A Smile, A Nod, and A Wave

dorothy — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:36:22 +0000

There’s an older gentleman I see when I’m out on my morning walkabouts in the lower Oakland/Piedmont hills. He sits on his front porch. I noticed him a couple of times, then started paying attention when I pass by. My schedule is inconsistent and he’s not always there, but, If he’s not, the empty chair is. Sometimes I’m on that side of the street, sometimes across the street. I usually smile in his direction but am not close enough to really make out his facial expressions. As I walk, and think, I sometimes wonder about his story. When I wonder about people’s stories, as I am prone to do, I’ll often create the stories which could be their reality. Of course, since I rarely to never meet these people, the mystery is “do I ever get it right?” Are there kernels of truth in the tapestries I weave from thin air?

That older gentleman on his porch inspired a story which has taken on a life of its own, and a momentum I’m not very accustomed to. The characters, and their relationships and interactions, are growing without a huge effort by me. It’s fun to be a part of it; and I feel blessed, any time life speaks through me. I’m sure when I put my butt in the chair and start committing substantial time to writing the scenes and dialogue, it will require huge effort. Most good and significant things in life do, don’t they?

Today the older gentleman was on his porch, and I was on that side of the street, and when I glanced up he smiled, and nodded, and gave a vigorous wave in my direction. I did the same and found myself smiling for awhile afterward. It almost seemed like he has noticed me, too, and maybe my walk down the hill is one of the activities in the world-beyond-the-porch by which he paces his life. See, there I go, making up stories again!

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A Smile, A Nod, and A Wave