Something I remember #1
Late at some dinner party with my parents. Incomprehensible adults talking, loud and vibrant with alcohol. A table with half cleared plates, bottles and half drunk glasses. Ashtrays, spiraling cigarette smoke and hands gesticulating in conversation. Drawings on napkins, bread sticks and the scraping of chairs. Ravi Shankar and Van Morrison.
My eyelids weighted with the longing to slumber, I laid my head on my mothers lap, beneath the table. The sounds above coming and going, finally fading, as sleep descended.
Later, being woken by my mother.
Time to go now darling..
Being picked up and carried to the car by my father. My head hanging over his shoulder. Cradled in his strong safe arms.
The cool outside air on my face, being laid down in the back of the green Valiant (no seat belts).
Half awake, but more asleep, watching the dreamlike passing of trees, buildings and street lights through the car window. The magical late night silence of the city.
Finally, I remember the blessed moment of being inserted between the sheets of my bed. Having the blankets tucked in around me and a gentle kiss on the forehead.
Is this the most beautiful kiss of all?
Sweet dreams, my angel
Good night mummy
Late at some dinner party with my parents. Incomprehensible adults talking, loud and vibrant with alcohol. A table with half cleared plates, bottles and half drunk glasses. Ashtrays, spiraling cigarette smoke and hands gesticulating in conversation. Drawings on napkins, bread sticks and the scraping of chairs. Ravi Shankar and Van Morrison.
My eyelids weighted with the longing to slumber, I laid my head on my mothers lap, beneath the table. The sounds above coming and going, finally fading, as sleep descended.
Later, being woken by my mother.
Time to go now darling..
Being picked up and carried to the car by my father. My head hanging over his shoulder. Cradled in his strong safe arms.
The cool outside air on my face, being laid down in the back of the green Valiant (no seat belts).
Half awake, but more asleep, watching the dreamlike passing of trees, buildings and street lights through the car window. The magical late night silence of the city.
Finally, I remember the blessed moment of being inserted between the sheets of my bed. Having the blankets tucked in around me and a gentle kiss on the forehead.
Is this the most beautiful kiss of all?
Sweet dreams, my angel
Good night mummy
Emma, have you thought of weaving, of "painting" a memoir of your childhood or of your mother with words...vignettes like this and then an assembly of them into an interconnected structure?
ReplyDeleteI have very similar memories, except our car was a green torana. There was always a point when I was being carried, when I realised I was awake and that I should probably offer to walk, but I didn't, it was too good being held like that x
ReplyDelete