Snippitts of Illusions

In the wind.

It's windy here in the Basin.
It always seems windy here. I remember being a kid getting off the bus, and facing the wind nearly every day in the spring. It was a short walk from my brother house to mine, but it seemed much, much longer. Back then the road was a gravel road, so walking in the wind was much more unpleasant than it would be today. The grit would blow in your face finding it's way into your eyes and mouth, I spent many times walking backwards part of the way to avoid the dust.

My companion in grade school was a neighbor girl. From the time we were babes to about the 3rd grade she and I spent much time together, well some times together. We were rarely in the same class in school, but we would see each other on the bus and would spend our time walking up the windy dusty dirt road. She lived nearly a mile up the road, and her parents, because they were sympathetic, would oft times pick her up at some point on the trek. As we grew older that point, more often than not, would be where the bus left us off, but there were many times we would arrive at my house and play outside for a short period before her parents arrived, at least when we first were in school.
They moved to Pennsylvania for about 5 years, before that we had grown apart. Strange, we celebrated our first birthdays together -she was a month younger than me- but I only have a vague notion of where she is and what she's doing now. Her and her parents moved back to the area, to the same house actually, when I was in high school.They rented the house out while they were away. My sister actually rented it for a time, I remember spending a New Years there one year, celebrating my nephews birthday.

I always liked that house. It was big, and somewhat maze like. Stairs seemed to go everywhere and there were insane levels and nooks and crannies. When I was little, before we fell away from each other, I would go up and play (as she would come down to my house and play). One of the most distinct memories I have of my time up there was the comic they had of 'Empire Strikes Back'. It fascinated me. I saw the comic well before I saw the movie, and every time I went up there I wanted to look at it. I'm sure I was annoying, but, damn it was a cool comic.

Since graduation we've only talked a few times. Once at my fathers funeral, then again at my grandmothers about 8 years later. I had her email at one point, and we sent a few to each other, but it didn't last. I know she's been married a few times, her current husband is the longest, much older than her which is probably for the best. I believe my mother said she was pregnant, my mother talked to her parents recently at her younger brothers wedding reception.

We grew up into quite different people. That's what's supposed to happen: Two babies that were very different sharing their birthdays together are now two people who may as well be worlds apart. Though, I do think of her from time to time.
I wonder if she ever thinks of me.

posted by F.G. Shaw @ 2:30 AM