A Picnic In Winter
Title: A Picnic In Winter
Words: 2,600 ish
Notes: First of a set of short stories.
Summary: Life is full of situations that test you.
A Picnic in Winter
I must admit, when I woke up February 13th I didn’t expect the window to be open, letting small gusts of air slip through the window like a band of professional burglars. It had been a cold winter, not necessarily one with a lot of precipitation because there wasn’t, but you didn’t need snow for your insides to freeze. I don’t remember how many days I huddled under a platoon of blankets after work while Kelly took pity on me and made me some cocoa. What can I say? The transition from the warm radio station to the harsh weather enveloping the twin cities isn’t pleasant, especially when you’re outside for more than a few minutes. I walk to and from work every day and I still haven’t developed the resistance to cold most Haligonians, including Kelly, seemed to enjoy.
After cringing reflexively under the blankets for a few minutes, I realized that I was being silly. The fresh air smelled of spring (minus the overpowering scent of pollen), almost making me forget that it was still winter despite the large comforter on my bed.
Of course, I shouldn’t have been surprised. The citizens of Halifax (and the Maritimes in general I hear) have a particular approach to the weather. It goes something like this: “Don’t like it? Wait five minutes.”
A lot of people were saying that at work yesterday actually and it wasn't an exaggeration. When I was getting dressed, I could hear the rain dribbling onto the roof, its force sometimes amplified by the wind. As I stepped out the door with my umbrella in hand, I was surprised to feel a snowflake hit me in the face. I was quite glad that it only turned to hail when I was a few seconds away from the station’s door. I don’t mind rain or snow but hail hurts! A little later, once Lydia (my supervisor) briefed me about what was on the day's program, I went out to the common area for some coffee. A few latecomers were talking animatedly about how nice it was to see the sun again.
I honestly think Mother Nature hates me sometimes.
In any case, I could hear Kelly making her way around the kitchen, the little bell on her chocker tinkling as she moved. I bought it for her birthday a couple of years ago as a joke, telling her that I had figured out her secret identity as a cat burglar. She surprised me by taking pride in the little jingle, saying it was her own little fanfare.
Lost in the memory, I didn’t realize that Kelly wasn't in the kitchen until she opened my bedroom door. The rude little bugger didn’t even bother to knock! I held the blankets to my chest, hoping that she wouldn’t notice that I was sleeping in a tank top as I was complaining that the heater was set too low yesterday. “We’re going to the park for a picnic in ten minutes,” she told me.
“Are you mad?” Warm air drifting through the window frame was one thing; wind-chill was another.
“It’s fifteen degrees out and I’m not going to let you spend your Saturday hiding from the sun. I made a pie and you’ll only get some of it if you come to the picnic…” Her bribe trailed off as she became distracted by something. “Carolyn, are you wearing your little black top or am I imagining things?” I must have looked guilty or something because she took a deep breath, probably praying for patience. “Get dressed.”
I rubbed the crusty bits out of the corner of my eyes and staggered off to the bathroom. Kelly was my roommate and my best friend, but sometimes I felt like she channeled my mother.
~*~
It was a nice, uneventful walk- a rarity in Halifax. The city was the capital of Nova-Scotia and there was always some type of drama going on. The warm sunshine soaked into my skin and my soul, healing the weariness that winter always seemed to bring. Even after we settled down on the picnic blanket, I could also smell the freshness in the steady, but warm, breeze that fiddled with my short hair. I used to have long hair but it became prone to getting stuck in doorways and falling into my food. That got old really fast. Despite the nice weather, the heavy scent of pollution still permeated the air in the park, a side-effect of living in the city I suppose. Most people got used to it but I can still practically taste it.
I could hear children screeching from the park on the other side of the soccer field, amusing themselves on a set of slides, climbing bars, swings, and knotted ropes all the while calling each other names and throwing dares around to amuse themselves. It was like going to see the lions at one end the zoo and hearing the howler monkeys on the other side. I could also hear a father yelling at his son to be careful, and I couldn’t help thinking that he would be ignored. I know I would’ve ignored him as a kid.
A couple of kids were playing catch about fifteen feet away from us, a boy and his older sister by the sound of things. Unlike the ones on the park, they only spoke every once in awhile, and not nearly loud enough to really annoy me. It was nice.
I didn’t realize that Kelly had started to pack our lunch until I reached towards my plate and found it missing. Fortunately, she didn’t notice. I made myself more comfortable on the picnic blanket that we were sitting on. Its fabric was harsh to the touch but it served its purpose and the ants didn’t like the smell of it. I stretched a little, feeling my shirt rise as it has a habit of doing and the playful breeze nipped at my flesh. My fingers touched tree trunk, the smooth congealed tree sap contrasting the roughness of the bark. Kelly had told me that it was a willow, and since she’s the botanist, I’m inclined to believe her. In any case, its large frame provided ample shade and for that it had my gratitude. Kelly always got cranky when her smooth skin became sunburned.
“I have to go to the bathroom.” Kelly announced suddenly. “Try not to get into trouble and stay put.”
“I’m astounded by your faith in me.”
Kelly didn’t even bother giving that an answer.
It took me a good ten minutes to start wondering where the bathroom was exactly. If it was on the other side of the park, then I was in for a long wait. I didn’t really have time to pack anything (Kelly pretty much dragged me out of the door as soon as I was dressed), so I found myself eavesdropping on the kids playing catch. Apparently, the boy was going to start playing for a softball team in a week and had pestered his sister into helping him train. At about thirty passes, some kid started bawling over at the playground, breaking my concentration.
Kelly still wasn’t back.
‘She probably just saw someone she knew. No reason to panic. I just need to sit here and count how many times the kids pass the ball. She should be here any minute now. There’s no reason to worry.’
10… 15… 20 passes…
‘Those kids have a lot more dedication than I ever had… Aren’t they tired yet?’
25 passes…
‘Maybe she didn’t know where the bathroom was either and had to ask for directions. That would explain some things. I mean, Kelly rarely gets lost if she does know where she’s going.’
40 passes…
‘She told me to stay put. If I go looking for her, then she’ll be upset and I’ll just end up getting lost. I know we passed by Spring Garden but I don’t know where I am. We went uphill and the scent of the sea isn’t that strong so I’m not by the waterfront.’
42 passes…
‘Maybe there was a line-up at the bathrooms.’
46 passes…
‘Maybe someone hurt her. No, that doesn’t make sense. It’s midday and there’s plenty of people here, somebody would have noticed if Kelly got hurt. I’m just being a worry-wart.’
‘Or maybe she just left you.’
‘Kelly’s not like that!’ It’s been a long time since I felt this worried. “Kelly?” I said softly, hating the wobble in my voice. I’m a grown woman, there’s no need for me to feel like an abandoned child. When I didn’t get an answer, the panic seemed to spread from my heart to the far ends of my body, as if a multitude of little demons were running through my bloodstream, eager to reach an unpopulated area. “Kelly!” I called, a little louder, getting to my feet. Sometimes I can hear better when I stand up; I actually like to imagine that the wind carries the sounds to me, but it was not one of those times. The breeze carried no hint of Kelly’s soft voice, no tinkle from the cat-bell on her chocker, no trace of the Herbal Essences strawberry shampoo that she had used this morning.
‘You’ve always been good at driving people away.’ My inner voice said gleefully as I started pacing.
‘Shut up!’
I could feel my heart rate speed up as the little demons started to grow in their new niches, grabbing my heart with some type of vice. It tightened slowly and I started to have trouble taking deep breaths. Without thinking, I started to walk forward, towards the kids playing catch. I strained my hearing, flinging my consciousness out, desperate for any sign of Kelly. When none came, I started to curse the fact that I had been too distracted to grab my walking stick from its place by the tree. I could really use its comforting weight right now.
The kids playing catch must have noticed my distress because I could no longer hear the steady thunk of a baseball smacking into a leather glove. “What’s wrong?” The girl asked.
“Did you see which way Kelly went?” I definitely hated the bloody wobble.
“The lady you were with? She went towards the fountain.”
The fountain must be near the bathrooms but that didn’t really help me. I swallowed my pride. I hated asking strangers for directions but this was important. “Where is it?”
“Over there.” The boy said as if I was stupid.
“Over where?” I tried to snarl but it came out sounding like a whimper.
“There!”
I really wanted to wring the bugger’s neck at that point so I guess it’s a good thing that I heard the faint jingle of Kelly’s chocker. I turned away from the kids, and walked towards the sound to the left of my body. I heard Kelly shout, “Watch out!” as a root snagged my foot and I tripped. I used my forearms to break my fall, saving my face from becoming acquainted with the grassy ground. I could hear Kelly’s curse as she started running, the sound of her footfalls almost drowned out by the boy’s snickering and the girl’s reproving snarl. I ignored them in favor of the strawberry scent of Kelly’s hair that filled the air around me as she helped me up. “You okay?” She asked, and I could hear worry and guilt mixing in her voice.
“It’s not your fault.” I said shortly, taking an uneasy step forward. My ankle screamed at me for my effort, calling me a foolish klutz in sharp bursts of pain. Kelly put one of my arms over her small shoulders, supporting part of my weight. “I just need to sit down.” I added, unable to stop myself from limping slightly.
“I’m sorry I took so long. A little boy was walking on top of the monkey bars and lost his balance. I went to call an ambulance while the father stayed with him. He didn’t think he needed to bring the kid to the hospital at first but I managed to convince him it wouldn’t hurt anything.” She explained once we reached the picnic blanket again. “And now you’re hurt because you came to look for me and I’m sorry.”
“No harm done.” I tried to reassure her, calm now that I had found her. The demons went back to the crevices of my heart, settling down until the next time they were summoned by my panic. I sat down and my ankle’s screams became more of a reproaching throb. “I’m okay and that little boy’s all the luckier to have met you.”
She knelt down beside me and gave me an apologetic hug.. Impulsively, I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before returning the hug. “Don’t worry about a few scratches, you know I’ve had much worse.” I whispered in her ear, finally smelling her beneath the cloying scent of her shampoo. “With all the trouble I’ve brought to you, this hardly matters.”
“You’re no trouble.” Kelly’s voice sounded a little distracted as she dismissed my statement. “I’m the one who abandoned you.”
“That’s not true.” It was the same old conversation. Kelly considers herself to be my keeper because I can’t see. I’ve never been able to so I don’t know why she gets upset about my being blind. I’ve since decided that she just needs to take care of people. “You helped out a hurt kid and if that’s a crime, then I’ll be damned. Don’t worry about me, I’m an adult, I can take care of myself.” She seemed to be relaxing a little as I spoke, losing some of the tenseness in her muscles.
“I’m your eyes though.”
“And you're my best friend, I know you won’t abandon me.” I gave her a bright smile. There’s no reason to tell her about my bout of weakness. “Now, how about we go to the animal shelter and check on the kitties. We haven’t been there in a few days so they’re probably bored out of their minds.”
“What about your ankle?”
“It’s only a little twisted. Give it a few minutes to stop complaining and it’ll be fine. I might have to use you as a brace though.”
She finished packing up the rest of the picnic gear, forcing me to sit on the grass near the willow’s trunk. We were about to leave when the kids walked up.
“I didn’t know you were blind.” The boy blurted out, actually sounding sorry. “I thought you were just dumb.”
“Cory!” The girl sounded scandalized. I didn’t think kids knew how to feel that way; it seemed to be a more mature trait. Than again, maturity has little to do with age in some cases.
“I’m just being honest!” The boy defended himself.
I had to laugh. It wasn’t every day that people actually admitted that they thought I was dumb. After a few seconds, Kelly started to giggle, probably at the shocked look on the duo’s faces. Or maybe she was finally convinced that I was fine. I don’t know and I don’t particularly care. She was laughing again.
Maybe they weren’t such bad kids after all.
A Picnic In Winter ~~ Encounters ~~ The Club Incident ~~ Kelly Part 1 ~~ Kelly Part 2 ~~ Kelly Part 3 ~~ Interview With Anita ~~ Vacation ~~ Anita's Truth ~~ Aftermath ~~ Needing You ~~ Attack At The Gardens ~~~ Attack At The Gardens Part B ~~~ Don't Tie Me Down
Words: 2,600 ish
Notes: First of a set of short stories.
Summary: Life is full of situations that test you.
A Picnic in Winter
I must admit, when I woke up February 13th I didn’t expect the window to be open, letting small gusts of air slip through the window like a band of professional burglars. It had been a cold winter, not necessarily one with a lot of precipitation because there wasn’t, but you didn’t need snow for your insides to freeze. I don’t remember how many days I huddled under a platoon of blankets after work while Kelly took pity on me and made me some cocoa. What can I say? The transition from the warm radio station to the harsh weather enveloping the twin cities isn’t pleasant, especially when you’re outside for more than a few minutes. I walk to and from work every day and I still haven’t developed the resistance to cold most Haligonians, including Kelly, seemed to enjoy.
After cringing reflexively under the blankets for a few minutes, I realized that I was being silly. The fresh air smelled of spring (minus the overpowering scent of pollen), almost making me forget that it was still winter despite the large comforter on my bed.
Of course, I shouldn’t have been surprised. The citizens of Halifax (and the Maritimes in general I hear) have a particular approach to the weather. It goes something like this: “Don’t like it? Wait five minutes.”
A lot of people were saying that at work yesterday actually and it wasn't an exaggeration. When I was getting dressed, I could hear the rain dribbling onto the roof, its force sometimes amplified by the wind. As I stepped out the door with my umbrella in hand, I was surprised to feel a snowflake hit me in the face. I was quite glad that it only turned to hail when I was a few seconds away from the station’s door. I don’t mind rain or snow but hail hurts! A little later, once Lydia (my supervisor) briefed me about what was on the day's program, I went out to the common area for some coffee. A few latecomers were talking animatedly about how nice it was to see the sun again.
I honestly think Mother Nature hates me sometimes.
In any case, I could hear Kelly making her way around the kitchen, the little bell on her chocker tinkling as she moved. I bought it for her birthday a couple of years ago as a joke, telling her that I had figured out her secret identity as a cat burglar. She surprised me by taking pride in the little jingle, saying it was her own little fanfare.
Lost in the memory, I didn’t realize that Kelly wasn't in the kitchen until she opened my bedroom door. The rude little bugger didn’t even bother to knock! I held the blankets to my chest, hoping that she wouldn’t notice that I was sleeping in a tank top as I was complaining that the heater was set too low yesterday. “We’re going to the park for a picnic in ten minutes,” she told me.
“Are you mad?” Warm air drifting through the window frame was one thing; wind-chill was another.
“It’s fifteen degrees out and I’m not going to let you spend your Saturday hiding from the sun. I made a pie and you’ll only get some of it if you come to the picnic…” Her bribe trailed off as she became distracted by something. “Carolyn, are you wearing your little black top or am I imagining things?” I must have looked guilty or something because she took a deep breath, probably praying for patience. “Get dressed.”
I rubbed the crusty bits out of the corner of my eyes and staggered off to the bathroom. Kelly was my roommate and my best friend, but sometimes I felt like she channeled my mother.
~*~
It was a nice, uneventful walk- a rarity in Halifax. The city was the capital of Nova-Scotia and there was always some type of drama going on. The warm sunshine soaked into my skin and my soul, healing the weariness that winter always seemed to bring. Even after we settled down on the picnic blanket, I could also smell the freshness in the steady, but warm, breeze that fiddled with my short hair. I used to have long hair but it became prone to getting stuck in doorways and falling into my food. That got old really fast. Despite the nice weather, the heavy scent of pollution still permeated the air in the park, a side-effect of living in the city I suppose. Most people got used to it but I can still practically taste it.
I could hear children screeching from the park on the other side of the soccer field, amusing themselves on a set of slides, climbing bars, swings, and knotted ropes all the while calling each other names and throwing dares around to amuse themselves. It was like going to see the lions at one end the zoo and hearing the howler monkeys on the other side. I could also hear a father yelling at his son to be careful, and I couldn’t help thinking that he would be ignored. I know I would’ve ignored him as a kid.
A couple of kids were playing catch about fifteen feet away from us, a boy and his older sister by the sound of things. Unlike the ones on the park, they only spoke every once in awhile, and not nearly loud enough to really annoy me. It was nice.
I didn’t realize that Kelly had started to pack our lunch until I reached towards my plate and found it missing. Fortunately, she didn’t notice. I made myself more comfortable on the picnic blanket that we were sitting on. Its fabric was harsh to the touch but it served its purpose and the ants didn’t like the smell of it. I stretched a little, feeling my shirt rise as it has a habit of doing and the playful breeze nipped at my flesh. My fingers touched tree trunk, the smooth congealed tree sap contrasting the roughness of the bark. Kelly had told me that it was a willow, and since she’s the botanist, I’m inclined to believe her. In any case, its large frame provided ample shade and for that it had my gratitude. Kelly always got cranky when her smooth skin became sunburned.
“I have to go to the bathroom.” Kelly announced suddenly. “Try not to get into trouble and stay put.”
“I’m astounded by your faith in me.”
Kelly didn’t even bother giving that an answer.
It took me a good ten minutes to start wondering where the bathroom was exactly. If it was on the other side of the park, then I was in for a long wait. I didn’t really have time to pack anything (Kelly pretty much dragged me out of the door as soon as I was dressed), so I found myself eavesdropping on the kids playing catch. Apparently, the boy was going to start playing for a softball team in a week and had pestered his sister into helping him train. At about thirty passes, some kid started bawling over at the playground, breaking my concentration.
Kelly still wasn’t back.
‘She probably just saw someone she knew. No reason to panic. I just need to sit here and count how many times the kids pass the ball. She should be here any minute now. There’s no reason to worry.’
10… 15… 20 passes…
‘Those kids have a lot more dedication than I ever had… Aren’t they tired yet?’
25 passes…
‘Maybe she didn’t know where the bathroom was either and had to ask for directions. That would explain some things. I mean, Kelly rarely gets lost if she does know where she’s going.’
40 passes…
‘She told me to stay put. If I go looking for her, then she’ll be upset and I’ll just end up getting lost. I know we passed by Spring Garden but I don’t know where I am. We went uphill and the scent of the sea isn’t that strong so I’m not by the waterfront.’
42 passes…
‘Maybe there was a line-up at the bathrooms.’
46 passes…
‘Maybe someone hurt her. No, that doesn’t make sense. It’s midday and there’s plenty of people here, somebody would have noticed if Kelly got hurt. I’m just being a worry-wart.’
‘Or maybe she just left you.’
‘Kelly’s not like that!’ It’s been a long time since I felt this worried. “Kelly?” I said softly, hating the wobble in my voice. I’m a grown woman, there’s no need for me to feel like an abandoned child. When I didn’t get an answer, the panic seemed to spread from my heart to the far ends of my body, as if a multitude of little demons were running through my bloodstream, eager to reach an unpopulated area. “Kelly!” I called, a little louder, getting to my feet. Sometimes I can hear better when I stand up; I actually like to imagine that the wind carries the sounds to me, but it was not one of those times. The breeze carried no hint of Kelly’s soft voice, no tinkle from the cat-bell on her chocker, no trace of the Herbal Essences strawberry shampoo that she had used this morning.
‘You’ve always been good at driving people away.’ My inner voice said gleefully as I started pacing.
‘Shut up!’
I could feel my heart rate speed up as the little demons started to grow in their new niches, grabbing my heart with some type of vice. It tightened slowly and I started to have trouble taking deep breaths. Without thinking, I started to walk forward, towards the kids playing catch. I strained my hearing, flinging my consciousness out, desperate for any sign of Kelly. When none came, I started to curse the fact that I had been too distracted to grab my walking stick from its place by the tree. I could really use its comforting weight right now.
The kids playing catch must have noticed my distress because I could no longer hear the steady thunk of a baseball smacking into a leather glove. “What’s wrong?” The girl asked.
“Did you see which way Kelly went?” I definitely hated the bloody wobble.
“The lady you were with? She went towards the fountain.”
The fountain must be near the bathrooms but that didn’t really help me. I swallowed my pride. I hated asking strangers for directions but this was important. “Where is it?”
“Over there.” The boy said as if I was stupid.
“Over where?” I tried to snarl but it came out sounding like a whimper.
“There!”
I really wanted to wring the bugger’s neck at that point so I guess it’s a good thing that I heard the faint jingle of Kelly’s chocker. I turned away from the kids, and walked towards the sound to the left of my body. I heard Kelly shout, “Watch out!” as a root snagged my foot and I tripped. I used my forearms to break my fall, saving my face from becoming acquainted with the grassy ground. I could hear Kelly’s curse as she started running, the sound of her footfalls almost drowned out by the boy’s snickering and the girl’s reproving snarl. I ignored them in favor of the strawberry scent of Kelly’s hair that filled the air around me as she helped me up. “You okay?” She asked, and I could hear worry and guilt mixing in her voice.
“It’s not your fault.” I said shortly, taking an uneasy step forward. My ankle screamed at me for my effort, calling me a foolish klutz in sharp bursts of pain. Kelly put one of my arms over her small shoulders, supporting part of my weight. “I just need to sit down.” I added, unable to stop myself from limping slightly.
“I’m sorry I took so long. A little boy was walking on top of the monkey bars and lost his balance. I went to call an ambulance while the father stayed with him. He didn’t think he needed to bring the kid to the hospital at first but I managed to convince him it wouldn’t hurt anything.” She explained once we reached the picnic blanket again. “And now you’re hurt because you came to look for me and I’m sorry.”
“No harm done.” I tried to reassure her, calm now that I had found her. The demons went back to the crevices of my heart, settling down until the next time they were summoned by my panic. I sat down and my ankle’s screams became more of a reproaching throb. “I’m okay and that little boy’s all the luckier to have met you.”
She knelt down beside me and gave me an apologetic hug.. Impulsively, I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before returning the hug. “Don’t worry about a few scratches, you know I’ve had much worse.” I whispered in her ear, finally smelling her beneath the cloying scent of her shampoo. “With all the trouble I’ve brought to you, this hardly matters.”
“You’re no trouble.” Kelly’s voice sounded a little distracted as she dismissed my statement. “I’m the one who abandoned you.”
“That’s not true.” It was the same old conversation. Kelly considers herself to be my keeper because I can’t see. I’ve never been able to so I don’t know why she gets upset about my being blind. I’ve since decided that she just needs to take care of people. “You helped out a hurt kid and if that’s a crime, then I’ll be damned. Don’t worry about me, I’m an adult, I can take care of myself.” She seemed to be relaxing a little as I spoke, losing some of the tenseness in her muscles.
“I’m your eyes though.”
“And you're my best friend, I know you won’t abandon me.” I gave her a bright smile. There’s no reason to tell her about my bout of weakness. “Now, how about we go to the animal shelter and check on the kitties. We haven’t been there in a few days so they’re probably bored out of their minds.”
“What about your ankle?”
“It’s only a little twisted. Give it a few minutes to stop complaining and it’ll be fine. I might have to use you as a brace though.”
She finished packing up the rest of the picnic gear, forcing me to sit on the grass near the willow’s trunk. We were about to leave when the kids walked up.
“I didn’t know you were blind.” The boy blurted out, actually sounding sorry. “I thought you were just dumb.”
“Cory!” The girl sounded scandalized. I didn’t think kids knew how to feel that way; it seemed to be a more mature trait. Than again, maturity has little to do with age in some cases.
“I’m just being honest!” The boy defended himself.
I had to laugh. It wasn’t every day that people actually admitted that they thought I was dumb. After a few seconds, Kelly started to giggle, probably at the shocked look on the duo’s faces. Or maybe she was finally convinced that I was fine. I don’t know and I don’t particularly care. She was laughing again.
Maybe they weren’t such bad kids after all.
A Picnic In Winter ~~ Encounters ~~ The Club Incident ~~ Kelly Part 1 ~~ Kelly Part 2 ~~ Kelly Part 3 ~~ Interview With Anita ~~ Vacation ~~ Anita's Truth ~~ Aftermath ~~ Needing You ~~ Attack At The Gardens ~~~ Attack At The Gardens Part B ~~~ Don't Tie Me Down