Posted by jonvon on December 18, 2001 at 19:59:19:
In Reply to: continued posted by john on December 17, 2001 at 19:44:31:
john i have to tell you i've been thinking about your story quite a bit. one of the things that strikes me is that you seem to be in very good at viewing the world with childlike eyes. i remember when i was a kid that i would get immersed in nature simply by being outside and running around. i enjoy going for a run at times, not because i'm all that into running per se, but because it connects me with the outside world. one time when i was living in atlanta i went on a run. there was this park area, a bunch of connecting paths and sidewalks around the carter center which was a few blocks from where i lived. i went running and i had not done anything like that in years. i didn't even have the right shoes or anything, it was a little bit ridiculous. but i went anyway, i had a roommate who ran all the time and i think i finally got inspired this one day to do it.
i remember coming back from the run. i had been breathing very deeply and kind of feeling my breath. and there was this wall of kudzu that ran up the side of this building that was next to ours. actually it might have been a very tall fence, i can't remember its been a while. but it was completely covered in kudzu. i climbed the fire escape to get back into the building, up three floors, and the wall of kudzu was as tall as the fire escape so it was there the whole time. i was fairly close to it, but i had never been that aware of it ever. i could see every leaf moving slowly in the soft breeze, it was all undulating, dancing in a quiet harmony. the sun was just starting to go down. it was warm but beginning to just get cool. i remember thinking that i had not felt that alive since i had been a boy running around the neighborhood or trekking through the woods or playing football with the guys in someone's yard.
anyway, i love your story. your description of the black water and the fellow you were helping were wonderful. thanks for sharing it.