A TWIST IN THE TALE [2]

A TWIST IN THE TALE [2]

Down the coastline, he pines for the love of his life, the apple of his eyes , who had left him forever

Sunset was nearing. The clock at the nearby church struck six times. The noise of the busy civilization slowly faded away into the background as I headed to the seashore. The graceful ocean that spread out like a silvery mat greeted me and extended to meet the sun at the horizon, a mystic region. This is one sight that never fails to captivate me though I’ve seen it two thousand nine hundred and twenty two times. But each time I see this, I get engulfed in an ocean of emotions.

The ocean and the seashore have become an integral part of my life. The deep blue sea, the towering waves that crash upon the equally mighty boulders, these are sights that are mesmerizing. Everything about this place, the gigantic waves to the smallest drop of water and the huge boulder to the tiniest grain of sand entrances me. But my association with this place is far more personal than just enjoying nature; the ocean had remained a silent witness to all the highs and lows in my life. No matter how many times I come back here, it never gets boring or routine instead each time its get more entrancing and interesting.

At the moment as I stand here and reflect upon the memories of the past. Sure I did have my share of blissful moments but now memories of a painful past come rushing like a youthful and vigorous river.

My very birth was in the contiguity of the ocean. All seas are the same yet they are different. It may sound preposterous but that’s the truth. On the surface they may seem the same, but when the heart takes over from the eyes, they have their differences, each difference a beauty in its own respect. I spent most of my childhood running barefooted on the beaches and even doing an occasional doggie paddle when my parents were not watching Mine was a pretty large family with me being the fourth of twelve children in all. All my brothers and sisters were lovable and fun loving but they lacked the character to intrigue into the veiled mysteries of the nature. It seems only I inherited that attribute from my stepfather. Even though I was his stepson, I grew unto be his most beloved son. He taught me the romantic nature of the universe and its splendor. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be with him enough. He succumbed to injuries sustained when an automobile ran over him at an intersection. I watched with grief beyond words, the medical personnel carry him away dead. I knew our family would breakdown the moment he died. I acted accordingly and left them behind.

To tell you the truth, my mother was a BITCH.That is the correct term for her. She had affairs even when my father was alive and didn’t give a damn about the family. Right after my father’s death, she went of to live with another tramp. Instantly the authorities got hold of the youngest of my brothers and sisters. It was tormenting to look at my kin roaming about aimlessly without a purpose in life. I preferred to keep a distance with them. But solitude got to me again and I grew depressed. Memories of my stepfather were the only thing that kept me afloat during that emotionally draining period. My stepfather had been the only source of love, affection and care in my life. Then the ocean had been a realm of peace for me. It’s silence and unquestioning acceptance of me gave me solace. But that was before I had met Cathy.

Time is nearing half past six, the rush of crowd goes down as I walk along the coastline. The sun set beautifully turning the horizon orange red. It brings me sweet memories of Cathy. She was water in the desert of agony for me. Her dazzling eyes comforted me and revealed the light I had sought for amidst pitch-black darkness. I had met her here several years ago. My heart skipped a beat when I first saw her. She was of another race but there was some sort of chemistry between us. When I looked into those alluring eyes of hers, I knew I was in love. My joy knew no leaps and bounds. The future that seemed so bleak brightened up. The whole world seemed an entirely wonderful place to live in. Again the ocean stood witness to it.

Cathy wasn’t a demanding type. She understood and trusted me. All the more she shared my fascination for nature. We spent endless days here fathoming the mysteries of the ocean and looking at in awe the splendor of the sea. It was no holier than thou attitude amongst us , but love and affection reigned supreme in our relation. We wanted to be together forever and ever. We opened our hearts to one another. Our souls stood united.

I vividly remember the day I proposed to her. Again the sea stood silent testimony to our love. Once while enjoying the appealing nature of the ocean and the horizon, I told her “ This Sea is going to lead us to the horizon”

She replied “ It’s going to take us to where ever we wanted to go”

I looked into the alluring eyes of her and proposed “ I want you to be with me when I venture in there”

Her eyes told me all that we needed to know. Overwhelmed by the emotion of the movement, tears welled up in our eyes.

Marriages are made in heaven but the married live on earth. I must have known it was too good to last long. Though we loved one another, differences arose. As we raised our family of five, she got caught into the turmoil of reality and wanted me to settle down to the practicality of the real world. But being a romantic character, I didn’t carry about the next day’s bread instead about the mysteries of the universe. Difference of opinion arose there and our marriage ended one night when the family ended up hungry, as I didn’t turn up.

The love of my life left me. The children were under my care but I had adopted a care-for-devil attitude. Thus the social workers were involved and my children were placed in foster care before I realized my folly. My life was a void again. I didn’t see any purpose in living. I was at fault. I destroyed the lives of my beloved as well as mine. The pangs of love hurt but it was too late. I couldn’t do anything about it.

After I became single again, many females proposed to me. But none touched my soul the way Cathy did. She held a special place in my heart that was irreplaceable. I pined away her loss but it did me no good. Time flew8 years I’ve waited for her at the seashore. Wonderful times with Cathy seem to be a distant memory from the bygone days. It was the ocean that remained a faithful companion hearing to all my woes and offering me solace as it had done so in the past.

Each evening over the last eight years, I’ve spent on the seashore waiting for Cathy hoping against hope. I believe against all odds that she’d return for her soul remains with me. I have grown old now, I’ve waited over half my natural lifespan here waiting for Cathy swishing my tail and looking longingly at the horizon awaiting her return for the rest of my life.

{P.S. Average lifespan of dogs is fourteen years}