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#39/42: By: Rowena (#68) : #2
08/17/91 11:02pm
Rowena Listens for the Ocean
Rowena went to a department store, simply because there was nowhere else
to go. She let the crowd push its way past her, growing more tense as the
noise level rose. What on Earth, she thought, am I doing here? She stopped
before a display of seashells. Tiny and huge, subtle and showy--there was
quite an array. Rowena picked up one of the larger ones and turned it in her
hands, admiring the smooth rosy interior. She raised it to her ear.
“Sale going on now in Sporting Goods.” Rowena took the shell from her
ear, studied it again, and had another listen. “All tennis rackets and sun
visors are 20% off.“
She put the shell down, picked up another. “Hurry on down to Ladies'
Intimates,“ it murmured. ”Nippleless bra and split-crotch panty set on sale
for just $15.99.“
Rowena thought of going to the real ocean. She thought about oil slicks
and broken glass and cigarette butts. She decided to go to a park.
The park she chose had a duck pond in it, but when she got there the pond
had been drained and all the ducks were gone. She walked around the edge of
the empty pond. It was much smaller than it looked with water in it, and much
shallower than she had thought. The bottom was of smoothly contoured concrete,
with here and there a large bland stone sitting pointlessly. She considered
walking out across it to see the mysteries of Duck Island, but it seemed overly
disrespectful, and besides the pond was full of children on bikes and Big
Wheels.
Rowena sat down on the yellow grass under a scruffy tree. She leaned
against the trunk and wondered where the city had put the ducks.
“Hello,” the tree whispered. “Miss me?”
“Yes,” Rowena said. “I have.”
“*I've* missed *you*,” the tree told her.
“So have I,” Rowena said.
Good evening. May I take your order, Ma'am?
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