melvin melvin
Bluelighter
A walk to truly remember
N.B. please excuse any grammatical errors found within, my hands are cold and eyes are bleary and my feet are slowly going numb, but I had to write this before I forgot any of it.
7.00-7-15am
Scat as scat can be, I begin my walk with nothing more than a packet of Menthol cigarettes, lighter, a cup of coke, $2.75 in my pocket and a tune in my head (which I later discovered was “Thank You by George”. The brisk morning air, wakes me with a freshness I haven’t felt in a long time, I really do take the time to absorb everything around me, the sound, smells and sights of early morning Canberra.
As I followed my feet, not really knowing where they were taking me, I stared at the beauty around me. Like a blind man being able see for the first time, not really knowing where to look, there is so much to take in. As I crossed a road towards a school of some description I found myself in the middle of a mist layered school ground, it smelled wet, but a fresh wet. I was quite overcome at the sensations around me.
As I plodded ever onward, following a mixture of paths and side streets, I noticed a cat seemingly following me from the bushes to my left.
“miaow”
Was this cat actually trying to communicate with me?? So, I stopped. The cat approached me, but as it neared me, a lady in the front window of a house nearby, banged rather violently on the window. Which startled the cat, and myself, the cat ran down the street and disappeared into someone’s front garden.
Was the lady shooing me, or the cat?? Or both?
Continuing, with a spring still in my stride, still not knowing where I was going, I came to a long straight road, in the distance I spied a fellow traveller on the road, for different reasons perhaps, or maybe the same? The way he was sauntering down the road reminded me of a wild west gunslinger, arms slightly bent, though down by his sides seemingly toying with the sidearms holstered loosely at his hips. Sadly I found a path off the road, which I followed, and didn’t see him again.
As I approached a small set of shops I could smell the wafting aroma of a bakery. FOOD!! My mind was reeling with the possibility of what I might find inside, not that I was hungry, not in the slightest. I pushed wide the door and was greeted with a smile by a small baker, hands covered in flour and pushing a stacked shelf of wares from the back of the bakery out to the front for display.
“A good morning to you kind sir” I called out, returning his smile.
“How are you thin morning?” he replied
“Quite chilly, but nonetheless, I am well, and in need of some of your fine food”
“What takes your fancy, sir”
“Please, my name is [melvinmelvin]” I said to him extending my hand.
Hastily rubbing his hand on his apron, he clasped mine in a firm handshake
“Quan”
“Pleased to meet you [melvinmelvin]”
“Likewise Quan”
We stood momentarily completely devoid of anything around us, save the sensation of a beautiful morning, seemingly old friends, meeting once again after many moons apart.
“What takes your fancy?” he asked, still smiling
“I think I’ll have…..” (eyeing the presentation of assorted foodstuffs before me)
“Just a croissant today, please Quan”
“Good choice, I’ll give you one I just baked” he turned slightly to reach for a tray on a table behind him, tongs in one hand, bag in the other, he picked up a croissant from the tray, placed it into the bag.
“$1.00” but the priced was definitely marked “$1.40” on the counter.
Was I offered this discount because, I was so pleased to be buying a croissant, or perhaps, I was more than just a patron in his bakery, but someone bringing a small bit of happiness into his morning, I can only hope.
I handed over the $2 coin in my pocket.
“Thankyou, Quan”
He handed me back a $1 coin.
“You’re welcome, [melvinmelvin]”
As I pulled open the door to leave I turned back to my bakery friend.
“Have yourself a beautiful day.” I remarked pleasantly
“Thankyou, see you again sometime” he replied
“ I hope so.”
I exited the bakery and walked down the road once again, fully stocked with a strange sense of satisfaction and enjoyment, and a toasty warm croissant in my hand. By this time the cup of coke I started with was still half full (and it was a small cup) and I had been walking for a good half hour by this time
I started my way back home, still wide eyed and lustfully viewing the emergence of morning life on my slow return home. Passing an elderly couple hand in hand walking the same side of the street, I watched them approach, as they came within earshot….
“A fine good morning to you both!!”
“Good morning” They both replied, almost in unison.
We exchanged smiles as we passed and continued our opposing paths. Maybe they were going to see Quan, and purchase some his freshly baked croissants, that thought brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye.
I downed the remainder of my drink and placed the cup carefully in my cargo pocket.
I took the croissant out of the bag, cradling it warmth in my hands, discarding the bag into a passing rubbish receptacle. Picking away delicately at the insides of my croissant, taking small pieces and placing them into my mouth, the fresh pastry seemingly melted slowly on my tongue, OMG this was seemingly the most exquisite croissant I had ever tasted, still no hungrier I was when I started my “adventure”.
As I neared my point of origin, I noticed an elderly gentleman, dressed in an amazing dressing gown and matching slippers feeding a congregation of birds gathered around his feet, I changed my course to intercept him and his breakfast companions.
“Good morning” I called out
“Good morning” he replied, greeting me with a cautious but genuine smile.
N.B. I guess you would be slightly apprehensive to a man dressed in a green long sleeve t-shirt, beanie, grey cargos and white sneakers at about 7.20am!!
With not much more than a croissant shell in my hands, I approached the gentleman.
“I don’t usually see many people this time of the morning.”
“I can understand why, it is a tad chilly this morn.”
We both smiled
“Do you do this every morning?” I asked politely
“Every morning that I do this, yes.”
“Oh my lord!” I thought to myself that sounds exactly like something I would say, if posed with the same question in the same circumstance
“Sadly I cannot stay, I must away, I do believe that I will be feeling the cold evermore so if I don’t stop, but please accept this token from me to feed your friends”
I offered him the remains of my croissant.
“Thank you” he said
As I walked down the road, I took a cigarette out of my packet and applied flame to the tobacco. I inhaled deeply, longingly, savouring the flavour of the menthol, combined with this amazing morning I was experiencing. I continued a fairly direct route back “home” feeling the cold slowly making it way into my bones, with my destination in sight, I finished my cigarette and thought to myself…
“MY GOD WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!”
I hope this tale of my morning walk has touched you in some way, even if only to be a something that you read to while away the time between then and now.
I think I might go for a walk………..
See you in a cloud….
melvinmelvin
A.k.a. TheManInYellow
“Jedai”
edited for paragraphing after upgrade - Kitty
N.B. please excuse any grammatical errors found within, my hands are cold and eyes are bleary and my feet are slowly going numb, but I had to write this before I forgot any of it.
7.00-7-15am
Scat as scat can be, I begin my walk with nothing more than a packet of Menthol cigarettes, lighter, a cup of coke, $2.75 in my pocket and a tune in my head (which I later discovered was “Thank You by George”. The brisk morning air, wakes me with a freshness I haven’t felt in a long time, I really do take the time to absorb everything around me, the sound, smells and sights of early morning Canberra.
As I followed my feet, not really knowing where they were taking me, I stared at the beauty around me. Like a blind man being able see for the first time, not really knowing where to look, there is so much to take in. As I crossed a road towards a school of some description I found myself in the middle of a mist layered school ground, it smelled wet, but a fresh wet. I was quite overcome at the sensations around me.
As I plodded ever onward, following a mixture of paths and side streets, I noticed a cat seemingly following me from the bushes to my left.
“miaow”
Was this cat actually trying to communicate with me?? So, I stopped. The cat approached me, but as it neared me, a lady in the front window of a house nearby, banged rather violently on the window. Which startled the cat, and myself, the cat ran down the street and disappeared into someone’s front garden.
Was the lady shooing me, or the cat?? Or both?
Continuing, with a spring still in my stride, still not knowing where I was going, I came to a long straight road, in the distance I spied a fellow traveller on the road, for different reasons perhaps, or maybe the same? The way he was sauntering down the road reminded me of a wild west gunslinger, arms slightly bent, though down by his sides seemingly toying with the sidearms holstered loosely at his hips. Sadly I found a path off the road, which I followed, and didn’t see him again.
As I approached a small set of shops I could smell the wafting aroma of a bakery. FOOD!! My mind was reeling with the possibility of what I might find inside, not that I was hungry, not in the slightest. I pushed wide the door and was greeted with a smile by a small baker, hands covered in flour and pushing a stacked shelf of wares from the back of the bakery out to the front for display.
“A good morning to you kind sir” I called out, returning his smile.
“How are you thin morning?” he replied
“Quite chilly, but nonetheless, I am well, and in need of some of your fine food”
“What takes your fancy, sir”
“Please, my name is [melvinmelvin]” I said to him extending my hand.
Hastily rubbing his hand on his apron, he clasped mine in a firm handshake
“Quan”
“Pleased to meet you [melvinmelvin]”
“Likewise Quan”
We stood momentarily completely devoid of anything around us, save the sensation of a beautiful morning, seemingly old friends, meeting once again after many moons apart.
“What takes your fancy?” he asked, still smiling
“I think I’ll have…..” (eyeing the presentation of assorted foodstuffs before me)
“Just a croissant today, please Quan”
“Good choice, I’ll give you one I just baked” he turned slightly to reach for a tray on a table behind him, tongs in one hand, bag in the other, he picked up a croissant from the tray, placed it into the bag.
“$1.00” but the priced was definitely marked “$1.40” on the counter.
Was I offered this discount because, I was so pleased to be buying a croissant, or perhaps, I was more than just a patron in his bakery, but someone bringing a small bit of happiness into his morning, I can only hope.
I handed over the $2 coin in my pocket.
“Thankyou, Quan”
He handed me back a $1 coin.
“You’re welcome, [melvinmelvin]”
As I pulled open the door to leave I turned back to my bakery friend.
“Have yourself a beautiful day.” I remarked pleasantly
“Thankyou, see you again sometime” he replied
“ I hope so.”
I exited the bakery and walked down the road once again, fully stocked with a strange sense of satisfaction and enjoyment, and a toasty warm croissant in my hand. By this time the cup of coke I started with was still half full (and it was a small cup) and I had been walking for a good half hour by this time
I started my way back home, still wide eyed and lustfully viewing the emergence of morning life on my slow return home. Passing an elderly couple hand in hand walking the same side of the street, I watched them approach, as they came within earshot….
“A fine good morning to you both!!”
“Good morning” They both replied, almost in unison.
We exchanged smiles as we passed and continued our opposing paths. Maybe they were going to see Quan, and purchase some his freshly baked croissants, that thought brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye.
I downed the remainder of my drink and placed the cup carefully in my cargo pocket.
I took the croissant out of the bag, cradling it warmth in my hands, discarding the bag into a passing rubbish receptacle. Picking away delicately at the insides of my croissant, taking small pieces and placing them into my mouth, the fresh pastry seemingly melted slowly on my tongue, OMG this was seemingly the most exquisite croissant I had ever tasted, still no hungrier I was when I started my “adventure”.
As I neared my point of origin, I noticed an elderly gentleman, dressed in an amazing dressing gown and matching slippers feeding a congregation of birds gathered around his feet, I changed my course to intercept him and his breakfast companions.
“Good morning” I called out
“Good morning” he replied, greeting me with a cautious but genuine smile.
N.B. I guess you would be slightly apprehensive to a man dressed in a green long sleeve t-shirt, beanie, grey cargos and white sneakers at about 7.20am!!
With not much more than a croissant shell in my hands, I approached the gentleman.
“I don’t usually see many people this time of the morning.”
“I can understand why, it is a tad chilly this morn.”
We both smiled
“Do you do this every morning?” I asked politely
“Every morning that I do this, yes.”
“Oh my lord!” I thought to myself that sounds exactly like something I would say, if posed with the same question in the same circumstance
“Sadly I cannot stay, I must away, I do believe that I will be feeling the cold evermore so if I don’t stop, but please accept this token from me to feed your friends”
I offered him the remains of my croissant.
“Thank you” he said
As I walked down the road, I took a cigarette out of my packet and applied flame to the tobacco. I inhaled deeply, longingly, savouring the flavour of the menthol, combined with this amazing morning I was experiencing. I continued a fairly direct route back “home” feeling the cold slowly making it way into my bones, with my destination in sight, I finished my cigarette and thought to myself…
“MY GOD WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!”
I hope this tale of my morning walk has touched you in some way, even if only to be a something that you read to while away the time between then and now.
I think I might go for a walk………..
See you in a cloud….
melvinmelvin
A.k.a. TheManInYellow
“Jedai”
edited for paragraphing after upgrade - Kitty
Last edited by a moderator:
