Manic Monday with Mo ~ drop

I came across it by surprise while searching through all the junk, eyes scanning for those tiny pliers, fingertips probing way into the back of the drawer. Feeling a piece of paper all shoved up into the corner…I tugged sharply….ripping it some on the way out.

Distracted by the task at hand, moving aside books and papers trying to find that damn tool…it took a few seconds. Finally glancing down, I came to a complete halt. Shoulder and arm slack…my hand dropped to the desk. My fingers clutched so tight the paper crumpled in my grip. In no way prepared to confront the visual, all other thoughts dropped from my mind. One long deep breath eased silently through my lips. Out of nowhere a drop splashed. Releasing my grasp I used the sleeve of my sweater to wipe it away.

I didn’t even realize it was happening until the teardrop fell onto the photograph…and then another. Like a gentle wave the emotions crashed over me. Molten water overflowed my eyes forcing those slow heavy teardrops…hot teardrops drawn down your face by gravity. Breathing slow and shallow…flooded by memories smothering me from all else.

Gently I ran my hand across the photograph pressing out the creases. Not-so-gently I shoved it into my back pocket. Without intent...walking across the room... raising my sleeve again...wiping the drops from my face.

I stood at the fireplace staring at the crack left in the stone by the last earthquake. Dropping another log onto the flames I realized this was the last of the cord we had chopped and stacked together. As the log caught sudden heat hit my face drying the last teardrop. Reaching behind me I pulled the mangled photograph from my pocket. Reaching slowly across the hearth….I held the photograph over the blaze…and just….let it….drop.