A Thousand Umbrellas

Wed, 01/07/2015 - 15:39 -- 4naBo

Location

48227
United States
42° 22' 43.464" N, 83° 11' 49.3836" W

 

The clouds darken above a thousand umbrellas

Blocking the early sun that rises a deep red

A drop of rain sinks toward the ground

And a boy opens his mouth and lifts his head

 

But before he can catch it, his mother tugs him away

Down the busy street he stumbles after the sound of her heels clapping against wet stone

Her hand the only thing keeping him from falling into the fray

Her, the only thing keeping him from becoming lost and alone

 

Years later the boy has grown

He walks the street surrounded by a thousand rain-splattered umbrellas, yet he is all alone

A brief case at his side, a tie around his neck, meaningless noise flitting in and out of his head

He crosses the road and turns to the left

 

Suddenly a sound penetrates the barrier in his mind

The sound of heels clapping against wet stone

His head swivels up, around, forward, behind

Until his eyes rest upon a little girl, lifting her mouth to the sky

 

A raindrop falls past her lips and a grin warms her face

But then her mother grabs her hand and pulls her down the street

His eyes cling to the mother’s shoes, the stiletto sound sharp on the ground, every step placed with perfect grace

A sad smile tugs at the corners of his mouth

 

The boy stands unmoving on the sidewalk and says silently to himself,

“A thousand drops of rain for a thousand umbrellas.

“A thousand slabs of cement for a thousand heels to clap against.

“But just one me, for just one old and broken memory.”

 

Then he lifts his head to the sky

With tears in eyes,

He smiles a watery goodbye.

Then continues, on into the dreary morning light.


 

 

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