|
Appetizer: Out of the ClosetBy Geonn Cannon Just do it. Once more unto the breach, my friends. Lay on, MacDuff and all that. The longer I hesitate, the longer it's going to take. Most of the big stuff is gone. Some furniture donated to Goodwill along with one of the televisions. Books donated to friends due to a dearth of shelf space. There are wires. So many wires everywhere that I can't believe they all actually have a purpose. Only one thing is left, one large task before I can attack the little ones, and I can't even open the door. I finally open it just to prove myself wrong, to prove that it's possible, and then... voila, the door is open. One step down. Now I can actually see what's in store for me and I hesitate again. Evidence of a life, but not much of one. Bunting I hung on the porch for the Fourth of July party where Gayle was burned by a sparkler. A snow globe that Marina brought back from Toronto... I picked it up and shook it, and little flakes fell on the CN Tower. The box was next to me, open to reveal a sea of orange packing peanuts waiting for items to protect. I couldn't bring myself to drown any of my souvenirs in it, so I just stood in the door and stared, overwhelmed by memories. I hear her approaching through the propped-open front door and try to look busy. She stands in the entry hall, then steps up behind me. She puts her arms around my waist and I sag against her body, drawing strength from her, and close my eyes. "It should be easy." She kisses my neck. "No. I'd be worried if it was easy. You've lived here for twelve years. It's a big part of your life." "But I'm leaving it to move in with you." I turn in her arms. "It should be easy. I should be rushing through this." "Take your time. It's your past, and you should honor it. It made you who you are." She touches my hair and kisses me softly. "Want me to help?" "Yes. Please. Thank you." I turn and she joins me in the doorway. She reaches in, seemingly at random, and plucks a brown sandal off the top shelf. She stretched to look for the other one, then dropped her heels and held it up. "So what's this guy's story? Where's his twin?" "That's actually a funny story... it was seven years ago, and I was visiting Greg and Louisa at the beach..." I told her the story and stuck the sandal into the packing peanuts. As I told the story, I wrapped the snow globe in bubble wrap and added it as well. When we finished, I'm not sure what I was worried about. Clearing out the closet wasn't that hard at all. |