... The Rose Petals ...
the only part
My apartment building has been redecorated. Downstairs the manager had roses stenciled on the walls near the ceiling. Those roses reminded me of a friend.
It was about three years ago when this friend briefly visited my life. On our first date together we walked and talked for hours, holding hands and laughing. I remember that he gave me a rose at the end of that day and said it was to celebrate our first day together. The strange this is that, it's only looking back now that I remember him also saying "I never meant for this to happen."
Many more roses followed, for one week, one month, for fall, for our first walk in the rain together. He found celebration in everything and celebrated with roses. With one rose came a poem:
For most silence comes only in dreams It comes vividly to me The sounds are so rich in texture It seems I could reach out and touch them Let them slip through my fingers I'm like a child reaching for a star I hear laughter But I also hear tears And cries of pain
The poem was printed on lined paper and he signed his full name at the bottom. The poem was the only thing he ever wrote me.
In a few short months we said good-bye to each other. He said he needed to leave- without explanation and he moved east. Occasionally, he would call me but we have never seen each other again since the night we said goodbye at the door of the cab he called for me. I know that we still care a great deal but we were only meant to be together for a short time.
I dried all of the roses he gave me and crushed up the petals. I put them in a small wooden box. Every now and again over the past few years I have bumped the box and some of the petals have fallen on the floor. I sweep them up and throw them away.
He has stopped phoning me now; the petals in the box have dwindled. I thought today that it's a nice way to say goodbye to someone. Everyone should leave by petals, one of one week, one month, one for fall and one for a walk in the rain. The petals should leave so slowly that it's almost imperceptible. One more and there are no petals, no tears and warm memories.
story and words and photos Copyright Charlotte Kinzie 2009.
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