About tissues and popcorn

We are in October. It has been a month and we are getting used to our new routines and living in a country with different traditions. I´m enjoying a lot my project and start to meet the young people I´m working with, but I still need to learn many things.

I don´t really like to celebrate this "Day of", just the Book and Theatre one, but I´ve decided to add one more: October the 10th is the Mental Health Day, symbolized by yellow. We spent that morning in a shopping centre distributing magazines and leaflets. Didn´t do very well and the fight with the gazebo to not fly away continued, but we´ve spread the message.

Picture by Lenka

Apart from having dinner all the volunteers together on Sunday, we´ve decided to travel once per month. We chose Salisbury, but I should introduce Snc first, he´s the last volunteer. Is from Pakistan but lives in France. He arrived on Friday and on Saturday came with us on our first trip.

We caught a bus directly to the city centre. Is one hour and a half traveling but time flew while chatting. First, we visited the cathedral. It´s the one I liked the most, maybe because of the calm around it and the good weather we had. I was really impressed by the ceiling. The windows also had my attention. One of the points all the leaflets mention is the presence of the Carta Magna, but as I´d discovered later, it is mentioned everywhere due to any kind of connection.

We wanted to visit some museums but it wasn´t cheap, so we decided to have lunch and walk around the square. Although Stonehenge is really close, we agreed to postpone it to the summer solstice because the entrance is free... I don´t think we´ll go.

Note: the Bournemouth central gardens are already closed because they are preparing the Christmas market.

Our travel agenda is full. The next weekend, Chaïda, Lenka and Sabine had guests from their countries and we organized a trip to Old Harry Rocks, something else than rocks, but a nice walk with friends. The bus time is a language class, we tried to repeat words in our different languages, some really similar and impossible with the Hungarian. Things about leaving, the first words we exchanged were tissues and popcorn...

The day is long and the sun goes with us, sometimes we don´t believe we are in England. We continue through the cliff, a path I´m falling in love with. We finish at Studland beach.

Ode to silence

Nostalgia´s habit,

night´s passenger.

They´ll say you are empty,

hollow.

It´s trickery.

You are caress,

autumn smile,

even at the hell

someone will be mad about you.

Be patience.

Meanwhile

steal an "I love you"

to the chaos eagle,

you´ll be rain´s friend

and the wind´s whisper.

I breathe you,

don´t forget me.

16-01-2018

Letter to my true love

I ran terrified frightened to see your face. I knew it was a matter of time before my hair was tangled between your jaws. Felt your breath in the early morning and knew about your presence before you touched my skin. My mind was drawing you as a monster even when never knew about you. I´m happy to have been sightless and you kept going to take off the blindfold from my eyes.

Our first meeting was shy, almost a date, not as tense as I expected. Maybe that was the day when the affection was born. It took a long time to see each other again because the rejection was dominating, perhaps the fear.

We meet again in summer thanks to a friend and then we left the relationship to flow on its own. By that time I couldn´t complain about the beginning of our love story even when it was still too formal. We never said it loudly, it wasn´t necessary. You went into my life gradually: a weekend together, chatting at sunset, caresses every morning,... You came across my strengths and worked on my weaknesses. It can be described as a routine, but each day is different, special.

I don´t remember our anniversary day. We don´t need it. It´s enough to celebrate us today. The pride to share my hours with you is daily but I suppose that today is a bit more due to that small adventure which ended up in a book.

Now your fingers have caught mines with such power that distances hurt, those distances we don´t have time to talk about because of a speedy society. I don´t like when you go on a trip and take so long to come back.

I forbid you to leave me alone. It´s a law and I don´t mind if you don´t like it. I´ll look for you even in the dark if you strive to get away from me more than is strictly agreed. You are free to go as you wish to my emotions´ corners, although you sometimes touch backbones which shouldn´t be allowed; to go beyond my borders and move into kingdoms I didn´t know were invented. I gave you that power and don´t regret even when you invaded the professional field. I owe you a lot but warning you, don´t leave without permission neither intend to return or I´ll go to the underworld and will agree with the devil as long as having you close again. It could be an obsession, a not healthy relationship, but we are learning to set up limits and give us space.

I don´t deserve your snubs, same as I don´t want our discussions despite its importance. Please, don´t hold that as I won´t do with you. I´m happy that you always agree to make amends and move back to my lips as if you´ve never gone away. This is a true love story, with mistakes and victories where we give more than received, but it doesn´t matter because we don´t care about any payment, and even so, sometimes we have gifts that make our relationship stronger.

I suppose, my dear writing, we still have time to learn about our communal living, so take my hand and let´s add one more paragraph to the memory of one more World Book Day together.

The oracle from the next village

There were conversations. Voices were listened from her window but she couldn´t recognize as neighbors. That wasn´t the curious point. No. The problem was the certainty of every sentence: "Idon´tknow who" was going to stand in elections, and, bum, a month later it was the new mayor; "thisotherperson" was interested in having a restaurant, and again, bum, some days after it was buying a property perfect for that,...

To gossip was the official hobby of everyone in the area, but it didn´t make sense that people from the next village knew a lot more than them, it was a clear offence. She was really worried about the fulfillment of every statement, because maybe they were going to say something about her having a new partner and she was totally happy living on her own.

So, she was there, settled in the balcony with a water bucket ready to fall down "by accident" over the head of a future dictator. It didn´t mean that they weren´t going to stop their gossip, but if no one listened, maybe there wasn´t the chance to have it fulfilled. Meanwhile, she wanted to discover the position of the oracle and tried to reach an agreement advantageous to both parties.

The crystal flower

It has always been there, collecting dust. I don´t remember where we bought it but probably at the beginning of our engagement. I was intrigued by its shape. You were by its colours. The fact is that we abandoned it in that furniture soon.

The first time the flower felt down, you were really scared. However, we were together and were just a small scratch on the crystal. We saw each other over the reflection, still delicate even we had forgotten. You decided to bring it into a higher place to avoid risks. I agreed and tried to keep the dust away for a while.

Then I started the pilates classes and you were more involved within the tennis group. That holidays were really hard. I was unfairly fired and you had more trips due to the agency procedures.

It was one year later. I promise you, I didn´t remember where we left it. I stuck the pieces with adhesive tape because couldn´t find the glue. You were in Singapour, and honestly, can´t understand why you didn´t notice. I didn´t tell you because wasn´t important. Just a knick-knack, isn´t it? Was again one piece, fragile and shabby but united. Moreover, was an accident.

But you... I never imagine you were able to do such a stupid thing. You took the flower with your oily hands and through to the floor. Was a clean break but effective. I felt that the petals lost its colour. Maybe weren´t white before... I don´t remember.

I didn´t speak with you for a week and then I saw it, on my desktop. It seemed never been broken. I held the flower searching for the cracks. It was there, almost invisible. You looked me with affection and, together, we found a new place far from our discussions.

We felt over its cold crystal surface many days. Each time, one of us ran for the glue until we stopped because it wasn´t possible to have it together for more than a couple of hours. Never talked about it but both agreed,

You moved out with that young lady that could have been your daughter. I kept it on the drawer with the high-quality linen. We never used it even when you guaranteed that you loved it when bought. Probably you didn´t have a look. It´s awful, the worst linen I´ve ever seen and can´t understand why I was so interested in it.

Sometimes I opened the drawer. Just when had a bad day at work. I was playing it was one perfect piece ready to be shown in the most important gallery of the city. Then, I was hurt on the finger and realized that there were two broken bits. One blood drop slipped through the white petal and ended in the mirror. I was looking away before the blood touched my lips on the reflection.

You came sometimes for it under the pretext of picking up something our daughter didn´t want me to know. I told you that I through it to the bin as soon as you closed the door to have fun with your new girlfriend. You left the house with empty hands. Our daughter never asked you to take anything from my house. I knew, even though left you to go inside and asked me about the crystal flower.

Afterward, I started to work on that gallery with an amazing collection of figurines. Porcelain, plastic, and wood too. At the beginning was difficult to look them afraid to break it as our flower did. Later, I fall in love with one porcelain piece. I bought it knowing that it wasn´t going to match with the living room furniture. No... the fact was that I couldn´t find a perfect place to put it because our flower had been everywhere.

I got rid of both.

It was a long time since another figurine came to my house. I didn´t need it. I mean, there were other kinds of decoration in the living room and seemed really good, even more cleaned than ever.

It took a while to decide. I really liked it but wasn´t sure if I wanted to have it at home. About five months later I finally caressed. Then, our daughter met. She said I was the only one who could decide, but liked it. After a while, I determined to bring it home.

Was resting on the bedroom. Received the first lights of the morning and I stare at it from my side of the bed. Sometimes, by carelessness, I rub it, but I´m working hard to have it far from the floor. It´s so beautiful and I really want to keep an eye on it. We never did with our crystal flower. Never between our relationship.

02-03-2019

Sacrifices

Are steps

to the hilltop

that will come.

Is the sign

of a future

where shine.

Chest out,

is the moment

to show your eternity.

Proud of the effort,

pressing out the victory.

Don´t forget those angels

who teaches you about starts.

Still tired

don´t stop,

there are plenty of dreams

to reach

and you know about success.

The origin of the excellence

That kind of perfect life was scaring him. He was pretty sure that the couple was hiding something; it couldn´t be normal not to have any break, any corpse under the carpet or affairs; there must have been any secret between their sticky happiness.

He started to investigate their work environment, becoming friends of every colleague, looking into lifes that seemed more ideal than ever. He tried to make advances toward her, flirting with him, but there wasn´t a way to get them embarrassed. One more reason to continue thinking that they were covering a big secret, maybe as evidence as he wasn´t able to see.

The next step was dealing with their families, went deep into their past and even asking the partners openly. He refused to believe that their appearance wasn´t a mask. His obsession was clear and didn´t try to avoid in front of the couple in an attempt to put them out of their senses, but all the reactions went through refinement and a strong scent of wildflowers.

He was completely desperate without any ideas. They weren´t hippies. Why they didn´t care about anything? He was just considering the theory of aliens. Spent the afternoon thinking of it and in the evening made a decision: yes, the couple was extraterrestrial.

Knowing that their perfection was due to a far away origin, he determined to let them spread the scent of wildflowers and to concentrate on a new apparently perfect couple.

Bridge to routine

We are still in September, time goes slowly but goes.

As part of the volunteering, we have a three days training in London where we met volunteers from different organizations and locations. To us, it wasn´t relevant due to the training we´ve already had within our placements, no much new but it didn´t matter. It´s incredible how much ties were possible to develop in just a few hours.

We were one of the biggest groups. And also, was our first trip all together. By that time we were living five minutes far from the station, but we needed to run to catch the bus. Rainy day. We got completely wet.

I especially will remember the last night. Walking through the Britain capital with one of those sunset like in postcards. Cool chattings and promises to see each other very soon... ¿The best memory? Our profile picture from the Whatsapp group, the first and probably last picture all together.

Brief. No many details but here it is.

At the end of the month, there was a festival I really wanted to discover. It´s called "Arts by the sea" and takes place on the central gardens and the beach (however, I couldn´t have time to discover that part). The topic changes every year and it´s, basically, a cultural attraction to finish the tourism season.

It was windy, really, really, really windy. The project where I´m working was participating and we had a gazebo with some sandbags... not enough... was flying out. It was my introduction to distribute leaflets and magazines, to keep smiling and express my gratitude for being ignored (not by choice but education).

The main attraction of the festival was a light and magical projection in the town hall. It lasted ten minutes and we arrived five late... another experience... Apart from that, live music and people dancing against the wind.

We still have some places to discover but no one is indifferent to the city. Between event and event, we had already established routines related to our job and life at home, of course, as young people that enjoy time together.

19:37 - Gossip time

The homework is resting over the desktop on a really boring evening. Confused by dates, cinema directors and their films, voices from a madhouse draw my attention. A group of neighbours is together beside the entrance hall, seem extremely worried. The mother point at the top of the building with a threatening gesture. I feel scared thinking about someone trying to jump from a window or... ¿a cat? (even I think they don´t have). By chance, the second-floor neighbour is going on a walk with the dogs... two hours early than usual. The mother shouts at her. Now I can see a black compact mass under a window with some little winged points around.

The third-floor neighbour opens the curtains and moves closer to the window but still refuses to open and shows everyone that also wants to gossip; the one of the first floor arrives at the perfect time smelling the rumors. The son of the shouting mother can´t now avoid the embarrassment face.

I don´t like being part of that gossip picture and focus the gaze on the tinned nature of the square. The gardener is fixing the fence so that the skinny bush doesn´t disturb too much the technological population. Some labourers are cutting down the tree´s soil, covering up the floor with horrendous paving stones.

I take the pen to continue with my homework, but again my eyes go away beyond the window. The second-floor neighbour with her dogs is walking far from the mother and the one of the third-floor has lower the blinds. No one else is at the entrance hall.

20:37 - the hive is still there but the gossip time has already finished.

01-11-2016

Midnight road

The party would have continued in the closest village. Robert, Charlotte, and Victoria were walking laughing by the middle of the road while the first lights of the day were drawing the skyline. Robert and Charlotte had drunk too much and were going from side to side of the road. Victoria was aware of the traffic; however at that time and there it was really weird to see any car.

Arriving at the curve, Charlotte stopped and her face seemed to forget the enjoyment.

-Common, my friend, have you seen the vanishing hitchhiker? - Robert was making fun of it.

-She´s right. A car could come at any point and... that´s the end - Charlotte was thinking really afflicted.

-Look at that - Robert continued laughing.

-The world is so unfair - Charlotte said intriguing Victoria who was few meters back.

-Oh, no - Robert reacted readily to cry.

-It´s there as if...

Charlotte was looking at a small sparrow laying down on the road and without any life´s exhibition before she tried to move away. Then, the bird jumped twice and went away flying.

-Each one sleeps wherever want - Victoria concluded laughing.