Crossroads and Memories

Thad began his journey. He walked down the path which was bordered by tall slender trees on both sides. As he walked he could not help but notice the stillness of the air. This was ancient air. Almost like air one might find in a great library. He could hear birds but they sounded far off. He would have believed that they were far off except that he saw one and even it sounded far off. The air was thick and hot. Sweat started to trickle down Thad's face, stinging his eyes. As he walked he had a frightening thought.

He did not know in which direction he was walking.
To be sure he had not had much choice in his direction yet, at least if he wanted to stay on the path. Every once and in a while the path would climb and briefly the trees would thin enough to allow some movement in the air, but just as soon the path would descend back into the hot still air under the thick canopy of trees.

At the very bottom of one of these valleys he came across an intersection of paths. Now Thad had to make a choice. He did not know in which direction he was walking so he did not know which way to turn or even if he should turn.

He decided to camp for the night at this intersection. Anything to put off making a wrong decision. Besides he might have a vision or dream that would point him in the right way. As he sat outside his tent in front of his fire, he stared at the intersection. If he was traveling west already, he should not turn and go straight across. If he had been walking north, he should turn left, if south then right. If he had been walking east, he should probably turn one way or the other and look for another path to lead him back the direction he had been coming from. At last he crawled into his tent and had the first sleep he'd allowed himself since the sleep that lasted twelve years.

He awoke in the morning refreshed and ready to go. Again he looked at the intersection. He made a choice. He would turn left. As he walked down the new path he felt much better. He was glad he went this way it all seemed so familiar. The air grew increasingly more full of life. He felt entirely comfortable walking down this path. He was certain he had chosen correctly.

He had just made up his mind to sing when the path left the woods entirely and opened up into a clearing of cut grass. It seemed he was in a large park with a narrow river running the length of it. Ahead on the left side of the path was a gazebo. On the far side of the gazebo from the path were some stairs and on these stairs sat a person. Thad left the path and walked up to the gazebo. As he walked around the gazebo he saw that it was Beth sitting on the step. Thad was delighted, now he knew he had been going the right way. Beth was going west after all and so was he. What did Luna know that Beth's road was so different from his?!? He sat down on the step next to Beth on her left, and said "It's so wonderful to see you! We can go west together!"

Beth looked at him strangely for a moment and muttered "You're weird."

They sat there together for awhile not saying anything. Then at the same time they slowly looked up at each other. Their eyes met and they just stared at each other. Slowly, ever so slowly, Thad moved in. Beth did not move away and they kissed. It was a charming kiss but it was thrilling and clumsy as only a first kiss can be. Thad found himself wondering to himself "Has it been that long? Can one really have a 'second' first kiss, if it's been long enough?"

As he drew back to look at her again, he caught a glimpse of the moon rising over Beth's shoulder.
"Oh my God!" Thad gasped, "I'm going east!"

Thad realized that this was not really Beth, but a memory. He should have known that any path as familiar as that one had been would be in his past. He quickly got up and ran back the way he had come. Leaving the memory of his first kiss with Beth behind.

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© 2003 - Jonathan Gardner