Part 13

I stood in front of the pachyderm exhibit holding Leah’s small and delicate hand. I wanted to take her to what I called my secret place before the sun fell behind the tall oaks that surrounded the park bringing with it the long shadows that would steal away some of the glory that this place beheld.. She was so enthralled over this one exhibit that I found it hard to break her away from it, but I finally just squeezed her hand a little and said “Leah”…she turned and looked at me with  tender blue eyes and said “what Da?”

“I said Da, Allen because being here made me feel like a little girl all over again and I was your little girl and you were my sweet Da.” I know it doesn’t make any sense she continued, but I sometimes create little imaginary scenarios in my mind when I am in an extremely pleasant setting…I hope you don’t think me to be off so to speak, its just fun sometimes to imagine little things.”

Da huh.... So you think I am a father figure huh…and with a smile I said OK…listen up little girl, we are going to see Da’s secret place now and we will have lots of fun.” With that she gave a slight curtsey and I began leading her out of the zoo and back down by the river, only this time we walked away from the direction of the bridge and to the north end of the park. As we walked hand in hand I could feel the light skips in her step and I could see the sparkle in her eyes. From the moment I first saw her I thought she had the most incredible eyes. We walked north along the bank following the river. It was flowing south and we were walking upstream and uphill as well. Soon we came to a large culvert where a road ran across the river above. It was about twelve feet in height and width. The mouth of the culvert was dark and smelled like fish and when we approached the entrance I felt Leah stiffen. I looked at her and softly said just trust me…just trust me.

I felt her give a little as I led us into the darkness below. I told her to walk directly behind me and to keep hold of my hand…she then said “Allen, are you sure this is safe?”

I assured her it was and we walked on the small sandbar that lay beside the now fast moving river. Twenty feet into the culvert and now in almost total darkness I could almost hear Leah’s heart beat above the rushing water. I told that it was not much further but in a short distance that we would have to duck a little since the culvert narrowed considerably. As we moved through the gray darkness the rush of the water intensified and about ten feet ahead we could begin to see the light and I hate to use an old cliché here…we could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Leah then piped in softly…Da…Allen, where does this come out…I’m getting scared.”

It comes out in my secret place, a place most beautiful and serene. It’s a place where few people know about and it is full of majesty…don’t worry Leah…you will see. I felt her hand grip mine tighter as we made our way the last few feet to the opening. As we exited the cavern so to speak and entered into the light of days, we paused for a moment to let our eyes adjust. Then I hear Leah gasp and then almost squeal. “Allen, it is so beautiful, you were right…I can’t believe a place like this exist in a city.”

I just stood there holding her hand as she took it all in. I watched her eyes as they danced with the light spray from the small waterfall that pounded against rocks as old as time itself. Her eyes moved from the glittering spray of the falls over to a grassy area surrounded by holly and birch. Suddenly she let go of my hand and ran up the bank to the grassy area and despite the already coolness of the days she took off her shoes and danced upon the lush coolness of green.

I watched her for a minute as she spun merrily around and I thought of how beautiful she was. I thought that even though her outward appearance in my eyes was very beautiful, I could see that it was the childlike innocence that filled her soul is where her true and angelic beauty lies. I soon joined her on the grassy hill where we laid on our backs sometime speaking sometimes not. We watched together as the clouds joined and parted forming and disembarking on shape after shape. There were birds; crosses, puppy dogs…you name it we saw it that day. When the sun reached the top of the large oaks I knew it was time for us to leave if we were going to get back before the last run of the bus for the day. When I told Leah this she pouted a little and then said OK Da…you don’t mind me calling you that do you”? I replied not as long as you don’t mind me calling you baby.” She crooked her head a little and softly smiles and said “Baby”…I like that and the she leaned over and gave me a passionate kiss on the lips that I still taste to this day.

The fall soon moved into winter which is not very harsh in the south with the exception of a freak snowstorm every now and then, but that is another story all to itself which I may recount at a later time. It was during these winter months that Leah and I saw each other as much as time would allow us which were often. In the winter I had more time since there was less landscaping to do. With each date, with each exchange of heart and soul we grew closer to being one person. I felt as if I were walking on air and even some of my neighbors noticed the light airy spring in my step as I would pass their large picture window each morning. The bottom line was that I was madly in love with this God sent angel and I knew in my heart that I would devote the rest of my life to loving her with my whole heart and soul. I know it had only been three months, but with each date I knew even more that she would be the one I would spend the rest of my life with.

Leah and I finished out the winter together and our flames of desire grew more intense each day. Soon the coldness of winter began abating; slipping away in small tiny segments at a time. On one visit to see Leah, I handed her a small bouquet of daffodils that I had picked growing wild in an abandoned lot. These are the first flower of spring and when I handed them to her she melted in my arms like snow in the desert. I knew that this was going to be the best spring in my life, what I didn’t know was that I would nearly lose it all before it ever fully blossomed into maturity….to be continued.

J. Allen Wilson © 10/2008

The Bus Stop Part 1

The Bus Stop Part 2

The Bus Stop Part 3

The Bus Stop Part 4

The Bus Stop Part 5

The Bus Stop Part 6

The Bus Stop Part 7

The Bus Stop Part 8

The Bus Stop Part 9

The Bus Stop Part 10

The Bus Stop Part 11

The Bus Stop Part 12