Stories of Ozmania 2

Enough! I need some breath now. I move away from the bookshop. I head to the beach. I leave others behind. The roads, the faces, the people, the houses, the shops, THE every reminder of a crumbling septic tank. Yes, I will head there. It is quite breezy. Typical Ozmania evenings. I overcome an impulse to run into the waves. Instead I choose my spot.

Your left in the middle and right all around, twist and slide, mark your ground.

I rest my laundry basket. I sit inside. I feel like closing the eyes. I do so. It is good now. Not to see, but to hear. Not to hear but to feel. Not to feel but to be numb. The breeze slides in. It is here, now it’s there. Aimless winds. It grows stronger. I will let it blow my hair away. I will let it do anything today.

Battered ships can only wait for the next bigger storm.

I am on the old rocking chair. It moves so quietly.

Sleep well sweet love
The angels above
See thou are bless’d
In toil and rest
The hard days gone
For a bright new dawn
With laughter n mirth
And warmth in your hearth
Sleep well for this sorrow
Will not be tomorrow
……………………………
……………………………

The wind is almost violent now. I see a little girl. She looks at me. She says something. Something that the wind takes away. I tell her I can’t hear her. She begins to cry now. I want to help her. But, she is outside the circle. I signal her to come in. She sobs still. Then her voice pierces the chaotic silence.

-‘you seen Mr. Freckles?’

-Mr. Freckles?

-‘Mr. Freckles, Mr. Freckles… round…, blind in one eye, wearing a white dress with brown polka dots. You seen him???’

-Yes, I think I have. He was standing there at the cotton candy shack, talking to some people. Go ask them. They’ll tell you.

-‘you lying. Mr. Freckles don’t speak. He’s my cat’

-You should have told me so beforehand. Now run, find your cat before my dog eats him a-whole.

-‘fuck you liar. You don’t even have a dog.’

Suddenly, I need a ticket to El Dorado. Yes, I must have it now. I will have it. I so want it. El Dorado...El Dorado. I get up and move towards the crowd. Most of them wear masks. But, it is not dark yet? I am pushed around, but I keep my way. The music is competing with the wind to be heard. Where is the ticket counter? It was standing here only yesterday. So much for mobility. Where did they shift it now? I ask one of them. He is a big man with equally big moustache. He giggles and looks shy and says ‘aunt Mephista took it away with her’. I am amazed. I move away. Everything is dazzling, everything is buzzing. There is fire and the crowd is on the waves. It can start any time soon. I must be off before it does.

A slight tinkle and jingle takes my ear. A funny looking man holding a placard. It says.

::What you think is What you’ll get::

I go to him and tell him what I think. He says that my thought is out of stock. ‘Newer supplies awaited tomorrow. Medusa & Co. regret the inconvenience.’


I am almost tempted to launch into a tirade. I march off to my spot. To collect my laundry basket. I look for it there. I can’t find it any more. I think I lost it. Is that my basket?
Oh how dare they? sneaky little pests.

I see some kids kneeling beside it and pouring sand in it. I run towards them. One of the gang senses me and they run away. I stop there and look into my basket. The cloths are all spoiled..sand…shells…oysters…something glittering there…purple feathers…satin ribbons…I pick up my valise and walk away from the beach. The darkness is dawning. I must be back home. It’s time to go back. I hear the waves roar, I hear the music blasting, I hear the crowd cheering, I hear the day end. But, I’ll not look back. Home I must go now.

................................................................................................................................................

(two taps on the door)
I close the book.


(to be continued....)