Friday, April 16, 2010

106. Lost in thought


Having tramped all morning around the gardens, Ronald and Evelyn rested upon the bench until their buzzing soles quieted, and their energies were restored.

They first met in the gardens forty-six years ago, on the Band Lawn near the Venus fountain, a view that moves them to silence to this day. Back then, when the world was mostly monotone, a detachment of the Navy Fleet band honed its skills on Band Lawn every Sunday morning, and those Sydneysiders in the know, jockeyed for the perfect lounging position. Young Ronald trained in from Burwood every other Sunday, and one morning his eye sought out Evelyn listening beneath a rock overhang, reading something by Austen, or maybe one of the Brontes. He started attending weekly, until he summoned the courage to approach, and engage her in conversation.

Lost in reverie, Evelyn paid scant attention as the train clattered down the cobbled pathway.

5 comments:

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

what relaxing post!
beautiful in sight,
Happy Friday!

Joan Elizabeth said...

This is interesting because it tells historical stuff in an engaging story.

Was the world really monotone 46 years ago? It was the swinging 60s.

Julie said...

ah ... but I thought of that ... I chose my time very carefully ... 1964 ... 1964 ... the very cusp ... 'mostly monotone' ... The Beates for Sale' album was end of 1964 ... Carnaby Streeet made the cover of Time Magazine in 1966 ... the mini-skirt, Jean Shrimpton and Mary Quant hit the headlines toward the end of 1965 ... I left High School at the end of 1965 ... the world was monotone ... trust me ... monotone ... white picket fence ... meat and two vege ... monotone.

Clytie said...

I like this one. It made me smile.

Ms. Gibson said...

"Grow old with me. The best is yet to come...." or something like that. Thanks.