The first killing frost of the winter came on Valentine's Day. Mattie's purple bean vines hung from the fence like long strips of beef jerky drying in the sun. It broke my heart to see that colorful jungle turned to black slime, especially on this of all days when people everywhere were sending each other flowers, but it didn't faze Mattie. "That's the cycle of life, Taylor," she said. "The old has to pass on before the new can come around."
Even a spotted pig looks black at night. This is another thing Mama used to tell me quite often. It means that things always look different, and usually better, in the morning.
And they did.
"I just lost somebody I was in love with," I finally told her. "I just told him goodbye, and I'm never going to see him again."
"Well, what did you turn him loose for?" Mama wanted to know. "I never saw you turn loose of nothing you wanted."
"This is different, Mama. He wasn't mine to have."
She was quiet for a minute. We listened to the static playing up and down. It sounded like music from Mars.
"Mama, I feel like, I don’t know what. Like I've died."
"I know. You feel like you'll never run into another one that's worth turning your head around for, but you will. You'll see."
"No, it's worse than that. I don't even care if I ever run into anybody else. I don't know if I even want to."
"Well, Taylor honey, that's the best way to be, is not on the lookout. That way you don't have to waste your time. Just let it slip up on you while you're going about your business."
If you've never read it, get on it!
No comments:
Post a Comment