the long way home

[modest mouse]

With soft, muted amber lights casting through the warm confines of the car. The blue hues of dusk give way to blacks and shadows creep. Points of too bright light cannot interrupt the pall of casual melancholy.

A road littered with potholes, torn asunder in a desperate attempt to remedy its crooks, its pitches, its brutal abuse of travelers. Machinery just aside it, awakening in my headlights but kind enough to leave me to my soft music and meandering thoughts.

In a world of single mothers and working families who struggle to pay the grocery bill and have some semblance of a life beyond mere survival... I'm so tired. With apopulation of malcontents and the incapable, some fight and battle with a seemingly tireless effort. I have no kids, no one relies on me, and I barely make a go of it. A salute to those who fighting the good fight is in order but it only serves to depress me. Not emotionally, but physically. My fatigue becomes sadly inappropriate.

The past embraces cliches of being the sand grain in your shoe, or the lingering pain in your lower back, or the noose. Its actually the rubble at your feet, or up to your knees, or shoulders.

Life is a motherfucker with stolen moments of quiet or happiness rescued from the clutches of a rainy day. Its tough, even if you avoid every challenge and settle for less. We find our struggles and maybe thats all there is.

Its all very important but matters no more than the color of your drapes.

 

[modest mouse]

The point, if there is to be one, is that carving the ten minutes from your day by taking the long way home has its merits.

 

[Guest]

This thread has a point.

 

[Guest]

 

[Susano]

I hear you. I always ride a bicycle home, and in the late night with no other traffic I treasure the peace and time to myself.

 

[lavender]

 

[smilingblues]

Taking the long way home…seeing something that we've passed each day of our lives for the very first time…again. Finding in those luxurious ten minutes something special that will linger for an eternity. Enjoying that newly fresh, awakening scent of life…the minutes spent indulging in one's obscenely, languid, lingering slow pace.

 

[shyybabe]

There often is no other choice but the long way. However endless the road may seem, patience and determination will guide you to your destination.

This was brought home for me tonight by my son. All his life he has wanted to play ice hockey and this morning was his first lesson. We had both been sick all week with the flu, his getting worse instead of better. He spent all last night hugging the toilet and finally fell asleep around 6 am in my bed from pure exhaustion.

He woke me at 7:30, green and shivering to tell me to get my butt out of bed or we'd be late. There was no way he was going to miss this. He struggled with the pads, the socks, the skates getting greener with each passing minute, but stuck it out to bravely walk out on the ice and fall flat on his face.

He got up and stuck his thump up in the air so I could see he was ok and kept on going. Two hours later, and many more falls he came off the ice smiling and soaked with sweat. We came home for the afternoon, went back tonight and he did it all over again. This time though, he didn't fall on his face. He stumbled and wobbled and fell on his butt but got back up every time. He scored two goals in the scrimmage, checked a guy and ended up sliding into the boards with his head but came up laughing. He limped home into the bathtub, still green and weak but the smile isn't going to fade for a long time.

As I tucked him in, giving him more stomach medicine, he grabbed me and I saw the tears in his eyes as he said, "Thanks for always being there for me mom. I love you."

He and I have both waited a long time for our freedom and tonight I realized that we are finally home, even though we took the long way. Sometimes its the only way.

 

[smilingblues]

shyybabe replied:

He and I have both waited a long time for our freedom and tonight I realized that we are finally home, even though we took the long way. Sometimes its the only way.

shyybabe,

You did take the long way home and it's quite becoming. I know that it was probably a never-ending highway at times, but I can see by what you've written that it was well worth it. Sometimes the longer it takes us to return home...the sweeter the embrace.

Your son sounds like a wonderful boy...you have raised him well. I hope this finds you both feeling much better.

 

[shyybabe]

shyybabe replied:



shyybabe,

You did take the long way home and it's quite becoming. I know that it was probably a never-ending highway at times, but I can see by what you've written that it was well worth it. Sometimes the longer it takes us to return home...the sweeter the embrace.

Your son sounds like a wonderful boy...you have raised him well. I hope this finds you both feeling much better.

Thanks smilingblues. I just need some sleep to feel almost normal again.

The long way was for my son, my only child. He's the only reason I have kept travelling all these years and the smile on his face makes it all worth it.

 

[TN_Vixen]

modesto

that was beautifully written. I just realized that I miss reading your threads.

 

[Cheyenne]

Re: modesto

that was beautifully written. I just realized that I miss reading your threads.

Me, too.


And I'm famous for taking the long way home. Actually, the long way to get anywhere. I take a lot of wrong turns and back country roads, on purpose.

 

[lavender]

Re: modesto

 

[TN_Vixen]

Re: Re: modesto

Senor Mouse has a way of making you miss things about him, that is certain.

 

[Lancecastor]

I dunno...I think if I were him I'd be gettin over to the sunny side of the street.

Try www.mapquest.com pal....and use that ten minutes for a cocktail when you get home early.

 

[lavender]

 

[Lancecastor]

You missed the point, Lance.

The point's pretty obvious to the unbiased observer.

Hockey Mom's son "gets it"....the boy keeps going and is undeterred. He has a goal to reach. Pun intended.

Mouseman on the other hand sees rain and gray and declares life a motherfucker. He seeks a place to hide to get space & peace.

Classic glass half full vs half empty.

My money's on the kid with the flu, not the breastfeeder wannabe.



Lance

 

[Private Vasquez]

I'm still on my way...

 

[lavender]

 

[Lancecastor]

<misc. twaddle>

Lav;

I sat on the dock at my cottage this afternoon, considering the majesty of a large red tailed hawk fishing for trout.

Then I took the long way home in my bimmer. Twisty secondary roads, roof open, tunes up, carving corners.

Sunny=good, Lav. No shame in that.

now with 30% less twaddle! (edit)

That is a breast his av baby is sucking on, yes?

Wait! I know I know....it's symbolic of man's inhumanity to Mother Earth!

Ha!

Sleep well, chilluns;

Lance

 

[Laurel]

What's "twaddle"?

If I ever get another cat, his name will be Twaddle.

 

[Lancecastor]

What's "twaddle"?

If I ever get another cat, his name will be Twaddle.

twaddle=poppycock=piffle=tripe

Siren....oh never mind.

 

[Laurel]

I'm not naming a cat Tripe. I like Twaddle, though.

Here Twaddle Twaddle Twaddle...

Kinda rooooollls of the tongue.

 

[Lancecastor]

I'm not naming a cat Tripe. I like Twaddle, though.

Here Twaddle Twaddle Twaddle...

Kinda rooooollls of the tongue.

Twaddle sounds like a fat cat.

Tripe is a mouser.

Piffle is a six toed longhair.

And Poppycock is a caramel coated snack.

 

[Laurel]

Piffle.

It's like Spittle.

I would feed tripe to my cats. They'd both eat it, too - being carnivores and all.

I'm a carnivore, but I don't eat organ meats. There's so many other good parts of an animal.

What was the question again?