Miscellanea from the Lost Quarter and beyond.

Door to Door

Wisps of smoke drifted through the streets, lingering in the air on the corners. Those walking by swore they could sometimes glimpse something from the corner of their eyes. A form emerging, solid as they, but when they looked at it straight on there was only the smoke dissipating to nothing. They hurried on anyway, the air oppressive… 

I was in the midst of preparing dinner when the doorbell rang. A smiling youth waited on the other side. Do you have five minutes? I thought about saying no, but he seemed harmless enough, his eagerness and sincerity vaguely pitiful. With a motion of my hand I beckoned him inside, closing the door to keep out the smoke, so heavy on the air these last days. 

It lingered still as he sat on the chair in my living room opposite me on the couch. He reached into a bag I had not noticed and pulled forth a book. I have been given a wonderful opportunity, he declared, to travel these parts and see all the great things here. I get to call on all the wonderful people, learn about them and tell them about myself and share some wonderful news.  

He tapped a hand upon the cover, which was worn at the edges and looked as though it had spent a long time in the bag, which itself was somewhat fraying at the seams. Idyllic greenery was depicted, so vaguely it was impossible to tell where it was taken. For all I could tell it was a picture of a tree down the street zoomed in on the tangle of branches and leaves.  

We talked inconsequentially for a few minutes. He had come from the southwest to see our fine country during his summer off from school. There was much he wanted to see and do, but first he had to share his news. He asked me about myself and I told him little, keeping my answers short and letting a hint of impatience creep in, which he did not seem to notice. For he was back to the news he had to share.  

I feared I was about to be invited to join some church, but he just opened the book. It was filled with pictures with no text whatsoever. At first glance they looked, as with the cover, like stock photos that someone had taken from the internet and printed at poor resolution, for the colour was faded and none of the details were sharp. You see, he said, as he touched each one and I wanted to tell him I didn’t, but worried that would just invite more discussion. I was already regretting inviting him in. 

It seemed he was going to show me every picture in the book – there must have been over a hundred pages. I tried to interrupt him, to thank him for his time and send him on his way, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes, continuing to turn the pages and rest his fingers lightly on the image. When he did I could swear the picture changed. If there was water it flowed, if there were trees the leaves fluttered. The details became sharper and stranger. There were pine trees in what appeared to be a desert, eucalyptus atop snowy mountains, rivers flowing uphill. These were not places that existed, that could not exist.  

I looked up at him, startled and disturbed. He met my gaze. You see, he said, and nodded as though everything was evident. The smell of smoke was becoming stronger somehow and I felt lightheaded. I noticed there were stray threads and loose pieces at the seams of his shirt and pants. The shoes he’d taken off at the door had lost their heel, which I hadn’t noticed earlier. He was coming apart at the seams. 

I stood without another word and went to open the door, gesturing for him to leave. He looked at me forlornly, but I refused to meet his eyes, pointing again at the open doorway. Returning to the book, he touched another page and I was unable to resist looking. A great storm was on the horizon, a swirl of clouds moving closer and closer. There was flashes of lightning and I could swear I could hear thunder. The smell of smoke was overpowering. 

I stepped back from the door, blinking and waving my hand as though to clear the air. When I had recovered he was outside, looking at me sadly as though I had somehow failed to meet the moment. You see, he said. It sounded like a promise.