‘I want to show you something’ Rachel said ‘follow me.’
Rachel led her sister down the steps to the bottom of the garden. There was no clear definition between the end of the garden and the field but after a few paces the semi manicured layout of nature became more random and wild.
‘Where are we going?’ Rachel’s sister complained.
‘Nowhere’ Rachel replied, knowing the quizzical nature of her response would annoy her sister.
‘For gods sake, I don’t really care what you are going to tell me, I don’t care for another lecture, I just want some internet.’
Rachel didn’t reply, she just kept on walking enjoying the process of navigating through the countryside.
After a while the pair arrived at the crest of the hill and peered down the valley. In front of them a mash of purple, yellow and beige lit up the landscape bringing a smile to Rachel’s face. ‘Now what do you think of that little sis?’
There was a pause as Rachel’s sister looked for her words. ‘Okay I like it, it’s nice, it’s pretty, but thats it, I don’t know why you have to walk me for half an hour across the countryside to see a bunch of fields. I can see them on the internet, if I had reception.’
‘But don’t you think it’s nice to see the colours with your eyes?’
hmmmm… Rachel’s sister sighed and sucked in some air through her teeth making a hissing sound, knowing what she was about to say was going to be controversial, ‘I don’t know… I think I am okay it’s nice but I’ve got better things to do, I don’t really care.’ She turned and looked at Rachel, nervous, fearing retaliation from her sister. But Rachel just shook her head, turned back to the view and let the colours in.
I didn’t really know what to think, so I sat in silence. Looking out at the ridge line waiting for the sunset to do its thing. And it did, those pinky blues lit up the horizon silhouetting the almond tree. But it wasn’t enough, the silence was uncomfortable, my thoughts confused. I just didn’t know how I was supposed to feel.
I sat there longer annoyed at myself for thinking about how I was supposed to feel rather than working out how I actually felt, but every time I tried to really feel I couldn’t draw the emotion out. So I sat in silence my emotions numb.
Life From the Dirt 