Silencio por Favor

Day two of Silence

Today I tried to write stuff down in order to keep up with my side of the conversation with T and B (our boarder). Interesting how a lag in the flow of chatter can slow things down, even abruptly, and possibly end the conversation, as in "What were we talking about?" In order to help, I started numbering my scribbling, i.e. #1 goes with the first subject they were yakking about, #2 the next. I wanted in on the banter .

Their response is kind:
"Huh?
Oh! Yeah, I see your point."

There is a time lapse. Kind of like when the sound is off kilter in a movie. (I bet digital DVDs don't have that problem, but I may be dating myself.) I change the channel when the sound isn't keeping up with the show! It's disconcerting and hard to follow. Too uncomfortable, irritating.

So I tried to shut up, graphically as well as verbally, 'cuz it's all too tiring to keep up. My head is already aching, fuzzy with a cold and the cold remedies so there you go: baffled personified.

I try to be quiet.

But, what ideas I have running and rushing around in my head! I can discourse on ANYTHING. Pick a subject, I have an opinion.

Let's say: an old funny apple tree, with long, tall branches, maybe one tiny apple up high near a few leaves. One main branch is horribly chopped flat at the bottom. It's just plain unattractive. Good news everyone...I CAN FIX IT!

They consider taking the tree down.

But wait, wait, wait! I can visualize the tree in a year, pruned heavily in late winter to create a more compact shape, then new little branches will begin to grow with little buds popping out in spring. Sweet pale pink blossoms will perfume the air while honey bees do their thing. Birds, maybe robins, will perch and sing...maybe even build a nest, lay eggs, and feed moths to big-mouthed, naked nestlings peeping for food.

Then the tree will get bushy with leaves for shade and privacy and softly reduce noise in the summer. A few apples will drop in the fall and there is apple sauce for the winter again. Then another round of pruning, resulting in a bushier, far more attractive tree the next year. Add a little bench on top of the flat chopped branch and voila, transformation to a pretty and mature bit of landscape in a darling little back yard. A tree you won't find at Orchard or if you do it'll cost you. (Mature trees cost a fortune. Only the upper crust can afford it.)

I can see all of this in one second flat. I can type this out in 5 minutes flat. (not counting the corrections.) My points are organized and intelligent. I want them to see what I see, to get excited about what I'm excited about.

I forgot one thing!

*The house isn't yet legally theirs.
*It's not my back yard and it's not my my tree.
*Most importantly though, it's really, truly not my business.

But I have an opinion on ANYTHING.
And for the people I love the most of all, those opinions are strong.

It's interesting I've lost my voice.
Completely.
The ideas still spin away, the plans still simmer, the worries still prick.

It feels really good to be able to be quiet.
Maybe this old dog can learn a few new tricks.