Tag Archives: adventure

A Memory

25 Replies

 

One of the most precious things about human beings, in my opinion, is the ability to recall our past. Those events from a time long gone that may have had a hand in forming our character.

I’m going to recall one such memory but I’m going to have to give you a little context. Please bear with me. The photograph I’m using for this post was taken at the end of an experience that, in theory, was pretty incredible. In practice . . . well, you decide.

It was the late 70s, in the fall. High school years. I was part of a tight group of youths who believed they were immortal. Not really, we just didn’t think that far ahead. As you can tell from the picture, I’m the only girl/woman who participated in this adventure. So typical of me. I didn’t want to miss out on any fun, even if it meant I got dirty. Oh, and we got dirty!

This was the day of one of our big football games. And we had a plan. We were going to raise money for the United Way by climbing Bloor Street. Note to those of you who climb rocks and mountains, I apologize. We did not take your endeavours lightly. In fact, we wanted to emulate them. We were going to climb the sidewalk beside a very busy road as if it was the side of a mountain. We were all roped together and I’m pretty sure there was a pickaxe involved. Our starting point was about a half mile or a mile away from school.  We were so sure of ourselves, cocky even.  Our plan was to climb the street and literally climb into the half-time show at the game. We expected applause and adulation and lots and lots of money raised for United Way. We were so young.

We started out just great. Enthusiasm was high. We got down on our stomachs and hugged the sidewalk as if it was the side of a mountain. We pulled ourselves along using the cracks in the pavement, fire hydrants, telephone poles and bus shelters. We did stand to walk across the street at an intersection. We were not quite that stupid. A news truck followed us and took copious pictures. I doubt many survived.

We did pretty well for the first several blocks and then eventually we realize just how difficult it was. Plan B. We stood and walked but pulled ourselves around fire hydrants, telephone poles et cetera, et cetera. The problem was, we had spent so much time on our stomachs that we missed halftime at the game. But we were determined to finish this. I don’t actually remember if anyone was on the field when we finally got there. But we did raise money for United Way. And that picture of us? We were so damn tired, smiling hurt!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Christmas Gift

20 Replies

Jeremy was bereft. His feet were cold and he felt the sniffles coming on. And yet here he was on the evening of December 24 standing in a freezing parking lot looking at dying trees. Why? Because his family insisted. He desperately wanted to tell the world to piss off and just go and get drunk in some dive bar.

He hadn’t always been like this. He used to love Christmas. But 11 months and 13 days ago everything changed. The woman who completed him, who made him laugh and more importantly who laughed at his jokes, died. Mattie loved Christmas. She loved life. She loved him. Until some two bit gangsta’ wanna-be thought it would be fun to drag race on a snow-covered icy street. They said she died instantly. But he didn’t. Jeremy wanted to die or to kill, but instead he lived. He felt the tiny box in his pocket. He had planned to ask her that night. That’s why she was out. They were going to meet.

It had been a horrible few months but everyone seemed to have moved on. Except for Jeremy. Here he was standing in the cold with instructions to buy a lovely full tree for Christmas. He shook his head, was about to turn around and leave when he heard an odd sound.

He looked around the parking lot but he didn’t see anyone. The sound was low, almost frantic. It was a scratching noise with a hiccup and a sigh. It intrigued him. He wanted to know what was making that sound. Jeremy took a step forward and the sound changed. It was a whine now and a huffing noise. It didn’t sound human and yet it didn’t sound animal either.

A back-firing car startled him. He felt silly. It was probably just the wind stirring up some garbage. Jeremy shrugged his shoulders, he knew he needed to get on with his life. He could never forget her but maybe he should put her where she needed to be: deep in his heart where she could be protected, her memory safe. He would start by taking an active roll in this evening’s activities.

In that moment something else happened. Jeremy seemed to swim up from the abyss of grief he had been living in for almost a year. His eyes truly opened. He almost smiled. He was looking for a tree. Now there were tall ones and fat ones and ones that looked a little sad. But he couldn’t seem to find one that he thought needed a home with his family. And then something fell on his foot. It wasn’t very heavy, it was very small and it coughed.

Jeremy peered down at his feet trying to see what this thing was. There wasn’t a great deal of light but he was pretty sure that he saw it move. Without thinking he reached down and scooped up the small ball of something.

The next thing that happened was unexpected. But perhaps given the day, appropriate. With the small black bundle at eye level Jeremy poked it. It poked back! And then it opened its mouth and emitted a rather large meow. It was a kitten. It was a small, black, cold, abandoned kitten. It curled itself into a ball and started to purr. Jeremy smiled for the first time in forever. He tucked the sleeping bundle into his pocket and bought the tree it had been hiding under.

He got his tree. He didn’t haggle the price, he just paid it and chuckled. He was taking home more than a tree. He had found the Spirit of Christmas hiding in the small body of a kitten under a tree.

the end