Watching in the warm glow of the salt lamp while Emily sleeps. She's curled up on her side on the bed, hands clasped on her breast like she's saying a prayer, and the softest ghost of a smile is playing on her lips. A minute ago I reached over and took her glasses off her, put them in the desk drawer for safekeeping. She looks so much younger without them. She's wearing one of my t shirts for a night gown, her skirt and sweater are folded over the back of a chair. She's very particular about keeping her clothes neat.
It's one of those nights when you're glad to be inside. Out there it's so cold and dark and brittle, the stars seem almost too close in the clear air. When we came in from walking Casey earlier she unzipped my jacket and hugged me tight, "God Jim, I'm so frickin' cold! Wrap me up in your coat!" I closed it around her and kissed the top of her head and we both laughed at how good it felt to stand there like that, no space and no time between us.
Her lips are moving in her sleep, some dreamy mantra that I'll never hear whispering through her head. When Bobthecat was alive he used to curl up against her stomach at times like this and purr his little head off; I wonder if he's doing that now, beyond my ability to see him. I hope he is.
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7 comments:
Curious, how come a ghost needs glasses. Or can eat?
To KnightKnight,
Maybe this is a piece of fine writing based on the truth, and as such, is not intended to be a scientific study of the paranormal, but meant to be enjoyed. Suspend your disbelief, relax and enjoy it :-) Why wouldn't a ghost need glasses, or need to eat? Maybe they are what we need them to be.
Comedy at its best!
Does the laughter have a curiously reverberating quality to it? Or is it simply anonymous laughter?
Why not ask Emily?
The way Emily tells it, it's all about what you remember. She remembers wearing glasses, so she wears glasses. She remembers food, so she eats. She doesn't need any of these things, but they are good memories so she holds on to them.She's definitely the happiest ghost I've ever encountered, she's not bound here, she's here because she likes it here, and she's enjoying herself.
And Joel Wayne is right, it's just a description of the truth. The scene happened exactly the way I described it. I offer no explanations because I don't have any. But I advise against over analyzing, it always destroys the wonder in a thing!
She definitely sounds like cool gal -- someone I'd like to hang out with!
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