Ponder this:

Saturday, February 18, 2012

July 11, 1959

A sunny afternoon in early summer. A crow flies over and looks down like God on an old wooden farmhouse, the green lawn in front, outbuildings surrounding the dusty barnyard in back.
On the front porch of the house, three people gather and sit on the edge of the porch, feet on the grass. A father, a mother, a daughter. The father speaks, gesturing toward some part of the landscape that he's just finished mowing. The mother pushes her hair back from her face with an arm smudged with her flower garden's dirt, and smiles an answer. The adolescent daughter wraps her legs into lissome loops, turns a curry comb in her hands, asks a question, laughs.
They are a unit, symmetrical and complete.
Fire, water, earth, green-scented air.


Inside the house, another child, a younger girl, a little girl, lies on a couch staring at a television screen. She hears the people speaking, laughing. She listens for the sound of her name, some tone of "Where is...?" but hears none. She rises and walks to the screen door and stands watching the family for a moment. They smile into each others' eyes, laugh, converse. No one notices the little girl. No one looks toward the screen where she stands. 
They are complete as they are, the three of them.
They lack nothing, no one.
The little girl turns away. Tears fill her eyes, but they do not fall.

9 comments:

DJan said...

This is just so sad... I'm sorry and hope that little girl finds her place in the world...

georgia little pea said...

Oh. Is this a memory? :(

Rubye Jack said...

I think many of us might relate to the little girl inside. That thing of always being apart and not of. I do anyway.

This is so sad! This is also the way of the world.

Barb said...

To feel as an outsider is common but when it happens within a family it's tragic. I hope the little girl has gathered the tears and channeled them to a new beginning. PS I'm having trouble with the new word verification!

Lynette said...

Cher was right - we all sleep alone.

#1Nana said...

I agree with DJan...so sad. This is a great introduction to a longer piece. It really sets the tone. I want to know more of the story and I want to know that the little girl is okay!

Hilary said...

It makes me want to read more of these memories.

JeannetteLS said...

Oh, how that rings true. I felt that way so many times as the youngest of four children--walking in on some conversation that did not include me.

I agree with #1Nana and Hilary...

And I, too, cannot help thinking this is a memory for you.

Morning Bray Farm said...

Sad, but beautifully written.