A force of nature perhaps comes close to describing her accurately but I’m still not sure what has happened. I’m writing this purely to understand. My equilibrium has been thrown out and I feel totally unbalanced.
I've been renting a two-bedroom unit overlooking the golden sands of Mermaid Beach on
the Gold Coast. I’ve been here for the past 8 happy years. A few days ago I was advised that the building I’m in is going to be sold. It was a bad news shock as the Corona virus is causing weirdness and disquiet. Very reluctantly I started clearing out all my unwanted stuff like old clothes, CDs etc. I put twenty books in a heap on a brick fence opposite here and very quickly they all disappeared.
You know the old adage: “The most valuable things in life you carry in your arms’” ...like your wife and kids and pets but there is really very little for me to carry away from here. So in the middle of Sunday afternoon, with the help of a neighbour, I put my old three seat lounge on the side of the road in view of traffic and walkers. Two hours later it was looking lonely and unloved. Every thirty minutes or so I checked if it had gone and two hours later it was still there! About an hour later I peered out again and there was a woman in white sitting on the maroon lounge. She was reading her book and looking extremely comfortable! Some people were even stopping to take photos as they passed.
“Oh yeah! Make yourself at home” I thought, or is she waiting for someone to come and take the lounge away for her? Half an hour later she was still reading! At this stage I thought she may have been a nut case but I joined her on the lounge (actually | stood a few metres away but she asked me to join her on the lounge!) So we practised “social distancing” and chatted about life, the autumn weather, about kids and psychology. An hour later we were still there talking and laughing at the reaction we had created. The day ended when her son and his mate came and took her and the lounge away.
We have kept in touch by meeting three or four times for coffee. She is bubblier than champagne. She is also captivating and inquisitive. She is highly animated and laughs like a happy fountain! There is endless laughter and talking between us. I got a lightning bolt from her yesterday which underlines how we have connected. It’s difficult to explain and is a little nerve wracking in a strange way but we tend to discuss (or debate) anything, including song lyrics and their meaning. “Western Stars” is the name of Bruce Springsteen’s latest album. It has been acclaimed as a classic of country inspired music and “The Boss” has never been in better voice.
In his song “Stones” the lyrics are:
“I woke up this morning with stones in my mouth
You said those were only the lies you’ve told me
Those are only the lies you’ve told me
I pulled my collar to the wind and spit them on the ground
You said those are only the lies you’ve told me
Those are only the lies you’ve told me”
I text these lyrics to her and immediately her text came back: “That is such a great lyric! I have this recurring dream that I have clay in my mouth! It just keeps producing itself and I have to spit it out and it’s gross!! Anyway, those lyrics reminded me.”
Now, obviously, I could’ve selected any lyrics from a thousand songs and more than likely they would have created little interest but this coincidence of “Stones and Clay” really rattled me. Even disturbed me. Is it a lesson? A warning or a message? Should I see a Psychologist? In fact, I have just booked an appointment to see “my angel in white” as she is a Psychotherapist! I’m certain she will explain and clarify it all for me!
Or should she see someone to help her with the clay in her mouth?
John A Wilson, Gold Coast, May 2020
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