I found C with ease; actually, I heard him before I saw him. He was standing under an umbrella tree facing the sea, with his back towards me. It was a sight to remember for life - him swaying slightly to the tune of Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D: Allemanda he was playing on his Bertholini violin, against the backdrop of the glassy waves and slightly misty sky of yellow bleeding into blue. The casual melancholy of the song haunted the calm of the quiet bay, oddly at peace with the crawling waves. There was no denying it – I was mesmerized by the vision.
“So you found me,” came C’s amused voice out of the blue.
Without realizing it, I’d closed my eyes in appreciation to his music, and it had ended all too soon. He was crouching at the foot of the tree laying his violin tenderly back into its case, and I could not see his smile but I could hear it in his voice. I remained silent; there was no need to respond to his previous remark and I knew he didn’t expect one either.
“I like it here,” he declared. “Do you?”
He sat down under the tree, leaning against the trunk, his face awash with the gold of the mid-morning sun. I sat myself down beside him, feeling his bony shoulder against mine.
“You take the Violin Beach a little too literally,” I said, ignoring his question.
He laughed out loud, and the wind carried his voice away, like a string of smoke dissipating. “How else would you have found out where I was going to be at?”
It took seconds for me to realize that he was in fact, making a dig at me. “Are you trying to say I have no imagination?” I attempted to act hurt but was unable to mask the smile that was intent on forming.
“Whatever you like to think,” he replied, with a faint curve at the edge of his lips.
© 2004 geraldine.
to think, i was ever young and in love enough to write a story for someone... i don't anymore; and i haven't since then. but he was perfect. he still is. i don't think any single person can ever inspire me as much as he did. the violin solo is still one of my favourites.
anyway, i just find it extremely amusing that six years down the road, i now know the latin name for "umbrella tree" - Terminalia catappa. :)
2 comments:
ooh i LOVE the Terminalia catappa!! think in sg they usu use the Malay common name, think it's ketapang.
There's one standing at the point where the path from the underpass from my house to east coast park meets the beach. Almost feel like it is strategically placed to welcome you to the beach ^^ Love how the leaves turn red and litter the whole ground. Really help gives a autumn feel in tropical singapore ^^
yay! use it in ur project! :D
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