(no subject)
Last night, against my better judgment due to the mugginess of the weather, I opted to finish my book at the River. I sat on top of a hill, laying out my yellow blanket and nestling against the small indention I found in the earth. The orchestra of music, laughter and water scored the setting very completely for me. All the elements seemed to know when another was dieing down and would crescendo to keep a perfect volume, as if a conductor were there to lead them all. Normally when engrossed in reading I rarely raise my eyes to anyone passing, my world becoming a combination of what I saw in my head and what I could hear, training my ears to transform what they heard into where my mind now resided. Although the country music made it difficult to believe I was in Paris, the tempo was melodic enough that I added an accordion and, with the aid of the river, the liquid language that is commonly known as French. I was no longer in Tulsa, Oklahoma and no one can stir me from that once I have left.
However, this time was different, a man pulled me from my dreams - almost jolting as he spoke to me. "Pardon me friend, I don't mean to bother you" he humbly said to me.
I looked up to a massive Native American towering above me. I felt like a child again as the sun seemed to outline him like an eclipse. I made several quick judgments on his character. Long, dirty hair in a ponytail, filthy white shirt and brownish, crooked teeth that smiled down at me. I was talking to a bum.
My normal reaction to someone i am quite aware is about to ask me for something is to automatically say I have nothing. For some reason, something in me did not jump to this conclusion and I smiled, responding with a polite, "hello".
He held his hand out, silently requesting I do the same. I requited and he offered me his name. Earnest. He asked if I minded if he sit, an unusual request from someone who wants nothing from me other than what I can give him. I nodded silently as my new blanketmate sat down with some trouble.
We sat there, idling speaking of the water, where I was from, where he was from, almost as if we were actually trying to get to know one another. He loved the river, it always made him feel close to his ancestors. He eventually did ask me for a cigarette, which I obliged. He then asked for a second, explaining that his wife would like one as well. "While I cannot always provide for her as I would like, she is the reason I swallow my pride to ask another for help. Love will make you swallow many things", he said and laughed at his slightly off-color (while still being poignant) joke.
"I am leaving here soon," he continued "and I will miss this place terribly."
"Where to?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know.
As I asked the wind automatically picked up as if on cue. He turned to face the wind as it blew through his hair and responded with an ironic smile, "Wherever the wind takes me."
He said that he will miss this place and added, "It is okay though, because I will always be here." This puzzled me considering that he just told me he was leaving.
"How so?"
He smiled and nodded to the bridge in front of us. "I help build that, my sweat and blood are under layers of concrete that no one can ever wash away." With that he stood, thanked me, and added "I hope you find a way to always be here as well."
As I finished my book alone, his words did not escape my thought. I made my decision and walked over to him as I began to leave. I laid down my the 8 beers i had left and almost a full pack of cigarettes on his table, offering them to him and his wife. He looked at me in amazement and I smiled and laid my hand on his shoulder, "I don't make promises to many people that I do not intend on keeping, but I swear to you, my friend, I will find a way to always be here with you."
He arose to hug me and whispered in my ear, "I know that you will son, and from now on you can always depend on me for anything I can give to you". I responded that he had given me more than he knew and with that, walked away.
This is my charge to all of you my friends, wherever you are in this world. Find a way to always be there. I don't know how I will do it, but I know that I will.
However, this time was different, a man pulled me from my dreams - almost jolting as he spoke to me. "Pardon me friend, I don't mean to bother you" he humbly said to me.
I looked up to a massive Native American towering above me. I felt like a child again as the sun seemed to outline him like an eclipse. I made several quick judgments on his character. Long, dirty hair in a ponytail, filthy white shirt and brownish, crooked teeth that smiled down at me. I was talking to a bum.
My normal reaction to someone i am quite aware is about to ask me for something is to automatically say I have nothing. For some reason, something in me did not jump to this conclusion and I smiled, responding with a polite, "hello".
He held his hand out, silently requesting I do the same. I requited and he offered me his name. Earnest. He asked if I minded if he sit, an unusual request from someone who wants nothing from me other than what I can give him. I nodded silently as my new blanketmate sat down with some trouble.
We sat there, idling speaking of the water, where I was from, where he was from, almost as if we were actually trying to get to know one another. He loved the river, it always made him feel close to his ancestors. He eventually did ask me for a cigarette, which I obliged. He then asked for a second, explaining that his wife would like one as well. "While I cannot always provide for her as I would like, she is the reason I swallow my pride to ask another for help. Love will make you swallow many things", he said and laughed at his slightly off-color (while still being poignant) joke.
"I am leaving here soon," he continued "and I will miss this place terribly."
"Where to?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know.
As I asked the wind automatically picked up as if on cue. He turned to face the wind as it blew through his hair and responded with an ironic smile, "Wherever the wind takes me."
He said that he will miss this place and added, "It is okay though, because I will always be here." This puzzled me considering that he just told me he was leaving.
"How so?"
He smiled and nodded to the bridge in front of us. "I help build that, my sweat and blood are under layers of concrete that no one can ever wash away." With that he stood, thanked me, and added "I hope you find a way to always be here as well."
As I finished my book alone, his words did not escape my thought. I made my decision and walked over to him as I began to leave. I laid down my the 8 beers i had left and almost a full pack of cigarettes on his table, offering them to him and his wife. He looked at me in amazement and I smiled and laid my hand on his shoulder, "I don't make promises to many people that I do not intend on keeping, but I swear to you, my friend, I will find a way to always be here with you."
He arose to hug me and whispered in my ear, "I know that you will son, and from now on you can always depend on me for anything I can give to you". I responded that he had given me more than he knew and with that, walked away.
This is my charge to all of you my friends, wherever you are in this world. Find a way to always be there. I don't know how I will do it, but I know that I will.