Mercury Unbound - 4
We're traveling west through Texas, near Lubbock, in the semi-arid South Plain section of the Llano Estacado, commonly known as the Stacked Plains, a series of geographical subdivisions with distinct physiographic features. We've elevated almost imperceptibly to over three thousand feet above sea level on an enormous plateau with clear, expansive blue skies. Far down the road in front of us, mountains lay on the western horizon. Massive dark clouds to the north signal a thunderstorm brewing over the Texas panhandle.
Sandy's connection to the Internet is starting to annoy me. His obsessive compulsion to be involved in the flow of information is clearly apparent to Sister Helen and myself.
"I'm from Alberta, Canada," he says, "Due to the steep rise in global oil prices, they're gearing up to develop the local tar sands, an area larger than the United Kingdom which contain most of the world's supply of bitumen, a particularly sticky form of petroleum that needs to be heated or diluted before it can be pumped. The USA will be its prime consumer once a pipeline is in place to deliver it."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Sister Helen interjects: "To reduce US dependence on foreign oil?"
"We need to keep that carbon in the ground," he responds: "Scientific models have been warning us for years, if the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide exceeds three hundred and fifty parts per million, our life support system on this planet is in danger of collapsing. We're at three ninety right now. And, what do you know, the Arctic is rapidly melting, the atmosphere is getting steadily wetter, and the oceans are turning sharply more acidic."
I reach into the back seat for his MP3 player to plug my ears with music. He acknowledges his approval with a nod and continues talking, apparently unconcerned I'm not listening to him.
Sister Helen glances my way and smiles as she turns her head to comment over her shoulder, seemingly delighted with Sandy's data-chatter.
The music, Antonín Dvořák's 'New World Symphony,' the second movement, 'Largo,' immediately alters my mood. As tears begin to flow, I turn my head to look through the passenger side window. Memories of my husband's death from cancer, and the months leading up to it, rush into my consciousness. I'm unable to block them out with my usual mechanisms. Along with Sandy's presence, the music has opened my heart to feelings again.
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Author's Note
Antonín Dvořák's 'New World Symphony,' the second movement, 'Largo' . . .
Timely and powerful and wise. I like this very much. *
Just noticed this. Excellent stuff, J.
Thanks, Jack. Timely? God, I hope so. They're heading down El Paso way next where water is one of the main issues, not oil or deforestation. And, of course, drug war violence. Fun in the sun.
Hi, James. I thought about rereading some of your previous stories for hints of how to do the southwest landscape description but I didn't have time so I had to wing it on my own. I need to work on it more as I go along. Not enough color, or smells, or touch.
Yes Sir, this is indeed fine work. fave
Splendid marriage of irritation and essence into a pearl. That's how oysters do it after all. The last paragraph is moving. *
This is very surprising. The end...leaving the conceptual / All these facts. The obsession with the internet / unconcerned with being heard...we must go back to music...."the music opened my heart to feelings again"--yes.
Thanks for reading and commenting, MaryAnne. I greatly appreciate.
Wow! Beate. I like that. You use such expressive language, even in your comments. Now I'm looking forward to reading more of your writing.
Thanks for reading and commenting and *.
The last paragraph hits very close to home. I though of expanding it with more details but I'll save them for now.
Hi, Bobbi. Thanks. Yours is another great comment. Yes, after removing herself from the conceptual world, her emotional release through the music forces her to confront the haunting memories of her husband's illness and death which she has locked up inside of her.
I love how this story opens so expansively and then funnels down to the heart and feeling, that is, the personal and intimate.
The Largo fits this piece so well, and reading your author's note first, I immediately began humming it in my head and the movement served as the background music.
Also, in the thick of reading Jenna Blum's THE STORMCHASES and your opening conveys so much of the mood of her book, the open country, the roiling sky, the threat of violence. Sorry so long-winded -- see how much your story evokes? Peace *
I love your long-winded comment, Linda. I'm absolutely delighted to know the "opening conveys so much of the mood of her book," her being Jenna Blum, author of THE STORMCHASES. That's wonderful news.
I'm also delight to read your take on the music and how it fit in the background.
And your overall take on the story in your first paragraph is very helpful. Thanks for reading and commenting, and the fav.
I like this a lot. Your characters are real and human and diverse. In the midst of the chatter there is the baring of a single human soul. Nicely done.
John, I admire this very much.
"data-chatter" is inspired.
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Hi, Susan. I like your comment, very much. It's a great way to start my writing day. Thanks. And for the fav.
Hi, Bill. I'm very glad you admire this. Thanks for reading and commenting and *.
Yeah, I was stuck on what to call it and then 'data-chatter' popped into my head from somewhere unknown.
yes Mykell, music can do wondedrful things to your heart.
Big Fav
Hi, Estelle. Thanks. Music can do wonderful things to your heart, yes. It can also bring back memories and open old wounds. I wonder what music she'll be listening to next.
I like how you opened this story topographically, and then it became the story's focus. It was nice having Sister Helen in the car with them, it added a quirky homey touch. Only one thing that startled me, and that is your narrator being a woman. I would have somehow liked knowing it earlier. It's always something to think about when we write cross-gender, but that stuff is easily fixable and this is a very good story.
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Hi, Susan, Thanks. I appreciate. About the narrator being a woman, that was established in a prior episode. To make this piece stand alone, however, I agree, her gender should be clearly indicated early on.