To learn something, to master something, anything, is as sweet as first love.
Geoffrey Wolff
November 5, 1937: Happy 76th birthday, Geoffrey Wolff! The American biographer, novelist, and memoir writer is the brother of author Tobias Wolff. When their parents divorced, the two grew up separately, and both wrote noted memoirs of their difficult childhoods. Geoffrey's, The Duke of Deception, describes life with their dashing liar of a father.
Tuesday 5 November 2013
Fainted
I am sitting in the park, the grass under me is plenty of life, the breeze moves gently the trees, bringing to me the aroma of the flowers, the bushes, the rain… it is cloudy. Curiously also the aroma of vanilla. This village is excellent for resting from the noise of the city. Some meters away from me, my horse neighs. It does it everytime someone is apporaching, but it is only a dog. I see it has a ribbon with a little note. I take it and see it says: “Tonight, under the plum tree of the plaza, at 9:00 pm.” I look around but there isn’t anyone. He surely followed me.
That night I get teady to go out, I notice surprised that my horse is already with the seat on, brushed and even with a flower crown. This might be a joke, but I go anyway to the plaza, in this village everybody is very kind. When I arrive, I notice there is another note sticked to the tree, it is a poem but I don’t understand a thing. Far from me (or is it near but it walks slowly?) I hear a horse walking, followed by the sound of fabric touching the floor. It must be a sheet… suddenly, someone puts me a vanilla flower in my hands, I turn around and get into a hug… it’s a guy… and he smells like vanilla….
He’s on a hood, he is surely a traveller… my heart beats faster… he’s a little bit taller than me; with strong, sure arms. The arms of an experimented rider; strong, muscled, well defined; but at the same time slender and delicated, capable of hugging strongly and without hurting… just like now. The hood hides his face; slowly, I approach the hand to remove it, but regret and take the hand back.
“It’s ok, do it. Don’t be afraid.”
I take away the hood slowly and I finally see him… my heart beats even faster… he’s cute, and blushes when he stares at me. His big brown eyes are beautiful, they let me see he is plenty of knowledge, the spark they have tells me he loves to read… he has a bow and green arrows. I sigh when I notice he is identical to… it’s actually him. Why does he have a bow? Does he know to use it, just like he who I'm thinking about? This is too much for me. I faint in his arms. The last thing I see is his smile, a warm smile that sends me deeper to the darkness…
When I wake up I notice I’m in another place… it is a cabin, but the bed’s comfortable. I look around and next to me, sitting on a chair is him, observing me worried.
“I thought you would never wake up” he is smiling at me as he says that, obviously he is happy that I’m awake. I try to stand up, but I’m not in form. He stands up quickly, kneels next to me and carefully pushes me against the bed, smiling. I don’t oppose, concentrated as I am on his face, his pale, brown, skin is soft; his hands are slim; and his hair is long to the ears, and swings with every move he makes. My surprise might be obvious, because he continues “We left the village yesterday, and they gave me a wagon to transport you, but it started raining, I saw this cabin, and entered here. It’s abandoned, but don’t worry, there’s a stable next to it, there is enough grass for both horses. Don’t you like the sound of the rain?” I say yes with my head. I thought I was unconscious for less time. Like he would have done if he hadn’t seen me, continues his story “You woke up in the hotel, after you passed out. After you ate you fell asleep.”
“I don't remember a thing” I tell him.
“By the way, aren't you hungry?” I suddenly notice how hungry am I, but he’s already offering me a plate with fruit. After I’m finished eating, I fall asleep again.
That night I get teady to go out, I notice surprised that my horse is already with the seat on, brushed and even with a flower crown. This might be a joke, but I go anyway to the plaza, in this village everybody is very kind. When I arrive, I notice there is another note sticked to the tree, it is a poem but I don’t understand a thing. Far from me (or is it near but it walks slowly?) I hear a horse walking, followed by the sound of fabric touching the floor. It must be a sheet… suddenly, someone puts me a vanilla flower in my hands, I turn around and get into a hug… it’s a guy… and he smells like vanilla….
He’s on a hood, he is surely a traveller… my heart beats faster… he’s a little bit taller than me; with strong, sure arms. The arms of an experimented rider; strong, muscled, well defined; but at the same time slender and delicated, capable of hugging strongly and without hurting… just like now. The hood hides his face; slowly, I approach the hand to remove it, but regret and take the hand back.
“It’s ok, do it. Don’t be afraid.”
I take away the hood slowly and I finally see him… my heart beats even faster… he’s cute, and blushes when he stares at me. His big brown eyes are beautiful, they let me see he is plenty of knowledge, the spark they have tells me he loves to read… he has a bow and green arrows. I sigh when I notice he is identical to… it’s actually him. Why does he have a bow? Does he know to use it, just like he who I'm thinking about? This is too much for me. I faint in his arms. The last thing I see is his smile, a warm smile that sends me deeper to the darkness…
When I wake up I notice I’m in another place… it is a cabin, but the bed’s comfortable. I look around and next to me, sitting on a chair is him, observing me worried.
“I thought you would never wake up” he is smiling at me as he says that, obviously he is happy that I’m awake. I try to stand up, but I’m not in form. He stands up quickly, kneels next to me and carefully pushes me against the bed, smiling. I don’t oppose, concentrated as I am on his face, his pale, brown, skin is soft; his hands are slim; and his hair is long to the ears, and swings with every move he makes. My surprise might be obvious, because he continues “We left the village yesterday, and they gave me a wagon to transport you, but it started raining, I saw this cabin, and entered here. It’s abandoned, but don’t worry, there’s a stable next to it, there is enough grass for both horses. Don’t you like the sound of the rain?” I say yes with my head. I thought I was unconscious for less time. Like he would have done if he hadn’t seen me, continues his story “You woke up in the hotel, after you passed out. After you ate you fell asleep.”
“I don't remember a thing” I tell him.
“By the way, aren't you hungry?” I suddenly notice how hungry am I, but he’s already offering me a plate with fruit. After I’m finished eating, I fall asleep again.
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