Claudia Harriman
How do these mountains look so black? And how does the sky look so wooly and dark, even though it’s only three in the afternoon? I am driving along Route 302 in Gray, Maine, just off the turnpike. This is a familiar route for me. I have driven it many times with my husband and three sons. But there is a huge difference between driving with a whole family (including two cats) and driving solely alone.
The sons are away living their own lives, the husband is living with his girlfriend, and the two wonderful cats reached the end of their total of eighteen years. So I am alone in the world, driving north to visit my ex-mom-in-law, Hallie.
My heart begins to pound. It is a little scary or something; maybe that’s the wrong word. Being alone is like being in a foreign country. I’m lost. I want to see Hallie. But I have to go through these waves of fear first.
I love the black mountains. I love the gray sky. I love going through the tiny, poor villages. These images reach into my heart and make my moments here in the car very real. I am dry. My mouth is dry. My eyes are dry. I am unable to feel normal. What is normal any more? Was it normal before? With my sons and husband? Am I going to feel normal sometime again? Am I all right? Will I be all right?
I want to visit Hallie. I love her. This countryside is so beautiful. It’s so cold and lonely. It’s like it used to be -- but not like it used to be.
Here I am at Hallie’s house. I see the warm lights spilling out through her kitchen windows. She’s cooking for me. I am eager to see her. I’ll feel normal while I’m with her.
Claudia Harrima retired in 2005 and discovered a whole new way of life when she enrolled in a creative writing course. She had worked in a bank for many years and looked forward to retiring -- spending time with her husband, grandchildren, and adopting a dog. Those pleasures are ongoing together with her enjoyment of writing. Choosing from the dozens of short stories she has written, she plans to publish a collection soon.
HOME ART MOVIES THEATER BOOKS MUSIC TALENT DANCE POETRY POTPOURRI SUPPORT
All rights reserved.
© The Arts, etc., Copyright 2010