Subcolour

The 8-Shaded Rainbow -Part 12

The Lenten Season is here.  I really didn’t have that much plans but to fast, reflect and meditate.  I didn’t have a hint on how I can do just that, looking at the four corners of my room, my bed cluttered to a good three quarters portion of it, (unkempt clothes from the laundry, unreturned and overdue books from and to the library, mails, scribbling pad and tons of pens, hairclips, newspapers, tubes of foot cream, shopping bag with its contents still in, garbage; and, would you believe, even an unwashed noodle bowl with chopsticks? Yes, I am technically living in a pig pen for a few weeks now.)  To top it all, I am making myself fit in the remaining one quarter side of the bed to sleep in every night because I am in denial all this time that the clutter is indeed there.  Hmmmnn...  Who am I gonna call???....Clutter-Busters!!!... (Ha ha...very funny, I forgot to laugh!)

Instead, I chose to turn my back from the “Clutter Room.”  The moment Noreen told me the news that we are invited to stay over for a couple of days in a Farm House, I grabbed an overnighter bag and stuffed it with yoga pants, tank tops, couple of sweaters, socks and runners, earphones, thesaurus and of course, my laptop.  It wasn’t until I picked the bag up did I come to realize how weak I am from not having any food that day.  Plus, Lo and Behold!  I can’t imagine how much stuff I packed for a 2day-1night getaway to some 7-10minute away Farm Land from my home.  Silliness Jessie!  And to even forget my toothbrush in my haste to run away from that ugly sight; Oh, I tell you, sometimes I think I am just too goofy.  I won’t take “stupid” for an adjective.  Sorry, nothing you can do, I do the writing here.

 

Anyway, we were fetched by somebody driving a shiny, snobbish, brand new, baby blue Jaguar.  I was speechless!  Am I not supposed to fast?  Why then am I inside a luxury car?  Oh wait, I am not going to ingest this “holy-macaroni-thing,” right?  So I guess I’m good.  I seized the moment secretly.  Noreen sat at the passenger’s seat next to the one driving; 

I took the backseat – perfect for the many theatrical and aristocratic looks I made all throughout the drive; the grin I couldn’t help and conceal; the high-nose angles I decided to exaggerate behind our new friend’s back; and, the giggling I kept to myself to maintain composure.  Then we were at the Farm House – No, I mean, the Farm Mansion! 120feet long, 44feet wide; nestled in the middle of about 4000 acres; (I don’t really know how much but I think that’s how much my eyes saw) a huge Red Barn nearby; a six-car capacity garage; Hereford cows and their calves not so far away; humongous trucks next to the barn and the chemical mills; perfectly-lined pine trees barricading the wide back deck where they have barbeque grill; a beautiful gravel runway.  Inside, millions of rooms and 3 sitting rooms;   endless corridors, indoor hot tub twice as big as what we have at home; a sauna; a library!  Why do I feel like I am in heaven in time when Jesus died on the cross?  I blinked and swallowed at the thought – quite spooky. 

While Noreen was giving everyone in the house some kick-ass massage, I found the perfect spot for myself. Geez!  How did you know? ... Right, my sanctuary is wherever books are neatly piled in immaculately-dusted shelves – the Library!  Oh, it was Christmas!  I caught myself just before that usual drift happening to me whenever I smell the crisp pages of books.  I left the room rather quickly and speak to the Master of the Mansion to show respect. 

Mind you, I only intend to know this very hospitable man, kind enough to invite us over in his house.  Unexpectedly, somewhere in between introductions and little “tell-me-about-yourself-and-I-will-tell-you-about-mine” saga, Derek’s (Grace’s boyfriend) family story emerged somehow.

Apparently, it has always been this tiny circle encompassing the Farm Owners at this side of the town.  Need I say more?

It’s quite funny how the prior episode was about Grace, and now, as if to tell me I was not able to un-cover the whole scoop yet, a sub-colour appeared to give a layered texture to this picture.

Mr. Ferguson knows the Collingworth’s – Derek’s family.  Derek Collingworth is the youngest in a brood of three.  As soon as the family’s name is mentioned, a certain twitch of disapproval in Mr. Ferguson’s face, I reckon, is undeniable at the same time, obvious.  He did not hesitate.  From the expression of the face which I thought he will withdraw right away, he dropped the bomb just like a real German soldier – the Collingworth boys are notorious!  They have always been associated with Drug Abuse.  They were wild boys.  They were BAD.  Mr. Ferguson, in an effort to be subtle after him blasting the bomb of the day, continued and here I quote, “I am not sure if they still are the same boys to this day from before.  But God, they were bad.  It was like they were not the children of their beautiful parents.  One time, a horse at their farm, freaked out and ran like a possessed creature, knocked itself so hard on a bad angle of the fence and died.  It turned out the horse devoured an acre of weed – the rest of them feasted upon by the Collingworth brothers just like spinach, everyday, all the time.”

Luxury car, a Farm Mansion, a Library all to myself and, gossiping – all and everything on a Good Friday.

The very next day, I decided to wake up early and meditate.  Mr. Ferguson was up way before all of us and offered to take me where the Hereford cows are.  I agreed.  It was still a teeny bit chilly at 8am but I enjoyed the quick walk to the nicest cows I’ve ever seen, then back towards the house.  When Mr. Ferguson went in, I excused myself and ran around the unending acreage, miles and miles of running till my feet and my tummy hurt in unison.  I head back to the homey smell of buckwheat pancakes and homemade bacon.  Yes, I gone off the wagon of meditation right then.

Later that day, just before our mini-retreat ends, Mr. Ferguson let us get a try on Quad Riding – a couple of instructions and my intimidation of that bulky thing disappeared and gone forever.  It was liberating!