Defining Paranoia

A Walk Down Memory Lane

"Come on! I'll show you something!"

He took my hand in his and guided me through the fields.

"Watch for the tomatoes! Grandpa hates it when we step on them!"

But it was too late. I had already stepped on one.

I stopped dead in my tracks, my hands covering my mouth and looking sideways with my eyes.

"Oops!"

We both giggled. He took my hand again and we continued to run, not caring about the vegetables my grandfather liked to grow on his farm. We passed fields of tomatoes, lettuce, carrots and trees of all kinds until finally, we reached our destination.

If it weren’t for the heat, I would have said that he had taken me to heaven. We were standing in the Garden of Eden. I think it was the grape garden. My grandfather loved grapes. There were butterflies of all colors all over the place. Green, pink, orange, etc … But what caught my attention the most was a butterfly with turquoise colored wings. It landed right on my nose. I heard him giggle. I giggled back. The shaking of my body must have startled the poor creature because it fluttered its little wings and flew away. I stood afterwards marveling at the garden’s beauty.

"Wow … "

He grinned. I could see his dimples showing at the sides of his cheeks.

"It's amazing, isn't it?"

I nodded my head. I looked up at the entrance, an arch full of green and blooming flowers. I stepped inside still admiring every detail.

"How did you find it?"

"Grandpa was showing me how to plant the vegetables. I got bored after a while so while he was kneeling down to plant some carrots, I ran off as fast as I could until I stumbled upon this … literally. I tripped on those branches over there."

I turned my head to where he was pointing. There were little strawberry plants at the end of the garden. I couldn’t help but laugh.

"That's funny."

"Oh, it wasn’t! I fell and hit my head on the palm tree! I swear, after I hit my head I couldn’t even remember my name! "

I smiled at him.

"Yes you did! Don't exaggerate!"

"Ok … ok … You got me! It still hurt though …"

I took a few steps towards him and touched his forehead with my fingertips. His face changed. His grin disappeared and was replaced with a dazed look.

“I can almost see a bump.”

I was grinning at him. I thought he was going to wave my hand away, turn around and tell me to quit making fun him. Instead, we stood there, just the two of us, on a hot summer day sweating like there was no tomorrow, our feet dirty from all the sand, under the arch of blooming flowers and green that later became our spot, smiling at each other and not wanting the moment to end. Neither one of us moved. Neither of us made any further gestures. Neither of us said a word. All we did was stare into each other's eyes, exploring the other's depths and wanting to be apart of them. Reaching into each other's soul and holding on to it. It wasn't until my grandfather found us that we took our eyes off of each other. As we both hung our heads in shame as Grandfather lectured us about so many things I don't quite recall, I couldn't help but sneak a few peeks at him from time to time. He was sneaking peeks at me as well.

Though neither one of us dared bring up that day again, we both secretly agreed that it was the best day of ours lives. And it was on that day we both knew that our love will be eternal, like the Garden of Eden.

Or so we thought …

Now, whenever I visit my grandfather’s farm, I always head to that garden. Unfortunately now, it has become a waste land. The once beautiful garden was dying and the farm’s wastes were dumped there. The arch of blooming flowers and green was full of dried up leaves and dead flowers. The strawberry plants were replaced with containers full of hay for the barn animals. The Garden of Eden was no where near eternal. It died and was never revived again. Still, I always look back at that day and smile. I smile as I remember the look on his face, the love in his eyes and the touch of his skin.

It’s quite sad no one remembers this memory but me …

posted by 5ada @ 5:59 PM