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What resolution could that photo have?
The old postcard, a gift from my ex-wife as a silent request, had a landscape that Maori said Ta-maki Makau Rau, but in English, it would be Auckland, the largest city in the north island of New Zealand.
She was always willing to travel and see the world and told me that I had to get out of my black box, when we were married I worked in a photographic development store, I was fascinated by the stillness of the darkroom and the magic of bringing from the negative to the light the images of other people's lives.
I have always been an introvert, wrapped in my thoughts and distracted by conversations with others, only she made me be in the present and not travel between the ephemeral past and the uncertain future.
I still remember clearly the sound of my heart when she said she had to go on her way because she could not get me out of my existential cloister, a sound like crystals being shattered by a baseball of naughty small-town kids.
Since she left, the photographic camera gave way to the advances of science, and digital cameras and smart phones were making my profession obsolete.
In the end, I was not even a photographer, just an interpreter of the language of the image that was given to me, laughter, social ceremonies, and memories, I saw in this life between graphic moments with deep admiration like someone who sees an exotic dance in the middle of the jungle.
When we divorced, it was an afternoon of raptures, the lawyer's resolution gave her the beach house, the dog, and a small portion of the belongings that were our married life.
Resolution, that word attacked me that morning mercilessly, because it was the key to our problems, I could not solve the obstacles of interacting with her, but it was always like that, she initiated our conversation, stole the first kiss, and hinted that she wanted a child of mine even if we did not get married.
I could not accept that I wanted a life by his side, although he never said so.
We got married in August, but we always said it was in December, it was a more festive date, we promised each other love in front of the sea, just the two of us so that envy would not cloud the life project we started.
Now I was alone, she would sell the house and leave town. Would she fulfill her dream of going to New Zealand? Who would know, even when I was dying to tell her to stay, I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud.
It's been hours since I've sat here looking at this postcard. It's been days since we signed the separation document, but we were both still alone, that was reason enough to believe that we could still salvage something if there was anything left.
So I took the old photo album of us. On the first page I left a note that promised "My resolution for this new year, is to travel to Auckland, find the whitest stone the sea can deliver to the beach, transform it into a ring, and come back to ask you once again to be what you never stopped being: My only great love".
I rang the doorbell of the house, left the album with the note and the postcard on the door, and left the place.
After thirty-two months, a diving course allowed me to find the most beautiful pearl that I turned into the gem of a beautiful gold ring, my heart was in my throat when I returned, I had no hope of finding it.
When I returned to the house where we lived, I found the key in the same place where we hid it and when I entered I found on the living room table the album opened with a note written next to mine and the postcard from Auckland, which read:
We may never see each other again because of the time and distance that has separated us, but if you resolve to return, I will wait for you every evening in the square where we met.
I ran out to the square and as I saw her sitting there every inch of my skin bristled, as I approached the words again hid in my chest, I turned around knowing that I was back to the me she had left behind, and started to walk away again.
I heard some barking approaching, I knew it was Sharps our Labrador retriever, but I just hurried my pace wanting to run away.
-Jake," I heard from behind me, "You're back!
Like a sinister movie I turned and saw her heading towards me, before she arrived I knelt and showed her the ring, I didn't say a word, Sharps was licking my face and prancing frantically around me.
She crouched down beside me and said "I thought I had lost you".
I was perplexed, I didn't understand what she meant, but she said "There was only one way to know if you were willing to finally love me".
That afternoon, the words took the resolution of never hiding again, they were happy because our love had managed to manifest itself, from the abstract silence to the sonorous cry of union that until the sunset of our days accompanied us in the distant lands of Oceania.
| Spanish Version |
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¿Qué resolución podía tener esa foto?
La antigua postal obsequio de mi ex esposa como una petición silente, tenía un paisaje que maorí decía Ta-maki Makau Rau, pero que en cristiano sería Auckland la ciudad más grande la isla norte de Nueva Zelanda.
Ella siempre dispuesta a viajar y conocer el mundo me decía que debía salir de mi caja negra, cuando estuvimos casados trabajaba en una tienda de revelado fotográfico, me fascinaba la quietud del cuarto oscuro y la magia de traer del negativo a la luz las imágenes de las vidas ajenas.
Siempre he sido alguien introvertido, envuelto en mis pensamientos y distraído ante las conversaciones con terceros, solo ella me hacía estar en el presente y no viajando entre el pasado efímero y el futuro incierto.
Aún recuerdo claramente el sonido de mi corazón cuando dijo que debía seguir su camino porque no lograba sacarme de mi claustro existencial, un sonido como cristales siendo fragmentados por una pelota de beisbol de traviesos niños pueblerinos.
Desde que ella se marchó, la cámara fotográfica cedió ante los avances de la ciencia y las cámaras digitales y los teléfonos inteligentes fueron haciendo obsoleta mi profesión.
Al final ni siquiera era fotógrafo, solo un intérprete del lenguaje de la imagen que me entregaban, risas, ceremonias sociales, recuerdos, veía en esta vida entre momentos gráficos con profunda admiración como quien ve una danza exótica en medio de la selva.
Cuando nos divorciamos, fue una tarde de arreboles, la resolución del abogado le entregaba a ella la casa de la playa, el perro y una pequeña porción de los enseres que eran nuestra vida de casados.
Resolución, esa palabra me atacaba esa mañana despiadadamente, porque era la clave de nuestros problemas, no lograba resolver los obstáculos de interactuar con ella, pero es que siempre fue así, ella inició nuestra conversación, robo el primer beso y me insinuó que quería un hijo mío así no contrajéramos nupcias.
No podía aceptar eso, quería una vida a su lado, aunque nunca lo dijera.
Nos casamos en agosto, pero siempre dijimos que fue en diciembre, era una fecha más festiva, nos prometimos amor frente al mar, solos los dos para que la envidia no enturbiara el proyecto de vida que iniciamos.
Ahora estaba solo, ella vendería la casa y se iría de la ciudad ¿Acaso cumpliría su sueño de ir a Nueva Zelanda? ¿Quién podría saberlo? y aun cuando moría por decirle que se quedara simplemente no resolvía decirlo en voz alta.
Han pasado horas desde que estoy sentado viendo esta postal. han pasado días desde que firmamos el documento de separación, pero ambos seguíamos solos, eso era razón suficiente para creer que aun podíamos salvar algo, si es que quedaba.
Así que tomé el viejo álbum de fotos nuestras y en la primera hoja dejé una nota que prometía "Mi resolución para este nuevo año, es viajar a Auckland, buscar la piedra más blanca que el mar pueda entregar a la playa, transformarla en un anillo y volver para pedirte una vez más que seas lo que nunca dejaste de ser: Mi único gran amor".
Toqué el timbre de la casa, dejé el álbum con la nota y la postal en la puerta y abandoné el lugar.
Después de treinta y dos meses, un curso de buceo me permitió hallar la más hermosa perla que convertí en la gema de un hermoso anillo de oro, tenía el corazón en la garganta cuando regresé, no albergaba esperanza siquiera de hallarla.
Al regresar a la casa donde vivimos, encontré la llave en el mismo lugar donde la escondíamos y al entrar hallé en la mesa de la sala el álbum abierto con una nota escrita junto a la mía y la postal de Auckland, que decía:
Puede que no volvamos a vernos por el tiempo y la distancia que nos ha separado, pero si resuelves volver, te esperaré cada tarde en la plaza donde nos hallamos.
Salí corriendo hasta la plaza y al verla sentada cada centímetro de mi piel se erizó, mientras me acercaba las palabras de nuevo se escondían en mi pecho, me di media vuelta sabiendo que volvía a ser el yo que ella había dejado de lado y empecé a alejarme de nuevo.
Oí unos ladridos acercarse, sabía que era Sharps nuestro labrador retriever, pero solo apuré el paso queriendo huir.
-Jake -oí a mis espaldas- ¡Regresaste!
Como una película siniestra volteé y la vi dirigirse hasta mí, antes de que llegará me arrodillé y le mostré el anillo, no dije ni una palabra, Sharps lamía mi rostro y daba brincos frenéticos a mi alrededor.
Ella se agachó a mi lado y me dijo "pensé que te había perdido".
Estaba perplejo, no entendía que quería decir, pero ella me dijo “solo había una manera de saber si en verdad estabas dispuesto a amarme con total entrega”.
Esa tarde, las palabras tomaron la resolución de nunca más volver a esconderse, estaban felices porque había logrado manifestarse nuestro amor, desde el silencio abstracto hasta el sonoro grito de la unión que hasta el ocaso de nuestros días nos acompañó en las lejanas tierras de Oceanía.
This entry was written for The Ink Well Fiction Prompt #150 "Resolution."
Credits:
Text translated with https://www.deepl.com/es/translator
AI Images generated with: https://wepik.com/es/
Grammar correction: https://www.grammarly.com/
Sometimes those resolutions by lawyers do not bring everlasting peace. Peace can only be found within ourselves. Great to see the reunion despite the resolution to part ways, albeit agonizingly. Nice story altogether @rdsmas
Well yes, I literally believe that nothing that has to do with lawyers is pleasant, as the gypsy curse says "between lawyers see you"; thank you for reading my writing and for your comment, it is very valuable for me to know the opinion of those who go through my writings.
You are welcome brother and continue to let the in flow....
!CTP
So poignantly sad and hopeful in tandem. An evocative piece. However, you need to pay attention to your run on sentences that mar liquid reading.
Ready, noted. you mean repeated words? maybe in the process of copying and pasting from translator to blog, it is quite a tedious process, not to mention that sometimes it cuts the thread of what is really expressed, but there we go step by step learning how to do it correctly, thanks for your time and appreciation.
This is a well-crafted story. Your words are magnificent, that it made your come to life. This is a good read.
Thank you very much for your enthusiastic words, I hope I can bring you good stories and that the peace of the letters always cover us, happy new year.
It's amazing how you managed to get into my head with your words. I kept imagining every scene like a movie. She too was willing to have you back. The love that once felt like it was no longer there was renewed.
What a thrill that my words resonate in your ear, it is beautiful to write, but what a reader's comment generates is undoubtedly the greatest emotion that a novice like me can receive.
Thank you very much for your beautiful appreciation, I apologize for the delay in responding, I got caught up in December and its chores, soon I will read your writing, taking advantage of my escape from the obligations of cleaning the yard.
I understand, take your as your reply will always be welcome anytime
A beautiful piece, this felt so real,I could imagine the characters in real life.
Thank you, even after 24 years I am still looking for the sound of my voice in a narrative sense, sometimes I go back over the letters and I see details that make me noise but there we go step by step, thank you for your reading, blessings.
I enjoyed reading your story. The story of transformation and rediscovery that you narrated deeply moved me. I found it inspiring how the protagonist, despite their introverted nature, ventures to take a small step to regain lost love.
Greetings, @rdsmas
I´m sorry for the delay in answering, it's the days of December that leave little to the action wanted. Thank you for being part of this written journey and I hope you have managed to reach the good port of the stories, I appreciate your time, thank you.
I really loved reading this story as everything felt real.
Wow, this is a very nice story with creative imagination.
I hope the language skills will help me to better translate what I want to express, so I really appreciate the time to read my writings. Happy new year.