★ Leonard ★
I have no idea what to do next. So I stay in the driver's seat while holding the wheel. I sit there quietly, waiting for something to make me decide to take the next move. I choose to stay in this little town outside of Santa Fe for a while. The atmosphere of the area made me feel comfortable. I drive around to find a parking space for the evening.
The next morning I got up early when someone mumbling something passes right next to the truck where I am sleeping. Just a black shadow passes by me. When I finally look at the shadow, it is an older woman holding a stark white canvas. She keeps walking away from the truck northward.
In one hand, she carries a big, rectangular canvas. On the other hand, she holds a wooden box and an easel with paint all over it. Her gray hair is showing underneath her black hat, and her black dress reaches below her knees.
The rest of her pale, white legs are exposed to the intense morning desert sun. She keeps walking away, and I get an urge to help her. So I cruise my truck just behind her. Then she stops and turns her head around. I get out right away and ask her.
"Ma'am! You seem like you need help! Can I take you to wherever you need to go?"
She doesn't respond to my question but turns away from me and keeps walking. I can't believe her attitude; a stubborn old lady. I don't need to be nice to her. I don't even know her. But something makes me pause. There is something strange or rather attractive about this older woman. So I slowly follow her with my truck.
Ten minutes later, she stops again, turns toward me, and opens her mouth.
"Young man! Do you think that I am weak, so I need a man's help? I am doing just fine. I am an independent woman, and I can take care of myself!"
I realize that she is a feminist from the past generation. I smile at her.
"I know you can take care of yourself. I can see that you are a competent lady. I just wanted to give you a hand because I am going the same direction as you."
She finally softens up and asks me a funny question.
"You aren't into older women, are you?"
I burst into laughter.
"I am so sorry to let you down. I am not into older women. You could be my great-grandmother."
She lifts one of her eyebrows.
"I am not that old, young man! I will take your offer of giving me a ride."
She hands me her wooden paint box, easel, and white canvas and gets into the passenger seat. I quickly put them in the back of the truck right next to Bianco. As soon as I start to drive, the older woman tells me where she wants to go.
"Can you see that white mountain over there? You can bring me to the foot of that mountain."
It is at least five miles away. I can't believe that she was walking all that way. I have to express my surprise to her.
"I don't believe it. It is at least five miles away from here, and you wanted to walk alone all the way there? Are you out of your mind?"
Her face becomes very rigid and aloof.
"Don't preach at me, young man! I am much older than you! I know what I am doing. My truck just broke down this morning. The weather was just perfect to start my new painting. I needed to get there somehow, so I decided to walk from home."
I realize that she is a very eccentric painter, and I am curious about her painting now. So I ask her about what she is going to do at the foot of the mountain.
YOU ARE READING
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS
Romance"Remember me." "When I come back to you, please remember me." While Leo is waiting for his bride at the altar, Beth has a car accident on the way to the church and dies whispering some mysterious words. They just graduated from high school in Weath...
