Moving in Stasis
Go.
Get on that plane, that train, that bus.
Walk if you have to.
Swim, we've got great lakes and oceans and rivers. So many bodies of water and tracts of land to get across.
Find a way, they said, just get here, soon.
And so Tally packed a bag with just the essentials: a blueberry corn muffin with a shmear of cream cheese, her well worn pocket stone she rubs in her left hand, a packet of mints from the drive in theatre, and two pineapple juice boxes. A clean pair of socks, some dental floss, mom's old cigarette lighter she stole off her bureau, and twenty three dollars and eighty five cents in change. That was the heaviest part of her backpack. She wondered if she was forgetting something but her mind raced with all the things at once. Will her shoes be comfortable on the long journey? Did she feed the cockatiel before she left the house? How can she get across the ocean if the boats aren't docking in the harbour anymore? What if she runs out of money? Will Joseph be pleased to see her? All the things, all at once.
The light changed and Tally stopped midway in the crosswalk, the flashing hand paralyzing her from moving forward. Or back. Maybe she should go back. She can't stay here, the hand is now glowing, steady and strong, amber and angry. Honk, blurt. You can't just stand here, the woman yells from behind her. You must keep going.
Just keep going or come back to where you started from.
And this is exactly Tally's problem.
Get on that plane, that train, that bus.
Walk if you have to.
Swim, we've got great lakes and oceans and rivers. So many bodies of water and tracts of land to get across.
Find a way, they said, just get here, soon.
And so Tally packed a bag with just the essentials: a blueberry corn muffin with a shmear of cream cheese, her well worn pocket stone she rubs in her left hand, a packet of mints from the drive in theatre, and two pineapple juice boxes. A clean pair of socks, some dental floss, mom's old cigarette lighter she stole off her bureau, and twenty three dollars and eighty five cents in change. That was the heaviest part of her backpack. She wondered if she was forgetting something but her mind raced with all the things at once. Will her shoes be comfortable on the long journey? Did she feed the cockatiel before she left the house? How can she get across the ocean if the boats aren't docking in the harbour anymore? What if she runs out of money? Will Joseph be pleased to see her? All the things, all at once.
The light changed and Tally stopped midway in the crosswalk, the flashing hand paralyzing her from moving forward. Or back. Maybe she should go back. She can't stay here, the hand is now glowing, steady and strong, amber and angry. Honk, blurt. You can't just stand here, the woman yells from behind her. You must keep going.
Just keep going or come back to where you started from.
And this is exactly Tally's problem.
Can't remember if this is the one we talked about that would make a good short film...but it could!
ReplyDeleteSD