Upward, Toward Heaven

Today is just cold and dull. But it’s ok.

David came in to pick up a book about women artists in South Australia, the book is here and he is pleased, he stays to talk for a long time about women artists in South Australia. I made a small movement toward…something else… and  he said:

I’m sorry for the long conversations all the time but I am clawing for a life you see, it is how I keep going. It is how I keep on going, because I am alone. Most people have full lives, but…well…I don’t.

And he looked upward toward heaven with his delivery, up toward the roof and way beyond that and I thought the roof might split in two with the aim of it,  and I thought what made him able to disclose such terror with such unflinching honesty and humility.

And I wanted to say: but it is the same for me, really…

but he suddenly left, and somebody else was there to tell me about a motorcycle incident that had just happened up the road and was particularly nasty.

And David was gone.