A yellow highlight
I stop and look up the path I can see a woman in her early seventies pottering around in the truest sense of the word. She is moving her pots up and down the steps. Her straw hat shades her from the afternoon sun and as if yellow is her favourite colour she wears a jacket that matches the door.
I find myself calling out to her in a kind of sing song voice making it deliberately soft and friendly, “Hello.”
She doesn’t seem to hear me so I wonder whether I should leave it and walk on or should I be bold and walk down the pathway. I am bold and as I sporadically call out “Hello” she remains absorbed with her pots and the plants within them.
A cat appears and I attempt to befriend it though it wanders off. I don’t wish to startle the lady so I kick some stones as I walk hoping that a stone or the noise will signal to her someone is approaching.
It works and she looks up. Her face is smiling and she totally unperturbed by a stranger in her garden.
“ I love the colour of your door, your steps and the pathway leading from the street.”
She is paying attention to my lips and then to my surprise, she stretches forth her hand and touches them as if to summons me to speak. I repeat my sentence and in a voice that I recognise to be of someone deaf she thanks me.
She then takes me by the hand and leads me up the steps and through the door. This is no ordinary house as through the door has led immediately into a garden. She ushers me to iron wrought chair and begins to pour tea from an Aynsley teapot. I recognise it as such as my mother has one amongst her collection of china.
I reach for the milk jug and then hesitate as I remember I am a guest. She moves her head in such a manner that I continue knowing her approval.
Another cat appears, this one without invitation jumps straight onto my lap almost causing me to spill my tea as the saucer remains in one hand while the cup in the other.
The lady after pouring herself a cup takes a seat and reclines into the chair with her face looking straight into the sun. She then lifts a bible from behind and begins to silently read. I remain attentive to the place in which we sit. It stretches as far as any field in which I have sat yet undisturbed by any other humans.
Time passes though there is no hurry, I drink my tea. I sense that time here is measured by the tea and after a second cup, I am ready to leave. I move towards the table and make a triangle with my hands under my chin. She rises prompting me to do the same and then she begins to walk back towards the door. Just as she guides me to go through the door she passes the bible to me and as I look I can see that she has yellow highlighted a section. It reads,
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
I smile and return it to her.
Just as I leave her to attend once again to her pots I ask her can I take a photo, she nods her head with a yes. I notice how she is smiling as I take the photo. Have you ever seen such a smile?
g.
