Enlightening Nonsense

She was wearing a puffy white jacket with a hood over her bright blonde hair. He was wearing a green Rasta cap over his long curly hair with a black dog by his side. She was walking downtown; he was walking uptown. It was nearly midnight and as they passed each other they shared a smile…and continued to walk.

She felt a hand on her arm and she turned with a snap. First touch. He smiled and nodded his head towards uptown, indicating that she should join he and his dog in the other direction. She looked at him and as her mouth started to open to release the bubbling words of query that her mind started to form, he raised his open palm to her to stop her mind from disturbing the moment and seemed to mouth, “Come on,” as his head again pointed in the other direction. She wasn’t sure if she was crazy or just being “spontaneous,” but she followed the unknown man with the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair with the black dog.

As they walked in silence, the only acknowledgement she seemed to get was from the black dog who seemed to be beaming her smile up at the blonde girl in the puffy white jacket with a hood over her bright blonde hair. Where were they going anyway? And as she followed the man wearing the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair and with the black dog into Columbus Circle, the girl wearing the puffy white jacket with the hood over her bright blonde hair realized their destination…Central Park.

They crossed the street and as they entered the park the sounds of the noisy city behind them seemed to fade away, leaving her even more aware of the silence. He took the leash off of the black dog who immediately sat down and with nothing more than a nod and an exhale from the man wearing the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair, a silent understanding was transferred and the black dog was off and running, the jingle-jangle of her collar standing out against the silent setting of the park.

The man wearing the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair walked slowly and calmly, yet deliberately. She walked by his side, following him deeper into the park. She heard her mother’s voice say, “What are you nuts?” as she explained the story to her at some future time and then decided that maybe she would remain silent. Because of the late hour, they came across no one else,  and the only sound she heard was their footsteps on the path and the jingle-jangle of the black dog’s collar as she ran off and explored, periodically stopping to look back at the man wearing the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair and the blonde girl wearing the puffy white jacket with a hood.

As they passed the sand volleyball court near Sheep’s Meadow field, he suddenly jumped onto the mini-beach and started to run. The blonde girl with the white puffy jacket with a hood wasn’t sure whether he had lost his mind until the black dog started running after him and she watched amused as they cut and zig-zagged, playing a little chase game in the sand together. The man with the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair waved for her to come join them and without her mind having a chance to interject its logic, she was off and running with the pack. Everyone’s smile spread largely across their face as it became a mess of confusion as to who was chasing who and finally in a blissful overwhelm, the blonde girl with the white puffy jacket with a hood collapsed onto her back in exhaustion. The man with the green Rasta Cap over his long curly hair fell down beside her and they looked up at the dark sky. Even the black dog stopped her movement and now the only sound heard was their heavy breathing, which soon slowed into silence.

Because of the many lampposts in this area, her eyes couldn’t see the sharp detail of the midnight sky but for a few bright stars. Or were they planets? The sand molded to the heaviness of her body and she felt supported and at peace. The little chase game had released the last bit of “thinking” she had in her mind and, for the moment, she just laid there and stared upwards, feeling one with the All, forgetting for the moment that by her side was the man with the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair. She couldn’t tell if she laid there for thirty seconds or for twenty minutes but as the shadow above her came into focus, she saw the man with the green Rasta cap covering his long curly hair asking in silence for her to meet his outstretched arm with her own. She raised her hand to his and his big hand enveloped hers as he pulled her to her feet. Second touch.

They continued to walk side by side, and as the noise in her mind quieted, the empty silence of the park became full. She would spy him in her peripheral vision periodically looking over at her, smiling at what seemed the transformation on her countenance.

With a clear intention, the man with the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair started heading towards a big tree that overlooked the lake and the blonde girl in the white puffy jacket with the hood picked up her pace to keep up with him. At the tree, he turned to face her and grabbed both her shoulders in his hands. Third touch. She felt his strength, firm yet gentle. He turned her slightly and pressed her back against a spot in the tree that felt as if it had opened up and wrapped its arms around her. Without a word being said, she knew he had spent many nights where he had gently placed her in this trees embrace. She thought he was going to press his body against body, his lips against her lips, but instead he sat down on the ground, his back pressed against the tree and the black dog came running up and sat down, leaning against the man with the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair.

Being on a slight hill facing up, her gaze naturally followed the hanging thin branches that seemed to wave ever so softly above her head as they protected their human guest without any noisy bravado and now she could see the dark sky much more clearly than before.  She took in the sky with no mind, and without the noise of analysis, her being was no longer trapped in its identity with the body and it effortlessly expanded to the container which had no barrier.

Another time-lapse of unknown duration and suddenly she found herself back in her body. To her left, standing against the tree by her side, was the man with the green Rasta hat covering his long curly hair, looking at her like one looks at a sleeping lover. He smiled and moved his head towards the path and she left the trees embrace and found herself floating for the rest of the walk in the park, unaware that her legs were carrying her.

As they exited the park, the man with the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair pointed his finger at the black dog who understood and sat. He put the leash on the black dog and all three of them continued in silence out of the park, the noises from the city washing over them, unable to disturb.

He walked her back to where they had met and taking her hand in his, he stared into her eyes. Fourth touch. The whole universe faded except for him in front of her and for the third time that night, all watches and clocks and time disappeared and she just was.

Finally the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile, he removed his hand from hers and turned and walked away, a man with a green Rasta cap over his long curly hair and a black dog. The small part of her consciousness that seemed like a distant witness wanted to shout after him but since she had taken a plunge and fully immersed herself into the silence, she was not even sure if she was capable of creating any noise and could only watch them walk away in silence…

“Excuse me,” said the old black woman and, as if being dropped from a great height, the blonde girl in the white puffy jacket with the hood felt herself fall into her body with a start. “Are you alright, honey? You’ve been standing there staring off into space for God knows how long.”

She smiled at the woman and in her eyes she could see the silent stare of the man in the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair. If she had woken up in her bed she would have been more accepting of this dream. “It’s after midnight.  A pretty young thing like you should be at home now in bed.” The blonde girl in the white puffy jacket with the hood smiled and nodded and mouthing “Thank you,” she turned around and started to walk downtown.

It wasn’t until she was at her apartment and started to reach for key that she noticed she had what appeared to be a business card unconsciously clutched in her hand. She turned the card towards her and…just like the silence of the night…it didn’t contain any loud words or titles or occupations or graphics. It was a blank white card—with a telephone number on it. It was not a dream!

In a hurry, she stumbled with her keys to get into her building. When she entered her apartment, without even taking off her white puffy jacket with the hood, she picked up the phone and dialed the number on the blank white card. There was no outgoing message just a beep. She had found him! She knew that he would prefer to share silence on his answering machine rather than to speak unnecessary words—that he was not there and that you should leave a message at the tone. She held the phone to her ear for about ten seconds before hanging it up. She would call tomorrow and, if need be, leave a message for the man with the green Rasta cap over his long curly hair.

After experiencing silence with him, she looked forward with excitement to sharing the power of sound with him as well. But for now she would leave him the gift of the night. Others would think the message was empty; but he would know the fullness in the silence.