He staggered out of the water
like an unfinished thought,
his clumsy legs pushing against solid earth.
How the hell did we get here? He asked her.
She was too distracted with
the precarious placement of her scratched-up feet
to answer him. And besides,
She didn’t have the faintest idea.
Can you believe we only have two legs?
She giggled and gave him a sideways stare.
He knew exactly what she meant, however;
he had been in deep contemplation
of the intricacies of his hands,
admiring their architecture
and putting a piece of flint
through all sorts of dextrous gymnastics.
And thumbs, He said.
We were up by those trees a second ago;
now we’re down by the water!
In truth, their transition
had taken longer than they realized,
though they had been too occupied
to fully appreciate the gradual changes.
We’re gonna need clothes, she said.
They worked first with straw,
then with the furs of other creatures.
Primitive wraps, initially,
made without much thought,
soon became complex,
and much more ergonomic.
They keep you warm, he smiled.
Like fire! She had been eyeing
the piece of flint he’d been using
to strike sparks,
and, with it, set ablaze
a pile of straw and lichen
The couple rejoiced by the fire,
busy keeping it alight,
entranced by the rhythmic
crackle of the flames.
I like that! I like that sound!
She started to join into the rhythm,
occasionally breaking up the tapping with her song;
he responded with cautious delight.
Before long, she was making complex melodies
with her beautiful voice,
telling all of the stories she could remember.
The night diminished to a steady hum,
and she held him like a baby.
——————-
She closed the book, and realized he’d been sleeping,
Probably since the end of the last chapter.
She got up off the hammock,
lay down a blanket,
and kissed him on the head
Her feet felt clammy on the linoleum floor,
and the hum of the refrigerator made her dizzy.
What time is it? He asked, half-asleep,
Time for bed. She answered.
He paused, getting his senses in order,
How’d we get here?
She was too distracted with
the cups and dishes piled on the floor
to answer him. And besides,
she didn’t have the faintest idea.
-
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This little buddy is one of my newer pieces – a collection I call “Western Merriment”. This series is a group of objects that delight the everyday with whimsy, wonder and joy. This specific piece is a dessert stand for those days when you are feeling blue, and all you need is a lovely wood-fired porcelain object to eat your tasty morsels off of.
