Purple And Orange

Jake arrived home about 6:15. He went through the garage and heard his wife Jane singing somewhere inside the house. Knowing her well, he knew that meant she was in high spirits. He threw his keys on the kitchen counter, a habit Jane had tried to break him of for twenty years. As he reached into the fridge for a diet soda, he felt his cat Sprinkles rubbing on his leg. He bent down to give it scrunches across its ears. He opened the soda and took a huge swallow. Because they had spent so many years practicing the dance of habit and marriage, he knew Jane would approach him for a hug. She didn’t care that he smelled like an old mayonnaise jar left out in the sun.

Jake looked up to the doorway as Jane entered, quiet lyrics still passing her lips. His eyes widened.

Jane laughed as she approached and wrapped her arms around him.

“What do you think? Good choice?” Jane shook her head back and forth as her hair swirled around her face.

Jake reached up and ran his fingers through his wife’s bright purple hair.

“Wow. It’s beautiful. Like you. I’ve never seen you with any color other than black or gray!”

“I’ve always wanted to color it. When I bought groceries after work, I passed the hair kits. A light bulb went off in my head. I bought two colors.” She smiled, probably tickled by her own audacity.

“It looks beautiful Jane.” He kissed her and asked if she needed help finishing dinner.

“No but thanks. Go wash off the stink If you want a shot later.” They both laughed.

Jane started humming the same song she had been singing and turned towards the cabinets.

“I’ll be a little bit. I have to trim my beard.” Jane nodded and blew him a kiss as he headed toward the master bathroom.

…

Forty-five minutes later, as Jane was finishing supper, she heard Jake come up behind her and kiss her neck. She could smell the aftershave he always wore.

“It smells good in here,” he said.

“Making chicken and pasta.”

He laughed. “I wasn’t talking about the food.”

Jane turned the chicken in the pan and set the fork aside. She knew her husband well and heard a slight laugh in his voice.

When she turned to give him a quick kiss, she stopped cold. Jake had the goofiest smile across his face. His hair and beard were a wild mix of rusty orange, gray, and brown. It looked like a toddler had painted his head.

“I’m not much for coloring my hair,” he said as he started to laugh. “I think my co-workers will like it.”

Jane ran her fingers through his beard and shook her head. “Lord, they might think you’ve finally gone off your rocker.”

Jake reached out and ran his fingers through Jane’s purple hair. They both stood for a moment, both with smiles on their faces.

“It’s about time to eat,” Jane whispered.

“Supper can wait. Let’s go see what orange and purple make when mixed together.”

As Jake led Jane from the kitchen, Sprinkles sprawled across the floor in front of the stove to keep watch. They would be back in a while. Their hair would probably be a mess but maybe a piece of chicken would find its way to the floor.

Love, X
.

Now

The months had accumulated and passed quickly. The early morning appointment on a cold February morning night as well have been ten years ago. Days, years, and decades proceeded that morning. Yet he only vaguely recalled the fog that encompassed him before. Forty-seven years of blindly doing the next thing instead of enjoying life. He dropped out of high school to get a job after his dad died. Followed by a marriage that didn’t last and six years in the military.

Four months later, and most of the people who knew him thought he had lost his mind. He stopped arguing with people and accepted any invitation to be with people. Good sleep abandoned him and he was grateful. He no longer needed to bank wasted hours thinking he needed it. When he quit his job, his mom argued with him and his coworkers were in shock. Seventeen years earned him a reputation as a diligent, hard worker. If he could go back, he would take all of his vacations and probably even play hooky three or four times a year. The best part of his list of surprises since February was a drive to Colorado. He had seen it once for a few days while in the military and fell in love with it. Seventeen days of driving and sleeping wherever he had to. The morning he woke up in Colorado, he had the best cup of coffee he had ever tasted.

Sitting on the the steps in front of his small house, he watched the birds chase each other and felt the breeze buffet him.

He coughed briefly and reflexively looked at his hand. One small drop of blood on his right palm. He had been informed that the drops would escalate. It didn’t concern him.

He watched the tall grass of his yard sway as the wind crossed it. He would mow it if it got above his knees. But not before. Grass was just another one of those idiotic distractions that people need to fill their days.

Steadying himself, he stood up and walked up the three short steps to his front door. He took one look back at the sky and at the birds still careening around its backdrop. He smiled.

Maybe he would see it tomorrow. Maybe not. This had always been the case.

X