a visit with friends…
holy trinity, threes on threes on threes. they live together, these three. momma, pappa, and baby. only they change roles at whim, which can be interesting to watch.
you can’t be a third wheel if you’re the fourth person in the house. this is like the ace in the deck, the secret win, the card up the sleeve of friendship, yadda, yadda, yadda. unwritten rules whispered over home-made chocolate pie with too much whip cream and hand-shaved chocolate.
‘if you make them up as you go along, you never have to worry.’ says baby boy, his brown eyes serious like he’s delivering dogma. he kisses my cheek and darts away, shaking his head and laughing.
‘you know,’ mamma says with a laugh, ‘he’s usually so shy. but he has really taken to you.’ pappa laughs louder, drawing the eye, ‘oh yeah? well look at the dogs!’
i’m sitting on the sofa. mazzy and star are trying to merge with my body. pressed close, eyes closed, beagle ears entangled over my thighs. they didn’t quite fight over me, one took each side. mamma laughs even louder, ‘you don’t know this, but they don’t like visitors.’
pappa grins wickedly, ‘maybe she’s not a visitor.’
i’m asparagus. broccali. maybe lettuce. or a blade of grass. something green and fragile, but no fear in it. groove salad, i sit quiet and calm and soaking up sunlight. photosynthesis and bubbling life as life bubbles all around me.
‘thank you for last night.’ mamma whispers. i boggle. we sat up until o-dark-thirty, sprawled out on couches set at angles to one another, jabbering like little girls. giggling, giddy, whispering secrets of ancient things. ‘pfft. i talk too much. thank you for listening.’ we giggle again and fall silent, licking the last of the whip cream from our fingers and grinning evilly at one another for breaking yet another rule.
pappa is back upstairs. bear in the cave. i have to go soon, so i trundle up and snicker at his gasp of surprise, ‘oh my god. don’t come in here, it’s a wreck!’
he’s right. it is. but that’s ok. we’re already talking about inventories and ebay and all the things to be done before we can collaborate again… priorities and plans. he winks slyly at me, ‘ascap first, right?’ i nod. he asks ‘then hefty bags and then…?’ i smile, ‘and then… 16 tracks and all nighters and groove salad.’
hah. he has to hug me now. whispers against my neck, ‘groove salad. god damn it, i’ve missed you.’ pulls back a moment and grins, ‘i still have the old tapes.’ now i’m laughing, only i don’t recognize it. it’s full, i’m full. mamma giggles from behind me, ‘there she is. been wondering when you’d wake up.’
we’ve been awake for hours. the shared smiles are knowing.
mamma and baby and pappa and me. bamboo shoots and spice and water chestnuts. all things in their right place. crunchy fresh.
i adore groove salad.