A short story meant to bring a smile

An Exercise In Muscle Control

It is June. The very beginning of what will become a sweet and sweat trickling summer.
Already the hot sun burns into your shoulders while you pull the weeds carefully from between
the celery and carrots, lettuces and tomatoes. When a soft wind lifts the hot air all around you, cooling the beads of moisture on your skin, you sigh and close your eyes to better bask in the sensations of the hot sphere of your body being cooled by the distant memory of icy winter vapor.
Afternoon has come. Most of the dayÕs obligations have been obliged or are, at least, in partial completion. The time is right to go in search of the wild and elusive black raspberry. In optimistic preparation you grab a rigid plastic container capable of holding a gallon of chicken soup or lamb roast; lace on your shoes, drink your fill of cool water, and set off for the old wood bordered road where the brambles run heavy on the plunging banks of the ridgeÕs crest.
The road is rocky, rutted, and sandy, with brown, muddy water filled holes. You pick your way carefully through the jutting stones because with shoed feet your balance is unsteady. Barefoot you could run tiptoe through the mess of rubble with your eyes in the sky and never stumble. You are fluent in the language of callused heel hitting stone with a rhythmic beat. But todayÕs ventures call for barriers to protect against the brambles sly, snaring, poison filled thorns.
Pacing along in joyful determination of your quarry you pass countless species of vegetation rising triumphantly toward the glowing sun, roots firmly planted in the rich, black soil of the woods--but no berries. Gradually you climb higher, only encumbered slightly by your pail, and finally you set eyes on the first beautifully symmetrical juice filled orbs. Eagerly you rush to the bush and pick the few ripe packages of soft, sweet cushion and seeds. Spurred on by the sparse (though gratifying) discovery you emerge onto a small field ringed by woods. Where the grass meets the dark, burnished trees a huge wall of berry bushes rises into the clouds. Suddenly your elusive prey seems to be cooperating.
You wade through the sea of vines and thorns, and there in the center is a massive smorgasbord of perfect fruit. With the sunlight dappling through the cool leaves overhead the scene seems to beckon you to emulsify yourself into the rich, succulent ring of forgetfulness.
After picking all that is close by you begin to reach farther and farther. Eventually you are laying on one vine to reach berries barely in your fingertips grasp. The bramble that is holding you up around your belly like a harness is strong, but if it should break you know that the only thing to keep you from toppling headfirst into the crowd of sharp spikes would be a quick and propryoceptive reaction by your stomach muscles (in collaboration with your inner ear of course.) As it is you are using muscles that you never knew you had; to contort your body, manipulate your balance, and reach for that one glistening black jewel that you cannot bear to leave behind.
Yes you are scratched and cut, but you knew the risk; and the rewards. They were never really weighed in your mind, but you wonÕt regret that little bit of immediate pain when you take your prize from the oven sometime in the cold winter and fall ravenously onto a sweet slice of apple raspberry pie.
Your hands are stained dark purple from the nectar of berries left too long to pluck from their stems. The purple smears seem to mimic the small beads of blood that the thorns have dragged from your skin. You lick both off your arm. One tasting like life and salt, and the other like glorious heaven, the perfect compliment to each other.
When your pail is full you trudge your way gaily out leaving vast expanses of thicket unexplored and peaceful. After all you have to leave some for tomorrow.

--Autumn

 

thats totally brilliant! i can't beliebe i'm the first person to say that....its gorgeous perfect...awsome beautiful, sensational!

 

I like it! I was imagining myself in the story up until the blood licking part (he he).
Nice work

 

Thanks guys. I haven't been able to bring myself to revise or add anything to it as of yet, maybe in the future.

 

Very interesting. Leaves the mind to wonder. In which part of the world does it take place? I am thinking Australia.