Thin and Round and Flat

“I know it’s dark! Hold my hand! I KNOW! It’s dark! There aren’t any lights around here! It’s not like when we are in town. It’s pitch black dark! But look up! There are a gazillion stars twinkling and no goddamn moon at all! Look straight up! If you look to the sides you’ll just see more blackness because we are climbing a mountain. Get it?

“Besides it’s not really a mountain. I make this hike every day. It’s the way home.

“No, no! Don’t let go! You’ll fall! I know because I have fallen before – lots of times. We are on the concrete-pavement part. Someone put flat concrete pieces here – like a sidewalk. You can hear it. Listen! Hear our sneakers? That’s the concrete under us so it makes that thud. If our shoes had heels, like dress shoes, they would click or clack. This is the same sound when we are going out to the field during gym class and we walk on the sidewalk beside the parking lot. Hear it? That’s how I know we are still on the concrete pieces – that thud, thud, thud.

“This part is concrete squares and there are about a dozen of ’em. Yeah, it is weird to walk on a sidewalk that goes almost straight up. I agree! When it’s light out and you climb these concrete slabs, there is nothing to look at because the sidewalk is pretty much the only thing in front of your face. I sometimes walk backwards so that I can see stuff other than the concrete but it would really NOT be a good idea to walk backwards right now.

“Yeah, I KNOW! It’s steep! Imagine a mountain and someone plants a sidewalk up it! That’s what this is and heck, you should enjoy this part because it gets rougher! Sometimes I lean all the way over and touch the concrete while I’m walking. That doesn’t make it easier, but it’s something I sometimes do. Or I lean all the way over and pretend I am falling forward and sort of trick myself into climbing up the incline. Here! Try it! Did you touch the concrete? When you walk this way, bent over and sort of falling forward, you can also feel when and where the concrete ends. Oh. Wait! There it is. Ok, stop!

“Ok, stand up. Now there’s dirt for a stretch. Let’s hope it’s not mud. No. Hear it? Hear that? That smack says it’s not mud! Whew! Ok, now. From here, think of where two is on a clock’s face – when it’s two o’clock and the big hand is on the twelve and the little hand is on the two. We have to aim in that direction – towards two o’clock – to get to the road.

I know! I KNOW the dirt is bumpy! I know it’s uneven; it’s dirt! We were walking on concrete and now this is dirt! It feels different. Just take it slow. Damn that moon; where are you when we need you? Just take small steps and go slowly, ok?

“I got you! I got you! You’re not hurt, right? Ok, just some dirt, brush it off! What? You found something? In the dirt? What is it? It’s round? Like a ball? Oh! Ok. It’s round and flat. Could it be a round flat rock? Oh, it’s thin and round and flat. Hmm… Well, we’ll look at it when we have some light. Put it in your pocket for now. You need both hands and I’m holding one.

“No! It’s not too far! Stop whining! Think about what you found – what it could be? We’re almost to the road – I’m gonna bend over and touch the ground while I walk to feel when the dirt ends. That means you have to lean over too – I’ve got your hand, remember? Come on. Yes. We ARE literally mountain climbing right now. Yes, you are right!

“Ok, stop! I think that’s the road. Can you feel it too? Yep, that’s the gravel. Feel the difference? Here! That’s dirt, and this is gravel. Feel it? Ok, so let’s stand up and when we move onto the gravel, take a minute to steady yourself. It sucks to fall on gravel. Trust me on that.

“You ok? Yeah, I know it’s steep! The gravel wants to roll right down the mountain too so it’s not the best path but it means we are close. I know. It IS a really weird sound. It’s like we are walking on pretzels, huh? Crunch, crunch, crunch. Yeah, you’re right. It does sound more like scrunch, scrunch, scrunch.

“No, No! Don’t do the leaning-over thing here on the gravel because your hands will get all chewed up. It sounds like pretzels but it’s gravel. It’s sharp. Just keep taking steps up the hill and hold my hand.

“I think it’s starting to level out a bit, do you? Yeah, this feels less steep. Doesn’t it? So, the thing now is that we have to find the steps. Wait! Stop a minute, so I can figure out where we are. It’s so damn dark! Ok, come this way. Yeah, the gravel is leveling out. The steps are over here somewhere, in this direction.

“Keep walking. It’s a lot easier here, huh? Yeah, that means we are almost to the steps! Keep walking. I’ll know when we get there because – Oh shit! There they are! I just slammed my shin! No, they aren’t wooden steps. They’re concrete blocks lined up in rows. Feel this first row, here. Yeah, put your foot there. Good. Ok, I can reach the door from here and I’ll have the light on in a second.

“It’s clicking, but nothing is happening. There’s no light coming on. Crap! This is fucked up, but just try to come in – feel the door there? Just step right in. I’m right here and if I can think of how to look for a flashlight in the pitch black, I will.

“I’m right here. Reach out your arm. See? I’m right here. I’m gonna just turn on the stove to get some light. Shit! It won’t light without power. I smell the gas but it won’t light. Ok, that was a really dumb idea! It’s off now. I can’t see anything but the hallway is behind me. Hold onto me. My room is right here. The bathroom is on the right if you have to pee. It’s small, so if you feel an opening on the right, that’s it and the toilet is right there when you walk in.

“Feel where to go? No, no, on the left after you go right. The toilet paper’s on the left when you sit down. Find it? Ok, I am coming in when you are done.

Ok, sorry I bumped you! My bed is straight ahead. I’ll pee and meet you there and I guess we will crash unless you want to stay up in the dark. No, I don’t know where a candle is either.

“Did you find the bed? Blankets are on it – I make my bed every morning, so just turn down the covers. Yeah, if you climb in, you’ll feel a pillow – you can have that, since you are my guest. Got covers on? You ok? I think we did really well getting up the hill. I don’t know why the power is off. If my mom gets done with work early, we’ll hear her come in and she might have some idea. If she has to work late, it will be light out before she gets in.

“Either way, we will have light in the morning and then we can look at that thing you found. Still have it? Good.”