Met a friend at the train station. I arrived early having misread the 24 hour clock. Not misread. Mistranslated. Sat with a book on my lap while waiting, curiously watching a large number of single/stay at home dad types with daughters wandering around. Thought it uncharitable to despise them. Decided that train stations are decidedly unromantic places. Thought about my favourite movie -- Waterloo Bridge -- and imagined Vivian Leigh's character walking towards the platform not realizing that Robert Taylor's character would soon return from the dead and take her in his arms. He would hold her and babble on not realizing that she had fallen long ago and could never be his.
Showing friend my home. She's never seen this place. Through her eyes I feel free to love it. Validation through reflection.
Long walk. Long strides. Stopping at the perfect place for Irish coffee and chocolate beer. More walking. Slept free of remembered dreams.
Next day. More walking. More talking. My 'hood.' Stepping into shops when cold and back onto the road when too warm. Perfect finds. Delightful treasures. At one point my friend stated that she wanted to buy some tea. I immediately turned into a shop. 'Where are you going?' 'Into this tea shop.' Serendipity. Received a detailed lesson on tea. Chrysanthemum tea. Green tea. Boil the water and pour it into a container. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour water over loose leaves in pot. Do not trap leaves in a tea ball. The green tea should steep for 2 minutes only before drinking. Art. Lovely.
Final day. To market to market . . .
Leather art: walked into leather shop. Beautiful coats and bags. Saw a purse and knew it was mine. An exorbitant splurge?
Book art: Favourite bookstore/gallery closing. Retirement sale. Sad but glad I had the chance to say goodbye. Touched the books. Years ago when I visited, the gallery used to leave me both light headed and heavy. Many depictions of spirits and gods. This time most of the gods had been packed away. The feeling however was still present. Not negative. Not positive. Just present. A presence.
Light bulb art: Lovely shop which my friend said reminded her of my home. It felt like home. I looked up. The owner was using old light bulbs as vases for plant offcuts. Brilliant! Will do this with my children. Bought incense which was then placed in a bag made out of folded page from a magazine. Nothing wasted.
Chick Pea curry: Walked into and then out of a diner. Walked down the road and saw small curry place. Walked in. Young fellow served me then his dad came and asked for my plate back to fill it 'properly.' Taste buds dancing.
Train station. The end is the beginning. Standing in line for coffee. A stranger approached and spoke. Lovely woman with curious eyes. Ethnomusicological connection. She was friends with the woman who was my mentor in university. Both ethnomusicologists. We talked and we exchanged cards. She's an urban nomad. I recognized her spirit and I think she recognized mine.
The weekend was magical. Full of wonder. Came home to an email from the woman at the train station. She had already sent and received a response from my past mentor. Connections. Roots. Despite my sometimes desire to run away I am reminded and I recognize that I too am a part of the whole. I am, in Siberry's words, 'bound by the beauty.'
No comments:
Post a Comment