I noticed these three spectators while watching the amazing Scottish band Albannach perform in the Piper's Pub yesterday, which was basically an open-sided tent. (This link does not do their presence justice, but does give an idea of the sensual enchantment of their music.) We made a mistake in where they were playing so we arrived too late to stand close to the "stage" area and when I found myself being crowded in, the beginnings of being squashed feelings came over me and I had to get out, so I made my way around to the back, where hardly anyone was standing, and I found that I had a good view of the band, albeit from behind!
I think the photograph captures the characters of these three very well, or so I imagine. The middle child, on the left, is practical and stubborn, not really moved by the music, just there because she has to be. The eldest, in the middle with the turquoise top, is the responsible one, and thinks she is grownup compared to the others. She kind of shepherded them into this area behind the band, and then copied what the other adults were doing, and whistled with the best of them at the end of every number! The youngest one on the right is the dreamer, look at how expressively she is dancing, she's just lost in the rhythm of it, spellbound, so sweet, reminded me of my Jessie-Jess, and my Ems, when they were little, and always dancing at these kinds of events, oblivious to everything but the music.
I haven't run for a while now, but will run tomorrow morning again. Late this afternoon I went to the beach thinking that if I didn't manage to swim I would run. Although the water was cold (63F, 17C) I couldn't resist the waves, a gift from Hurricane Igor. I swam and boarded for about 45 minutes, crashing my body through huge waves, tumbled by a few, catching many, some so strong that the surge almost washed me off my board, forced out at last by the thought that if I stayed in any longer my feet probably wouldn't follow my brain's orders to walk me out on to the beach, they were that numb!
When I walked in the door it was already evening and Tim looked up from his book and asked, fairly placidly, "Where on earth have you been? I was wondering where you were because it's nearly dark and it's cold." And I was suddenly so happy to think how lucky I am, that I could do this, going off on my own to swim in the crazy waves, that I am a free woman, compared to the tyranny under which so many women in the world live. I didn't have a husband who said I should stay at home to make dinner, or to clean the house, or to wash his back, or even because it was dangerous. He worried a little about me when he realised how long I had been gone, but that was all.
Early on in America, I remember asking a new acquaintance if she wanted to come with me on a cold winter's Sunday afternoon to Borders Bookstore, one of my favourite places, where there are thousands of wonderful books, and you can sit in easy chairs and read for as long as you like, or drink delicious hot chocolate and chat in the warmth of their little coffee shop. She was all excited and said she would love to come, but a few minutes later she phoned me to say that she was sorry, she couldn't after all, her husband wouldn't let her. I was puzzled, "Your husband won't let you? Just tell him you're coming with me for a couple of hours." She replied that no, she couldn't come, and that was that. I was utterly shocked.
No comments:
Post a Comment