GON #14: Day 2; Together 3

Getting Old Now

Chicago, Illinois

Saturday, October 20, 1998

 3:25 PM

Late afternoon, about thirty-five minutes from calling it for this day...

“ ‘Barbara Longford’!”

“Oh, God!” she gasped.

Standing to allow her to pass. “Barbara, you’re beautiful,” I whispered, kissing her cheek. “Go on, baby. You’ll do great!”

Indeed looking beautiful dressed in a youthfully designed, knee length, light tan linen suite, brown blouse and brown and white, two inch heeled shoes.

Taking my seat again, I watched as Barbara crossed the large room to walk the three steps onto the stage.

Nervously attempting to smile, “Good afternoon,” nodding to the audience of her peers.

Now looking at the three judges, “I want to thank you for this opportunity.”

Closing her eyes, collecting herself a moment:

      “Can You Hear Me, God?”

Opening her eyes, looking straight forward:

      “Good morning, can you hear me, God?

      I know you are very busy

      but I was so cold last night and I

      want to know if you could send

      an angel down to bring me an extra

      blanket?”

The modulation of her voice low at first, but now gaining confidence...

      "It’s not just for me, I have this

     little friend who crawls under my

      cover sometimes and he

      is so cold too.

      I call him Charlie

      but you already knew that

      And God, if you know anyone that needs

      a little boy, and I’m a good little boy

      please send them to me as

      I’ve been waiting so long for a

      mommy and a daddy.”

Looking about, I see that most of the audience are sitting a bit straighter in their seats watching, and listening to my Barbara.

      “I wish that I had a real home and a

      real family that would love me

      I promise to always be a good boy

      and I’ll eat whatever food they give

      me and keep my room clean and

      take baths when I have to.”

Watching closely, I notice that Barbara’s eyes remain steadily looking outward, towards the audience.

      “And God, if you send me a mommy

     and a daddy, can you make sure

      that they will love Charlie, too?

      Charlie is very small

      even for a lostpuppy

      and he doesn’t t eat very much

      but you already knew that.

     Thank you, God

     I mean, Amen.”

‘Great’! I thought as...

As though afraid clapping for another contestant might diminish audience appreciation for the recital of their own poetry, now came polite clapping, however...

Great! I thought as, clapping loudly, “Yea, Barb!”

Waiting a few seconds for everything to settle down:

“As both poems are on the longer side,” Barbara said, “I’ll only recite two today.”

Closing her eyes once again...

Now opening her eyes...

      “Thirst”

From the stage, I could see that Barbara looked at me, at only me...

      “I crawled into an untidy bed,

      curled my bare body to his

      and lay still

      until his breath was

      at my back,”

The words… Barbara’s words were the whispered words of last night. Last night, though….

      “a soft tongue cooling

      on my neck,

      my round bottom pushing

      closer and closer into the curve

      of his body.”

Barbara’s whispered words of last night

were words within passion….

  
       “Spread fingers walked

      the length of me”

Barbara’s words on this day, at this time were words spoken within raw, ultimate emotion

      “ chilled skin rising in ovation.”

Our eyes unwavering. Barbara’s er tears coming, hesitating, suppressing a sob...

      “His warm hand skimmed

      over the curve of my hip

      to a waiting well–his fingers

      tickled the surface and dipped

      long into the warm waters

      and he spoke close to my ear

      words he had never spoken”

Halting a moment to bring her voice, and emotion under control.

      “indescribable things

      said only between lovers

      and turned my body to his.”

Those within this large room looking from the lady on the stage to me: sensing our love? Feeling our sadness?

      “Shhh, not a word he said

      and took a cool sip

      then plunged

      the depths of the well

      until –

      all thirst was quenched.”

Our eyes locked, unashamed, her tears, my tears, our tears ran.

Silence!

Silence...The room silent.

Until...

Wanting my Barbara ‘not’ to stand alone. Not to to

stand alone in silence.

Standing, Mitchell Lipensky crossed he room, went onto the stage and, bringing Barbara’s hand to lips, kissed it…

Then…

The middle-aged woman that would go unnoticed within a crowd, and the old man kissed the kiss of lovers.

No longer silent...

Applause filling the room. The room was no longer silent.

Saturday, October 20, 1998

Day Two: The Last Night

5:48 p PM

The rain abating in mid-afternoon. This evening chilly and damp, with Barbara’s hand in mine, walking within throngs of people we walked southward on the east side of Michigan Avenue for about an hour once again looking in windows and once again – though looking for nothing, entering a few stores then, finding a ‘cheery’ appearing restaurant – feeling ‘anything’ but cherry, going inside, we had dinner.

Conversation being of this days poetry contest and talk, at least in our opinion, of the outstanding people and their, as least in our opinion, outstanding poetic efforts and to whom, in our opinion, we thought might be titled ‘the winner’.

Words of Barbara being chosen ‘winner’ never a part of our conversation because, frankly, neither Barbara or myself thinking she would.

Our conversation though somewhat – as I would imagine, although far from as frightful as to what soldiers would face with the coming dawn when they would have to storm ashore…

Barbara’s and my conversation stilted as throughout our dinner we both attempted not to think of, or most certainly not to speak of tomorrow…

7:15 PM

My hand in hers – heading g back to the Allerton, we now walked northward on the west side of Michigan Avenue

Not interested in stores or what they may hold, our interest, Barbara’s interest and my interest on one thing only... To be together! To be alone together.

8:20 PM

Face to face, beneath the blanket they lay closely together.

They lay closely together. He feeling the soft warmth of Barbara’s breasts against his chest. Barbara feeling her breasts soft upon his chest and the comforting contour of her stomach against his.

They lay closely together, having no need to speak.

They lay closely together. Lips touching, barely. Each breathing the comforting breath of the other.

Barbara and Mitchell lay closely together Both feeling the warmth of the other. Their lips touching lightly, the breath of one the breath of the other.

Other than outside light escaping from within the drawn blinds, the room in complete darkness.

Neither see the other.

Here, now, ‘here’ is what there is. Here now, ‘here ‘is what there will ever be.

For Barbara and Mitchell here, now, is what they have, what they will ‘ever’ have, and these quiet, alone, together minutes are…? ‘Sacred’.

Thoughts now not of sex, but of ‘being’ ... ‘Being’ close... ‘Being together.’..

‘Being’!

Barbara’s fingers entwined in the hair above Mitchell’s ear.

Mitchell’s fingers entwined in the hair on the back of Barbara’s head.

Spiritually held within a womb of warmth.

Spiritually held within a womb of closeness.

Spiritually held within the womb of love…

Within the womb of future loneliness.

Into the dark room. Softly said, “I love you.”

Replied into the dark room, “I love you.”

8:33 PM

The veil of sleep coming to him.

Barely a whisper, “I love you.”

8:34 PM

The veil of sleep coming to her.

Sunday, October 21, 1998

Day Three: The Last Morning

1:38 AM

Turning in her sleep, Barbara nestled her buttocks closely into the forming contour of Mitchell’s stomach and thighs.

Subconsciously, in the well of their sleep. Subconsciously aware of each the other.

Subconsciously aware of the closeness, of the absolute comfort of their closeness.

Mitchell’s thighs and legs now formed tightly against Barbara’s sharply angled backside. His arm now between her arm and side. His hand now nestling a soft, warm, sleep creased breast.

Sensing him.

Sensing his hand holding her breast.

Sensing also the probe of Mitchell’s turgid penis probing into the lower fold of her vagina.

Angling even further. Angling even sharper...

Mitchell’s penis now entering into Barbara’s vagina...

Not fully awake...

In the ethereal wisps of sleep...

Now...

Waking now. The dream Barbara had dreamed no longer a dream.

Angling her leg. Widening her thigh. Opening herself...

Waking now, the dream Mitchell had dreamed no longer a dream.

Barbara moving closer, closer into Mitchell’s forward straining penis.

Mitchell moving closer, closer into her widened thighs… Into Barbara’s vagina.

“Mitchell...” turning her head, whispering “.. I love you, Mitchell.”

Fully awake. Fully enveloped within the body of Barbara. Sensing his being. Sensing his soul. Sensing his love enveloped within the warmly wet sheath of Barbara. “I love you.”

“ I love you.”

All movement barely discernible... Slowly. Softly. Moving in concert. Her hand on his hip. His hand now onto her stomach, moving as she moves, with each forward and back movement, caressing the soft flesh of Barbara’s stomach, feeling the shaft of his penis entering and withdrawing,

Oh, God! The thoughts of one the thoughts of both, Oh, God!

His cheek upon her cheek, feeling the warmth of his breath...

Harder, faster...

“Mitchie...” her nails pressing onto his hip “...Oh, God,

Mitchie!”

“Oh, God!”

Slowing...

Slowing...

Breathing slowing...

Lying still. Lying still and tightly together, the fluid of their love blending.

Lying together, his cheek upon her cheek, “Barbara, I love you.”

Knowing he’s retracted. Reluctant to move. Reluctant to have him leave, wanting the feel of him, there. “Don’t go, honey. Stay, don’t go.”

“I won’t, baby. I won’t.”

Holding Barbara, her back tight against his chest...

Quietly...

Feeling the sobs. His throat tightening, barely able to speak, “Honey...”

“I know, baby. I just don’t know how I’m going to do it.”

Having no idea how he’s going to do it, “We’ve got to, honey.”

“I know.” Turning...

A gentle kiss, and...

Unable to hold back...

“I know, Baby.” Holding Barbara, her face upon my chest, feeling the sobs, hearing her cry, feeling her tears... feeling my tears, “I know, baby. I know.”

Quiet now...

Passion spent,

now just tenderness

The light touch of your hand on my chest

My hand, draped over your hip touching

the soft flesh of your cheek

Now only sleepy, gentle love

Passion spent

I sense the heat of your body

and the soft touch of your flesh

and the sweet scent of your hair

and the last whisper I whisper

“Goodnight, my love.”

and the last whisper I hear

“Goodnight, my love.”

Goodnight

Next GON #15: Day 3; Together 1

Poetry by???/Alias Barbara Longford &Mitchell Lipensky