Train Chimney

The wiper blade glides against the window once again as the first row of the trees comes into focus. The grounds of Iverson are peppered with different kinds of trees, oaks, maples, and pines, some standing so tall, it hovers over the school itself. But my personal favorites are dormant at the moment, the flowering trees, the Kwanzan and Yoshino cherries. I love to read under them in the Spring time. You have never felt peace until you have lied your head against its trunk and a small flower rests on top of your head. But its winter, so we have to meet another day.

“Alright Jenny, I will see you later at home. Have a nice day at school,” Mother says as she leans over to kiss my cheek. It’s the first day of school so she tries to make it special. Tomorrow I will just get a quick “bye.” I lean the side of my face over to her then scramble out of the car with a hushed “goodbye.” The Kia speeds off toward Downtown leaving me in front of the long lane toward Iverson.

I stare at the massive mansion hiding amongst the trees, soft lights lining the sidewalk, a bit of frost clinging to the concrete. Our school is old. It once belonged to a very wealthy family of merchants then was handed over to the state when the family went broke. It was then turned into an asylum, a nice one. Not too many deranged patients, just small conditions that were concocted when families couldn’t control their youth. One could say our school looks menacing, haunted but its more romantic to me. I always loved the view when I rode past it as a child praying that I would gain entry. A trophy to be won for my Mother. “Yes, she goes to Iverson,” she chirps to her co-workers.

I inhale sharply and step through the white smoke of my breath toward the half mile lane that leads to the door. I can imagine that if you were watching from the one of the window, my breath would be like a train chimney because the distance kills me every time. The day this becomes easy…