Saturday, March 04, 2006

Exactly two years ago husband and I drove my sister and her chillins out to see our beloved Grandmother in Arizona. The day we left for Dallas, it was difficult to leave her, and we lingered until late in the afternoon. Nephew was 1 and niece was 7, and we knew they'd go to sleep soon after the sun was down. We sped along the highway meeting few cars and seeing fewer still traveling in our direction. Through southeastern Arizona the sweep of our lights illuminated the majestic Saguaro along the roadside, the desert sentinels standing and beckoning through time across the span of 6 human lives. The Cure's Disintegration looped in the cd player, a brilliant counterpoint to the profusion of stars across the darkening velvet sky, the lush layers of guitar arabesques reflecting the brittle desolate beauty of the desert and its indomitability. Then into New Mexico, the outlines of mountains closer. Everything about that night is as palpable as ever, and I can reach out and remember that feeling, the beauty and the heartbreak as we made our way home.

9 comments:

Kelly said...

A beautiful post. Beautifully written.

FatQuarterQuiltFarm said...

Uh yeeah!!! I remember one extreme situatuion in the middle of a blizzard, whiteout actually,,,,. Let's just say my empty Mac D's cup....I was "lovin it".Damned skippy indeed!!

jenny said...

that is the coolest pic - it looks like it's snowing in the desert.

Johnny Pipewrench said...

Those are the memories that
can get you through a bad day,
Im like that with songs.
Nice read.
Oh, not that this has anything to do with anything,
but my dog is an Akita.

phlegmfatale said...

Thanks, o.g.

schnoobie - good to know I'm not the only one with pee stories.

jenny- yeah, night in the desert is magical

thanks, johnny. glad you enjoyed it. Your dog is beautiful.

Tam said...

Disintegration may be the absolute best roadtrip-by-night album ever.


Thanks for that beautiful post. :)

phlegmfatale said...

tam, you rock! thanks for the kind words.

Kim Carney said...

Rita, noone writes like you! (I called in sick this morning and am catching on your blog)

phlegmfatale said...

glad ya liked it, kimmer. Love you.