The Tree of Possibilities

There I was with my mother in the field of St. Martin sitting on a blanket between two chairs under the Tree of Possibilities. I turned to her and asked, “Mom, how is your quality of life?”

She put her arm around me, and because this is fiction she also hugged me and kissed my cheek. Then she said, “Oh, my favorite daughter, any time I am with you the quality of my life is so fine. I am filled with love for everyone.”

           

 I looked up and noticed that the branch from which I had plucked this possibility actually looked a bit diseased.  A little twisted. So perhaps the fruit from this branch was not really a possibility but a shriveled fantasy.

             

Nevertheless, it was pleasant sitting there with her, our picnic basket filled with fruit and salami and cheese and bread. On the other chair sat our cooler with cold white wine. Since dad was not there, she could have a glass of wine without worrying that he would drink most of the bottle.

             

Wine in the middle of the day always makes both of sleepy, so we feel asleep in the middle of her explaining her recent painting.

             

When I awoke she was gone so I got busy writing my new book. Now that I am fluent in French I discovered that I think about things differently. Jokes are different because the adjective goes after the noun. How can you call someone a no-good two-bit lily-livered weasel-eating bastard when you have to say “bastard” first and then “no-good two-bit lily-livered weasel-eating?” 

It kind of loses something.