Self-Preservation

As a rule, when unsure, stay inside.

Shhh

And then there is silence. “Shhh…”

First boil the water and then let it cool. “I know.”

They say it will snow right next to the sand. “It’s only in my head…”

She said, “Shhh… I know, it’s only in my head…” – Counting Crows, ‘Round here’

Trains

I always prefer the backward-facing seats on trains. It’s the closest I will ever get to ice-scating.

The Cheesecake Answer

“You do? Why bother if you’re going tomorrow morning?”  

“Why shouldn’t I? It’s still The Cheesecake, only this time, time is limited. So, I won’t have the time to taste every bite to make sure it tastes just as sweet as the first. So, I won’t have time to even get sick of it and throw it away. There is no time to present it at the end of an impromptu dinner, no time to have a piece while reading a book, a piece at home on a Sunday morning, a piece in the middle of the night when I’m having a craving for sugar, a piece at the cinema where I’ll sneak it in because I hate cinema food, a piece at work, a piece with that new flavour of coffee just to see if the tastes work together. 

But there is still time to enjoy.

One bite or two, Or half of it until I feel I’m going to burst,with coffee or wine,last thing in the night or first thing in the morning,while watching a movie at home or listening to the radio.” 

“I insist. Isn’t it pointless? Can you really enjoy if you don’t have the time?” 

“Oh, dear, haven’t you been listening? Limited time is still time. Never found the words ‘fun’ or ‘pleasure’ or ‘attention’ next to ‘time’ in the dictionary. Besides, ‘All or nothing’ does not give an option when there is no ‘all’. ‘Something or nothing’ is the real deal. Why choose nothing?” 

“Ok…but what about the waste…? Won’t you be sorry when you’re gone?” 

“Maybe…But don’t you think thinking about it now is what’s pointless? If what I want is there for a limited time… It’s still what I want, right?” 

“I see.” 

“I was hoping you would.”

The Cheesecake Question

“So, let me get this straight. You like cheesecake in general but there is this one kind of cheesecake that you like most. You don’t know where to find it, cause everyone makes it at some point in time, but noone makes it all the time. You only know that whenever someone manages to make it, they label it The Cheesecake. Right?” 

“Right” 

“Ok, so you say it’s been a while since you found it. Not that you mind, cause as much as you like it you’re not actively looking for it. So all this time, though you have been to bakeries and restaurants and cafes, it just seems to have disappeared from everywhere. No big deal, except you do get cravings for it at times.” 

“Indeed. The cravings…” 

“Until one day you spot it. Here you are, at this random place, and The Cheesecake turns up. You look at it, you like it, you want to try it, but…” 

“There is a problem.” 

 “Ah, right. It’s late at night, you’ve already had dinner and you’re leaving town tomorrow morning for three weeks.” 

“Exactly. You realise, I will have to throw it away tomorrow morning at the very latest.”  

“So, you know you won’t be able to finish it, like you’re used to. Well, you can either take it and not enjoy it the way you’d like to or not take it and simply enjoy the next one when you find it, right? I see. So… What do you do?” 

“I take it.” 

“You do? Why bother if you’re going tomorrow morning?”

Days

With lovers-to-be and friends-to-be
Mothers-to-be and fathers-to-be
couples-to-be and dreams-to-be
Husbands-to-be and wives-to-be

With lovers past and friends past
Mothers past and fathers past
Couples past and dreams past
Husbands past and wives past

Days-to-be.
Days past.

Juxtaposed…

Distilled…
Now.
 

Fishing Lines

His old hand on the fishing rod patiently awaits

to feel the fish move

Through the hook

to the fishing line

to the rod

while his eyes follow her young hands,

leading colourful beads

through the needle

to what’s left of his fishing line 

The sun shines on.

Oyster

1. An oyster that is open when you first find it is quite possibly dead.

2. The oyster shuts itself inside when pressure is applied. If you want to eat it you’ll have to work your way through the muscles.

3. If the oyster refuses to open up, you can simply boil it to its opening.

4. If it still doesn’t open, then it’s spoiled. Don’t eat it.

5. Oysters make the water around them cleaner by filtering it.

6. Some oysters are not to be eaten; they contain gems they have created around a tiny irritant.

 And you are the world’s oyster, after all.

October 2

The second day of October is “The day of quiet after the (obsessive) storm”.
Until further notice, I will never forget.

Butterfly

“I only care about them”, he told her on the phone. “The rest is up to you. Oh, and of course I would like to keep them.”

They met at the agreed place. She arrived on time, bringing with her a pair of white thigh-high stockings. Made of silk. Never worn.

“I wonder whether one can ask to be buried in a pair of these” he asked her while thinking of his wife, probably at home, probably setting the table for five.

Her reply was the most indifferent, soothing look he had received in his whole life.

When she left, ten minutes later, he eagerly reached for them again. To touch them was to cupture the powdered wings of a butterfly for the first time. He knew he couldn’t take them back home.

White thigh-high stockings. Made of silk. Worn once.

He folded them in tidy white blocks on the bed. As he was closing the door, he knew he would never wear them again.