling, she reached for the box, then suddenly pulled back in shock when it moved. Looking at him puzzled, he then guestured again for her to open it, soothing her of any doubt that it was harmful. As she reached for the box again, it jumped around like a Mexican Jumping Bean and whimpered. Confused and struggling to keep it in one place, she took the top off and out emerged a puppy. Laughing, she turned to him in such happiness, he pulled her close and kissed her. "Happy birthday darling'', he said.
Unfortunately, it was just a daydream. The reality was a little less rainbows and butterflies, or should I say puppies. He had actually forgotten her birthday. Looking at the mix of flowers sitting on her desk was only making it worse. Fultile flowers. You sit there and mock me. You're not even may favorite. She thought. Lilies were her favorite. They had been together for a year, yet he still didn't know her favorite flower. If he was blind, his behavior would have been acceptable. But this man had perfect vision. And to forget her birthday, that was whole other upsetting problem of its own. She wasn't so upset she could cry, she would have never cried for these vile flowers. But she kept them there anyway. A reminder, that love was just a myth. Passion no longer existed. Chivalry was like a music box you would find at an antique store. Hardly anyone goes in them anymore and when they did find that music box, it was worn down, paint chipping and the little ballerina inside was leaning over. It was just like the distant melody that came from that box so long ago. Romance nowadays, was watching TV on the couch on a rainy day. No more candle-lit dinners. No more pretty blue boxes from Tiffany's just to say, "I was thinking of you and thought you should have this." No more Lilies on Friday just because. Romance died along with the leaves during the crisp cold Fall. Outside, the rain came down from the sky even harder. The wind blew through the trees and people ran for shelter to get out of the blustery weather. No matter how hard she daydreamed or how many shooting stars she wished upon, her reality would be sitting at that desk, flowers mocking her and that essay staring up wondering when she would continue writing.
Aubrei R. Albin
Thursday, October 28, 2010
This is part of a story I am working on. A teaser if you may. I hope that you enjoy it. More to come!!!
"Better never to have met you in my dream than to wake and reach for hands that are not there."
~ Otomo No Yakamochi
1. Sam Edelman : Featured in Nylon Magazine, these venturesome pair are dying to get onto someones feet. Laced up, high heel military boot goes with the season. I'm not a stylist but these can pretty much be worn with anything. Love Love Love them!!! For more info: Go to Bloomingdale's.
