when words fail me, which is often, I paint. When words work for me and are available on time, I am surprised.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Forty Miles


Last night I was in a large modern hotel. Avi (my newly relocated to cosmopolitan city, serving dinners to Tatum O Neil, youngest son)was with me, he was maybe seven years old. There was a sense of tedium, boredom and excitement all at once and it was morning. The breakfast buffet was being prepared and hundreds of people began to line up in multiple balcony levels to receive their break-fast. The food was very slow to come out. People began to get impatient.We looked to one side and saw a harried European chef storming around a kitchen followed by his Sous chef who was more like a court jester than a chef. The image made us laugh. The food was finally served, I scooted Avi along into the buffet line then went to find a plate for myself, but there were no more plates. In order to cut to the chase, I ended up walking. In search of a plate which turned into a cake circle. I came into contact with some people who were trying to help me on my epic journey (yes kidding) who informed me I had walked forty miles in search of the plate.

Forty, forty, 4-0! a damn significant number. Kabbalistically and spiritually speaking, it takes forty somethings to create something.This is the answer to the biggest mystery question of all creativity: How does something come from nowhere. No where, now here (love that). This is the Virgin birth,creation from no-thing. Jesus wandered in the desert for 40 days and nights (feel free to correct me if I have this wrong, I am a bad scholar), he received forty lashes before he was crucified. A baby is born after ten lunar cycles, 280 days or-40 weeks gestation. I think there is a Noah significance which would make sense as Noah's Arc is a water creation (waters breaking-birth) myth.It was a forty day flood, that's right. So forty is a significant spiritual journey marking, and I travel 40 miles from my seven year old son (40-7 day weeks gestation-the son)in order to get my own plate.
My own plate or the object that holds or is the foundation of the bounty, sustenance, variety that I have prodded my son to receive. I sacrifice my needs and continue on in order to see he is provided for ahead of me.
Are dreams really that boring for others to read?
My writing teacher said it was true. he might be right.
Then again, the other son was in there later and he was asking me to cosign a loan for him.
Now, that's a real nightmare if I ever had one.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Speaking of 40, have you read "40 Days and 40 Nights: Darwin, Intelligent Design, God, OxyContinĂ‚®, and Other Oddities on Trial in Pennsylvania". Wonderful book, I highly recommend it. Evolution on trial....again. Hmmmm, I wonder what Hukabee thinks about this book. I'm encouraged by Obama's showing in Iowa but just as discouraged that so many people gravitate to a snake oil huckster like Huckabee. I assume it's OK to delve into politics here? I was talking to someone of Iranian heritage just yesterday, on how our United States has become so influenced by christian fundamentalists. What a predicament, to be governed by a unholy alliance of christian fundamentalists and global corporations. Of course, our founding fathers were slave owners so what do we expect.
Excuse my rambling.

I just had a son a little over four months ago. Leopold, or we mostly call him Leo. My father would have adored him. It is the most wonderful thing in the world, isn't it.

You are a good writer. I can hear you in your writing. It's very fluid, uninterrupted by the clumsiness most of us have with the written word.

I don't usually jump from thought to thought like this but the recounting of a dream puts me in the mood.

Am I even awake?

Barely.

Fondly and Sincerely,
The 8th President of the United States

Alijah Fitt said...

hi 8th- nice to see you again. Wow you have a baby boy-LUCKY. love them, love them. . babies.
I have not read this book but will look into it. Scary the fundamentalists, now the no smoking no cussing in bars laws. Next thing you know there will be no drinking in bars either. Fascism is alive in the US no doubt.
Thank you for your words.
(counting on my fingers from 8th grade memories, you must be Van Buren?)

ds said...

40 is the most used number in the bible.

Michelle O'Neil said...

You are so funny!

Jerri said...

Your dreams are never boring to read.