Beth's Front Porch

To Jamie

I'm walking from my office to the parking lot.  Tan students in halter tops, t shirts, and hefty back packs are zipping past me like errant bees.  I can feel the wake of air as they pass. 

Over by a curb a tall man is standing, hovering over the other students, taller, and paler.  He's wearing an odd color of brown pants with an elastic waist.  He's waving his cane off the curb like a metronome.  He says softly but with an attitude, help me?  anyone help me?  anyone?  A blonde with a yellow halter top zips past.  Well walk right by me, then!

I walk up and ask if he needs help.  It turns out he's Jamie, a 3rd year philosphy student, 31 years old and blinded in an accident at 26.  The transit bus didn't come to take him to class, and I offer to walk him there.  He asks for my shoulder.  When I tell him my name he asks if I know the Kiss song, something Beth, and he starts to sing it to me in a lovely, lilting voice.

We are on our way to his Latin class and when we depart from the elevator he hands me a pocketful of papers.  He says his schedule is in them, and that will say the room number, because he doesn't know, and I don't undersstand where in this maze of a building we are going from his description.  The papers slide out of my hand, and before they hit the floor he asks me what I've dropped.  He says before being blind he was a sequential artist, and when I ask what that means he says comic books.

He wants me to guess how old he is, before he tells me.  Now, a few days later, I want to tell him that he's a fine looking young man, engaging yet pale, and I'd say it with a smile on my face, and he would hear the smile.  I might tell him we have both lost something, and I am sorry for his loss.  I might say I can still feel the gentle cupping of his hand on my shoulder.

----------------------------------------------

To Theresa - yes, let's do a reading.  I'm looking forward to it.  I fell off the book project.  I'll try to get back on it.  Maybe.  No promises ;-)

To Vicky - I'm so glad you are back.  I think the love matter right now has to do with my capacity for loving, loving in a compassionate, understanding, whole way.  Sheesh, who knows what that means ;-)

Beth

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• #7 Comment from alphawoman1 
  9/4/05 6:36 PM | Permalink

  Beautifully written. Really touched me.
• #6 Comment from vxv789 
  9/2/05 1:07 AM | Permalink

  PS - He was taking a LATIN class?  Bravo to him!!!  ( I studied Latin and ancient Greek in high school - loved them both),
  
  Vicky
  http://www.livejournal.com/users/vxv789/
• #5 Comment from vxv789 
  9/2/05 1:06 AM | Permalink

  How beautifully expressed, Beth.  A lovely, lovely vignette.  And a perfect example of how we can gain by giving.  
  
  My mind is jumping around like a flea right now - I look forward to reaching that contemplative place you seem to find yourself in when you write.  
  
  As for the love thing - sheesh indeed!!
  
  Take care of your lovely self,
  
  Vicky
  http://www.livejournal.com/users/vxv789/
• #4 Comment from stevendenlinger 
  8/27/05 10:19 PM | Permalink

  Thank you, Beth, for visiting my blog.  I'm glad you found it.  And as per Theresa's suggestion, I'm going to drop the address to my LA JOURNAL here.
  
  I agree.  This piece needs to find a home in a print source.
  
  Steven
  
  http://journals.aol.com/stevendenlinger/DevelopingDreams/
  
• #3 Comment from theresarrt7 
  8/27/05 4:19 PM | Permalink

  Oh Beth, this is so unbelievably beautiful.  It made me cry!  Oh please, won't you submit it somewhere?  Maybe the SUN?  I think they would love it!