For two hundred days, I wore a turtle’s shell on my back. I walked, and I rode, and I walked some more. I slept in hostel bunk beds, in fields, and on forest floors. One day, I met a cabbie called Mike D and his magic green Lincoln. Talk about transportation.
Thank you for the restack, my friend!! This was one of my favorite pieces to write recently. A friend commented elsewhere about her love of magical realism, and I thought how much I love it too and wondered if I could work a bit of the strategies of that wonderful genre into something I was working on. Voila, Mike D. He was such a great guy. He’ll return in a future installment of this journey. I do wish I’d kept in touch with him all these years.
So..... Mike D is FABULOUS, what a character - and your magic carpet ride in a jade green Continental is the stuff of dreams, but I'll admit I'm caught short by the mention of the little girl.... I want to know more. Great installment, Holly! 💚💚💚
Man, the gift of close readers is SOOO meaningful. I did think of incorporating the sun as much as possible in this piece--sort of a subtle metaphor for bringing shadow to light by new "elevated" perspective. Thank you, thank you, Michael!
Loving the words and the memories they poke. From a personal perspective, it reminded me of the days when I also wandered without direction, carrying a small bag of necessities, an empty wallet, and a rather large monkey on my back. And I can still stand in the boots I wore, remembering quite distinctly how society in general avoids looking in the eyes of someone living in the gutter. No matter. Those days are long past, and outside my window, I hear the delightful sounds of birds welcoming the dawn of another day. Life's what you make of it, hey? And thank you for sharing your journey...
Thank you, thank you for reading and sharing. A small bag of necessities was wise. I'm some years wiser now, and remembering the weight of the pack I carried on this particular journey makes me shudder. What I thought were necessities. (Although my brother does say my van is my giant purse! Haha.)
And yeah, I know what you're saying about the way society categorizes and looks away. Glad you're still standing in those boots and welcoming birdsong and the delight of a new dawn. :)
Not entirely sure that I'm any wiser, as it seems the adults failed in their attempts to take away this child's imagination : )
And you (and your brother) just planted another seed in the ground of that fertile imagination - I'm royalty, leading a procession down the Streets of Serfdom, gratuitously acknowledging the cheering peasants, throwing coins and cash from my Imperial Wallet on Wheels...
Little wonder that I found school boring, huh? We don't need no, education...
I’m a paradox. I actually love classes and workshops and lectures and the like. But I suppose that’s a different scenario--absent thought control and dark sarcasm and all. ;)
Right?! I would love for him to stumble on this. He appears in a later chapter, too, and it would be a delight to her his take—his recollections of our interactions.
Thank you ever so much, Leslie, for jumping into this story of my trek so many years back. It’s an absolute delight to have you along. 🥰
Thank you for the restack, my friend!! This was one of my favorite pieces to write recently. A friend commented elsewhere about her love of magical realism, and I thought how much I love it too and wondered if I could work a bit of the strategies of that wonderful genre into something I was working on. Voila, Mike D. He was such a great guy. He’ll return in a future installment of this journey. I do wish I’d kept in touch with him all these years.
So..... Mike D is FABULOUS, what a character - and your magic carpet ride in a jade green Continental is the stuff of dreams, but I'll admit I'm caught short by the mention of the little girl.... I want to know more. Great installment, Holly! 💚💚💚
Troy! You got everything I was going for in this piece - the magic carpet and how awesome Mike D was!! 🥰🧞
He returns in a future installment! ;) As does the little girl, a grown-ass woman now. My, how time flies, as good as any magic carpet at any rate!
Thank you for reading and sharing.
The ride in the green Continental, Mike D, the tortoise shell back pack and the way you describe the whole journey is magical.
I so enjoy your descriptions of the external world and your internal reflections about what you see.
For some reason — not sure if it’s a coincidence or something more synchronous— all the lines I picked out that I really liked featured the sun:
“and the sun’s rays made cathedral windows of leaves, showering pictures on the grass.”
“and watched the sun swallow whole the bus that had delivered me here.”
“A hawk I’d meet again glided by with a curved-beak nod, sun-gilded tips of vermillion tail feathers splayed.”
Man, the gift of close readers is SOOO meaningful. I did think of incorporating the sun as much as possible in this piece--sort of a subtle metaphor for bringing shadow to light by new "elevated" perspective. Thank you, thank you, Michael!
Ahh I see, the metaphor works good :)
Beautiful read, Holly
Thank you, thank you, Skylar. I so appreciate you reading and commenting! 🥰
What a ride. Everyone needs a Mike D in their lives. 💜
Right?! He was such a good guy. And, spoiler alert, he'll turn up again in a future installment.
Thank you for reading!
Loving the words and the memories they poke. From a personal perspective, it reminded me of the days when I also wandered without direction, carrying a small bag of necessities, an empty wallet, and a rather large monkey on my back. And I can still stand in the boots I wore, remembering quite distinctly how society in general avoids looking in the eyes of someone living in the gutter. No matter. Those days are long past, and outside my window, I hear the delightful sounds of birds welcoming the dawn of another day. Life's what you make of it, hey? And thank you for sharing your journey...
Thank you, thank you for reading and sharing. A small bag of necessities was wise. I'm some years wiser now, and remembering the weight of the pack I carried on this particular journey makes me shudder. What I thought were necessities. (Although my brother does say my van is my giant purse! Haha.)
And yeah, I know what you're saying about the way society categorizes and looks away. Glad you're still standing in those boots and welcoming birdsong and the delight of a new dawn. :)
Not entirely sure that I'm any wiser, as it seems the adults failed in their attempts to take away this child's imagination : )
And you (and your brother) just planted another seed in the ground of that fertile imagination - I'm royalty, leading a procession down the Streets of Serfdom, gratuitously acknowledging the cheering peasants, throwing coins and cash from my Imperial Wallet on Wheels...
Little wonder that I found school boring, huh? We don't need no, education...
Teacher, leave them kids alone!
I’m a paradox. I actually love classes and workshops and lectures and the like. But I suppose that’s a different scenario--absent thought control and dark sarcasm and all. ;)
I do hope Mike D reads this sometime. Or maybe someone who knows him will and let him know. I think he would appreciate being remembered so vividly.
Right?! I would love for him to stumble on this. He appears in a later chapter, too, and it would be a delight to her his take—his recollections of our interactions.
Thank you ever so much, Leslie, for jumping into this story of my trek so many years back. It’s an absolute delight to have you along. 🥰
Exquisite Jade Lincoln could be a band name...
Really enjoyed this story!