Granite Coast Waltz

"I remember when..."
"Oh, please, would you please stop remembering."
"I beg your pardon. Stop remembering? Then what would we do?"
"Husband, I don't care. I'd rather have nothing to do."
"And be bored?"
"And be bored, yes."
"Bored to tears, doubtless. You was ever emotional."
"We may live on a rock. That don't mean I have to be one."
"Your sense of humour has suffered, I see. I'm sorry."
"Husband, I have heard your stories, every one that ever happened to you and every one you just made up. And so yes, my sense of humour has suffered. If you are truly sorry, tell me something that I haven't heard."
The two sat at the kitchen table in the dusty emptiness. They had always liked the kitchen best, so there they sat. Even though there were no neighbours now to fill the space with song and conversation. They sat. He pondered. She rolled her phosphorescent eyes, as if to say, 'Why bother?'
He rose from the table and drifted to the window. Standing there, looking out over the harbour, he began talking to himself. But very quietly, so he wouldn't trouble his wife. "I remember all the climbing and hauling that we used to do. Down to the boat, out to the sea, hauling the catch, back to the dock, climbing up, hauling up, and then up to the steps back to the house. No, it were not glorious. It were hard. And yes sometimes I would fall asleep in your arms and there went love. But I do miss it. With all my heart, or whatever I have left in its place, I do."
At that point he felt her push under his arm. "Oh, husband," she said, hugging him, "Love never went nowhere. But I am tired. Oh golly, I'm tired. Heaven or hell, it don't matter. If only we were gone from here."
He hugged her back. "But we ain't. And we do not know how. So all we've got is this here empty love. I mean, it glows. I know it does. It's all, I think, that's let's us see each other still. But it don't tell me what to do. I wish to goodness I knew what to do. I would do anything for you. But ain't nothing anymore that I can do. At all."
She wiped away the bright tear from his darkling cheek. "I know, my love, I know. I'm sorry. I just get so tired."
He said, "Me too. But we can dance. Let's dance a while. Okay?"
"Okay," she said. And they did dance. A slow waltz, all around the empty house from room to room. And for a while did smile again, one at the other, like they used to do.

5 April 2024
Texas Jim
Prospect, Nova Scotia
www.granitecoast.ca