Milo of The Calm Before The Sand stopped by here last week and left a nice comment, and I've noticed that he's been surfing the blogosphere of those near and dear to me, so I thought I'd click over his way and see what he was up to. He's been up to some beautiful writing...
Monday, December 11, 2006Snow-Dusted Sidewalks
I dreamt last night that I was back in Germany, walking with my wife.
We were in Heidelberg for the holidays, crowded and baroque, with its cobbled streets and alleyways lined with shops. We were bundled up against the cold, and as we walked down the snow-dusted sidewalks our breaths formed mist in the evening air. We talked gaily of art and music and politics, detouring at one point into a coffee shop for cappucino. We smiled at the clerk and placed our requests in German, and after paying with a few euro coins, fished from our pockets, we switched back into English, walking out of the shop and staring at the brightly-lit window displays. The warm drinks were soothing, and they only seemed to enhance the rosy glow in Anne's cheeks as she spoke.
It was snowing out, and in Heidelberg's Old Town the Weinachtmarkten--Winter Night Markets--were out in their full holiday bustle. Christmas trees, glowing bright, lined the red-brick courtyards, and in front of the Old City Hall a live band had set up shop, performing jazz renditions of old Christmas classics. A young Turkish woman in a stunning red dress sang smokily in English of sleigh bells ringing. The benches surrounding the impromptu stage were nearly full, so we decided to take seats near the edge of the yard. Giving in to our impulses, we elected to stop at yet another vendor's booth; this time for potato-bacon soup and mugs of hot gluhwein.
Turning to find ourselves a bench, my wife stopped me and laughed. She smiled warmly. What, I asked her. Nothing, she said, you're cute, and brushed snow out of my spiked-up hair. I wrinkled my nose and grinned as the wet droplets landed across my cheeks and nose, and after I stole a kiss we sat down, finding a seat next to a group of middle-aged Germans, who paused briefly to make room for us before returning to their conversations...
(snip)
...I shivered a bit and took another sip of my gluhwein. The heat and cinnamon burned a bit in my throat, and I remember the strong tartness of the plums. The band changed tunes at this point, moving onto a sultry rendition of Bing Crosby. The woman leading the band smiled and crooned with a voice that would have made Ella or Billie a tad jealous, and the rose-red of her lips glistened invitingly under the stage lights.
"That poor girl," my wife said. "I mean, don't get me wrong, she's beautiful, and that's a lovely dress. But how is she not freezing?"
I shrugged. "You never know," I responded. I craned my neck over my wife's shoulder, feigning an attempt to get a better look. I smirked.
"She doesn't LOOK happy to see me, but hey."
"Milo!" She slapped my arm, just hard enough to sting. She feigned outrage, but returned my smirk coyly.
"Oh come on now," I said to her. "The punchline was there! Don't tell me you wouldn't have taken the shot."
Now it was her turn to go on the defensive. "I didn't say that", she grinned, pursing her lips and raising her eyebrow at me in a way that even now never fails to get me riled up. We stared at each other smugly for a moment before our mutual resolve finally broke. She laughed openly, kissing her thumb and planting it on my lips. I returned the gesture. She grinned shyly, cocking her head and brushing that errant lock of blond hair out of her face.
"You're horrible."
"I know." I shrugged.
"But I love you."
"I love you more."
"And I'm so lucky to have you here with me."
"I'm the lucky one."
"No..."
She shook her head and stared at her hands. She was just sliding over into tipsy, and I gazed in admiration at the way it softened her mannerisms; raised the pitch of her voice ever so gently. She looked back up at me after a moment, smiling, and as she did leaned across the table to kiss me full on the mouth. I savored the momentary mingling of lips and tongues, and as she pulled away she grinned again, slowly, a hint of lust just peeking out from out the corner of her mouth.
"It's good to be your wife," she told me.
"It's even better to be your husband."
"Merry Christmas, baby."
"Merry Christmas, love." We kissed again, rubbing noses as we pulled back, grinning. The young woman on stage continued to sing with her dusky alto. "I'll be home for Christmas," she breathed sensuously.
"If only in my dreams."
I didn't snip things because I didn't like them. I snipped them because I want you to click over and read the whole thing here. And then read the rest of his posts. They're just great. What a wonderful writer.
Merry Christmas, Anne and Milo.
I also got a visit from the eloquent Milo and have been enjoying his words as well.
I hope he's enjoying is Arabic lessons and that he is staying safe!
Posted by: Jennifer | December 28, 2006 at 09:27 AM
The style and locale of that particular post brought to mind the origin of Bobness' blog name. VERY different characters*, but still with that verve and humanity which helped me to thoroughly enjoy in a genre I'd generally ignore.
If you've never read it, or have only seen the movie (which I've not,) then let me rec Milan Kundera's wonderfully dark and brightly human story to you. Irony, as I've said with some frequency, is beautiful.
* Milo and Anne being real and all. :)
Posted by: Michael Bains | December 28, 2006 at 11:22 AM
Beautiful. I'm going to read the whole dream now.
Posted by: grasshopper | December 28, 2006 at 11:47 AM
Veilen dank. Hope you had a merry one as well. Love your blog!
Tchuss!
Posted by: Anne | December 31, 2006 at 10:43 AM