WHAT A WAY TO START A DAY

He spied her standing solitary in the garden. Hovering morning mist obscured her features slightly but he could see her figure was poised and he sensed a sweetness and frailty about her.

She looked up from the yellow Cannas cupped in her dainty hands. It dwarfed her with its unusual largeness though she rivaled it with her unmatched, feminine symmetry.

Seeing him, she smiled. The demure corners of her mouth conveyed delight with his presence. He quivered a little at this as a thick curl from a mass of dark hair fell across his forehead.

Her name was Julia. She wore a white, batiste gown that flowed over her with the grace of angels. Midnight hair framed her ageless face before spilling past a smooth, porcelain neck that could have been turned on a lathe then draped over creamy shoulders until it came to rest at her feet. Her soft, brown eyes melted his heart and at once he was hers completely, body and soul.

His breath quickened as he stepped between tall flowers that seemed to lead the way to her side. He surrendered willingly to her beauty and handing her the gift of his life, he promised undying passion and everlasting devotion.

She spoke. Birds sang. He dropped to a knee before her. Taking her gossemery hand he pressed it hard to eager lips. Love, rapid as electricity coursed through his veins filling the chambers of his swelling heart.

Visions of the future with this breathtaking creature, like celluloid images flickered before his mind’s eye exciting every muscle.

Her smile was coy and her caress transmitted her womanly want of this trembling, young man at her feet. The Universe overhead came alive and began to spin awakening sleeping stars, sending them to swirl around the two would-be-lovers and coalesce their hearts forever. The moment was magical and pristine with ambrosial love. Nothing else existed; nothing else was more paramount.

The cruel blare of the alarm clock sent him to the floor with a shocking thud. He fumbled helplessly for a few moments until he found the culprit and silenced it with an angry fist. Breath in his lungs returned with painful gasps. It was as though he’d been suspended for a long while in a place where oxygen was thin.

His room now seemed a bit unfamiliar and stared back at him blankly. The bitter pill of realization began to dissolve slowly. His heart dragged on with blighted desire. It had all been a dream, a wonderful fleeting dream. A jumble of despair and felicity convulsed inside of him.

Julia’s smiling face could not easily be erased. Her mirage although he knew it now to be only that, stood before him as real as it had in his slumber. He could even smell her lavender perfume still clinging to his fingers. His time with her had been far too brief.
Living the daylight hours without her seemed almost impossible. But, he was sure that her ambience would carry him through the day and he would surely find her again waiting for him tonight in the garden.

Intoxicated by that prospect he was enthusiastic about moving quickly through this new day. Energy returned to his mind and legs and with a click of his heels he proclaimed, “What a way to start a day!”.