THE PLANE
Word Count: 419
I saw a two-inch plane today; most of those that cut across my sky are quarter-inchers. And because I know he won’t believe me, because he laughs, I reach up and pluck it from the sky and put it in the little wooden box from Poland where I keep my special things. I had to fold the wings to fit it in.
There was once a time when we would share the world, each offering made as a gift wrapped up in sparkling tinsel wound within the ribbon bow. I gave him a rose that bloomed into a red Ferrari. He drove us to the moon where we ate cheese and sipped wine and danced beneath the stars. He left it in a crater for another visit someday. He gave me a crystal snowflake in the middle of a storm. It took him forever to find it, he said. He strung it on a strand of gold as fine as hair for me to wear around my neck. We followed an ant to Japan and strolled the streets all day. We bought kimonos, his was royal purple and mine was fuchsia with a golden serpent embroidered on the sleeve. We left them swirled together in a pudding on the floor beside the bamboo mat when we made love.
Sometimes I think I will show him something I have found because I have forgotten that his vision has clouded over. Sometimes I think I will, and then I don’t because it seems it makes him worry. Even angry. I don’t know why. I have this hope that if I find the right thing to show him, share the perfect gift, I can reach beyond the stress of his career, the immersion of mind into a pool of numbers, angles, and make him happy again.
Today seemed right. After dinner I thought I heard him humming. I went upstairs and got the wooden box and brought it to him. As I opened the box, I told him about the two-inch plane and took it out. He told me I was silly and got up and went into his office and closed the door.
I looked at the little airplane in my hand. Carefully, I unfolded each wing. I held it up as if it were flying free. It caught the light on its shiny silver side, sparkled in the evening sun. People were smiling and waving from the tiny windows. I got inside and headed to the moon.
I should tell you that my original intent today was to make a box to place an airliner in – never got there; instead created “Cube Unplugged no.2”. Too many ideas, too many ideas, but thanks for continuing to provide these great storylines.
Betcha you wouldn’t have thought of folding the wings to make it fit. It’s surprising sometimes how the same topic or phrase will pop up within the group without having read around first. We must be sending creatives through the airwaves.
I love “swirled together in a pudding on the floor”… beautiful
Don’t pluck my aeroplane out of the sky though please?
Thanks, Julia! No, I won’t take your plane. But have you ever watched one fly across the sky and reached out to hold it between your fingers? That’s where I got the “quarter-inchers” and my husband does indeed laugh at me for that.
I tried to combine these pieces in my Day 51 😉
not entirely sure of it’s success (my excuse is jet-lag!)
I think you did an exquisite job of it and thank you for the honor!