Owl Conversations

Owl Conversations

         “Aunt Linny, how did you meet Uncle Thom?” Elizabeth and Linny were in Linny’s observatory. Plants littered the entire house like wallflowers at the century gala. Linny had plants in any space not occupied by furniture.
         “Elizabeth, I feel like your mother.”
         “You’re not putting me to nap and so there’s nothing to drag out.”
         “Child, you make me see where I am lucky. I will tell you, though I do not know why you care so much.”
         Linny began to recount her first meeting with Thom. “I sat in my mother’s garden sketching the cornflower. Early morning light brings out the spirit in them. If you remember, Elizabeth, a high wall of immaculately trimmed bushes surrounded the backyard. The home behind ours was Thom’s home. There I sat just listening to the chirping, waiting for the right inspiration, when Thom dives through the hedge. He had twigs stuck in his hair and grass on the back of his shirt.
         He says, "Did you see that owl?"
         "I haven’t heard nor seen any owl."
         "How could you not see an owl that great? It was as large as a hawk, I’ll bet."
         "Regardless of its size, I did not see it," I replied.
         "A giant hawk just flew by!" With those last words, Thom went back to his yard and I did not see him again until a week later.
         I was napping in my mother’s hammock. The day was lovely, I recall. I felt something hit the hammock and it began to sway a little. I was in such a dreamy state I did not pay it any mind. That was until I heard a sound like that of a pigeon, but with an echo to it. A hoot, if that suits the sound better. I only opened my eyes to see what it was when I realized the thing had not moved. My reaction was exaggerated, I admit, but owls are quite frightening. The owl was sitting above my head, leaning over my face. I let out a little scream, which did not help. The owl flew from the hammock to a nearby tree and just sat there, looking at me oddly. I swear that owl thought I was mad. I slowly got up and walked to Thom’s house, not taking my eyes from the owl.
         I knocked on Thom’s front door and he answered it. From the look in my eyes, he could tell what I had seen. "You saw the owl, didn’t you?"
         "Yes. It landed on the hammock while I was asleep."
         "I told you."
         "Yes, I know. You were right."
         "Every day after that Thom would meet with me in mother’s backyard. We would sit on the hammock and talk about the owl. The owl conversations eventually turned to our lives and Thom and I fell in love. Because of an owl, I fell in love. There is your story Elizabeth."