Sunday, February 7, 2010

Time and Wagers.

Suppose I was a stranger in a strange land. Standing atop a sand dune, watching all that exists bathed in the molten gold that a setting sun spews onto the world. I would walk endlessly on the roasted sand, singeing my painted toes just a little... just enough. I would walk against the harsh wind, feeling it whip my hair around in a tangled mess(like I always preferred it), sting my skin just a little, and whisper sweet nothings to me in a painfully familiar voice. Have it hurt just enough to be comfortable, in exact measures and slow degrees. Because one always needs more of it, after a while. I would look above and see the birds. Not quite the sort you would want to wish upon, but one doesn't expect miracles anyway. So I would murmur those lines I  leave scribbled on a piece of paper, in library books for a stranger to see. And I would walk calmly, taking in the beauty of constant motion doomed to be frozen in time. There was a time when they had a word for that, I think. But time decays. Itself and all that is around or in it. Memory is all that is cursed with immortality. Curses, after all, also come in masquerade. 

I would then turn and look at my imprints in the sand, and think about things that will never be spoken and probably wouldn't be heard. And I would go on walking on feet that are now numb, except for a violent shudder that runs up the spine every now and then. I would see iridescent streaks of color emanating from a distant ball of fire on the horizon, and laugh exactly the way I did about fairy-tales and the tall tower that no one could get to. I would remember something and bend down to scoop a handful of gold dust, and let it slip out from my fingers like liquid silk. Then, I would start walking again.

And right there, I would have lost another of our little wagers because I would still be going exactly where the wind takes me, like you once said I would. But I would still have a lot to gain, you see. It's taking me a little further from you. 

12 comments:

Niti said...

dont know why.. but loved it

Param Saraf said...

wat da...Niti...I sack u from being my follower....

Antara said...

It's such a beautiful scenery.. I can almost imagine you in a beautiful bushka trailing along the sand..

Sherry Wasandi said...

@Niti: I loved your latest post and have been wanting to post a comment about it. However, I am not able to do so for some reason.

The link to post a comment on your blog posts seems to be malfunctioning. I suspected an errant cookie and cleared my cache, but even that doesn't seem to be working. Don't know if I'm the only one facing that problem.

Also, thank you.


@Anty: :) I had a white one in mind.

Param Saraf said...

U r rite SW...her blog's comment section is not working...My previous comment was made in reference to Ms Niti 'unfollowing' my blog.Its painful when ur followers keep on depleting..sob.. :(

nishi said...

nice blog ! nice words! :)

Sherry Wasandi said...

@Arzaletta: I know the feeling.

@Niti: It's probably some error in the template code.

@nishi: Thanks. :)

Niti said...

@ Sherry

Thanks.. will look into it.. :)

@ Arzaletta

It was one of those kill 'em all days..

Niti said...

Sorted! Thanks.

JD said...

Quite the picture you paint, Sherry! Makes one wonder what's gone in making the canvas :)

Good stuff, though! Have I told you "iridescent" is one of my favourite happy-happiest words? ^_^

Srishti said...

This sounds BEAUTIFUL! :)

And also,

this yells "I miss you!"

Ahem?

Sherry Wasandi said...

@Niti: Perfect!

@JD: Haha! Thanks.

Is it? Strangely, mine is "dysfunctional". Err... :)

@Srishti: Thank you.

I'm afraid it's a little more complex than that. Or at least, it was.