The Garden Club by James Gerard (bill gates best books .TXT) 📕

branch of the stream leading into the garden.  He stared at the reflection of the blue sky now dotted with puffs of white clouds hovering above.  The stare trailed up to the water spewing out of the top of the fountain with gobs of droplets smashing onto a rim before cascading down to a pool below.  “Is this what’s life all about?” he whispered.

 

Everything he had believed in attaining or retrieving and the hope in which things thought to bring about happiness suddenly seemed as dark as a night.  They were as the clouds blotting out the light from the stars.

 

The former life was now seen as emptiness.  The reality of a life spent with so much time to do nothing, and in a world that had miserably failed at manipulations to bring about a fruitful purpose for everyone, was self-evident.

 

The realization that the life lived by conventions and the adherence to social norms had always ran contrary to the dreams that had been envisioned long before the war to end all wars.  An epiphany lighted the mind and screamed out that the key to the door he had always sought was always there.

 

Hal sprang up and shouted, "I get it!”

 

Eyes searched out Ron.  Without realizing, his friend had made it to the next rise and stood there motionless.

 

With excitement raging, Hal sprinted pass the gardens towards his friend.  But upon reaching him, before the proclamation could be made, the eyes looked down at a garden so vast that it encompassed the entire plain sitting below the rising hills.

 

“Now that’s a garden,” noted Ron.

 

“You’ll get no argument from me.”

 

Hal strolled down the rise with Ron closely behind.  As they approached the garden’s entryway, an arching lattice constructed of finely hewn wood, all trepidation fled from Hal.  Internal longings churned inside.  A sensational sense of contentment tickled the mind.  It was as if vibrancy, a remnant of it buried deep in the soul, had instantly been rejuvenated and came into the forefront of consciousness.

 

“Are you up for an adventure?” asked Hal.

 

“You’re not going to overanalyze again are you?”

 

Hal smiled.  “This reminds me of the first day we stepped into the Rain Forest Park.”

 

Ron walked up to him and wrapped an arm over his shoulder.  “Welcome back.”

 

Hal strolled under the arched entrance and took immediate notice to what could only have been the loving and warm hands that nurtured each and every plant to life.  Just the sight of the floweres and their colors of violet and yellow and red flowers delicately hanging from stems full of leaves lush with green was heavenly.  Their roots took nourishment in the dark, rich, loamy soil.  Each of the plants were placed perfectly agianst each other to enhance the peaceful setting.  The scene was something so strikingly beautiful that thoughts of paradise came to mind.

 

Then the presence of a smell more intense than the park ever offered was noticed.  The eyes closed as the nose took in a draught of an even sweeter scent of air.  “Ah,” he whispered while expelling the savory aroma from the lungs.  The aroma alone triggered other senses to take in the surrounding beauty.  Birds sang out with chirps.  Cascading water flowing from fountains gently splattered into pools.  Cool air enveloped the face.  Mouth watered in reaction to the abundance of a variety of fresh fruit ready to be plucked off of twigs.  Hands dipped into one of the nearby fountains and brought forth a taste of cold and fresh water.  Eyes looked to the deep blue sky with a few white, puffy clouds and marveled how its face contrasted so perfectly with the lushness below.

 

Hal looked to the winding path ahead and wondered if there could be any more surprises waiting, then looked back and saw Ron paying close attention to the leaves and flowers of certain plants.  A whistling signal was heeded and the two continued up the path.

 

With bright sunshine beaming onto the way just feet away, Hal focused ahead and saw the top of an enormous stone structure reaching high into the sky.  The eyes widened as a majestic scene emerged.  Following a path laid out with stepping stones set in a well-manicured lawn dotted with yellow and purple wild flowers, an obelisk dominated the area.  It appeared to sit in a central square surrounded by the serenity of the vast garden on all sides.

 

Hal felt waves of relaxation wash away any remaining anxiety from both the body and mind.  Calmly, eyes perused the characters etched into the great stone structure from the top to a statue perched at the base, but the message was hidden in what looked to be hieroglyphic form.

 

“Can you believe all this?” whispered Ron.

 

“Believe?” Hal chuckled.  “Seeing is believing.”

 

Ron stepped up closer to the obelisk, turned back to Hal, and pointed.

 

Hal peered over the area awash in brilliant sunlight and smiled.  He had spotted the object while eying the hieroglyphics sitting at the base, but now the figure was identified.

 

A man, sitting in the lotus position, appeared as an angel.  His long, white hair was pulled back exposing a face tanned by the sun.  He was draped in white attire gently flapping in the slight breeze as he sat in meditation.  And though questions popped up as to the man’s origins and identity, Hal squelched the urge to ask a thing and sauntered up to him.

 

“Excuse me.”

 

The man’s eyes popped open and a broad smile appeared.

 

Ron stepped up and stood by Hal’s side.  “You have a beautiful garden here.”

 

“Thank you Ron,” the man replied.

 

“You know his name?” asked Hal.

 

“Why of course I do Hal.”

 

“How….”

 

“You came searching for answers to your questions,” the man said.  “The question I have for you is: Does a flower question the sun?”

 

Hal laughed and looked to Ron beaming from ear to ear.  He did not understand the question posed by the man, but figured its source was from eastern mysticism once practiced around the world.

 

“Well, I don’t know.  Ron?”

 

Ron laughed.  “I think he means any questions we have are pointless.  It's sort of like just let the sun do his work and don’t worry about it.”

 

The man stood and reached behind to the base of the obelisk.  “Actually, I just made it up.  But here you go, your answers are here.”

 

Hal reached out to the man’s stretched out arm and took hold of the object held in the hand.  “A phone?  What….”

 

“It’s about time,” a voice blared out from the speaker.

 

“Kenneth?”

 

“What took you guys so long?”

 

Hal looked to Ron staring back with the same puzzled expression.  Eyes darted about the surrounding garden until the connection between its existence and Kenneth was fused.  “You sneaky devil.  But why?”

 

“Business first Hal.  Did you mess with the console I told you not to touch?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“It violently shook and had to have passed supersonic speed.”

 

“Is that all?”

 

“The automatic pilot turned off and we went sort of out of control, but Dad’s training came into good use and we walked away from the landing.”

 

“Well duh,” said Kenneth.  “Oh well, back to the drawing board.”

 

“Why did you lie to me this whole time?”

 

“Because nothing ever changes Hal.  The old and the new are always the same.”

 

“Then why keep it secret?” asked Ron.

 

“Did you find what you need Ron?” asked Kenneth in response.

 

Hal watched as his friend lowered his head as if in deep contemplation over something that Kenneth knew.  “Yeah, everything I need is here.”

 

“And Hal, did you find everything you need?”

 

“Well…well what….”

 

Ron’s elbow struck Hal’s mid-section.  “No thinking; just answer.”

 

Hal doubled over and wheezed.  “Yeah, I found everything I need.”

 

“Well good,” laughed Kenneth.  “I finally got you in a position to accept my help.”

 

“You planned all this?”

 

“Not exactly.  But when you became all paranoid about the Governor’s death and took off all panicky, everything just fell into place.”

 

“What about the sirens I heard?”

 

“Just a little skirmish between the Hendersons.”

 

“So I’m in the clear?”

 

“Yes Hal.  You’ve been cleared.”

 

Hal stepped away and approached one of the paths to the vast garden.  While muffled, light hearted chattering between Ron and Kenneth was heard.  The thoughts of his mother’s request rang in the ears.  A sudden revelation about his brother came to light.  It was a truth in which the request was always impossible to fulfill since he had always done well regardless of any of the trials and tribulations that pestered his mind.

 

Wondering if there had ever been any logic behind his mother’s impassioned plea, Hal concluded that the whole time the request originated, was nurtured, and made known by the heart and not that of the mind.  The request was simply from a mother’s love for her eldest son.  And maybe, he believed, the request was made as a means to keep the sibling bond alive in spite of being led on different paths.

 

But a self-revelation came to mind as well.  It was a truth that echoed Ron’s sentiments.  Eyes peered into the depths of the garden and into the dimness to see a life that had been razed by the realities that came to be.  The life was made possible by a lust for life that had given way to a life of accepting the disappointing circumstances faced.  Worse, Hal now knew that he gave up not only on himself, but friends and family as well.

 

With head lowered, Hal approached Ron still in light hearted conversation with Kenneth.  “Why would you ever want to help me Kenneth?”         

 

Seconds passed by in silence.

 

“Dad…well Dad told me just before he died to watch after you Hal.”

 

“So you did this all because of Dad?”

 

“No Hal, I did it because I love my little brother.”

 

“Funny,” Hal chuckled, “Mom told me the same thing about you, but you never needed my help did you.”

 

“Your help, no, but the company of my brother, yes.”

 

“Can I come back?”

 

“It’s up to you.  Do you want to stay or come back?”

 

Hal looked to Ron’s piecing stare and smile alighting the countenance almost begging to make a choice to stay.  It was if he was indicating it was time to go back to their first love.  “Could you guys use our help around here taking care of the garden?”

 

“Of course.  Whatever you and Ron want to do is just fine by me.”

 

“Thanks Kenneth,” Ron responded.

 

“Yeah, thanks brother.”

 

“Good then.  Keith will show….”

 

“Who’s Keith?” asked Hal.

 

“I am,” answered the white haired man with a smile.

 

“He’ll show you all the accommodations.  You’re both free to enjoy anything our garden club has to offer.”

 

 “This way gentlemen.”

 

With a nod, Ron motioned Hal over to the side and whispered, “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to take a look around some more.”

 

“You found the plants you need for...for the medication?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Then get to it,” said Hal with a smile and a pat on his friend’s back.  “In the meantime, I’ll go with Keith and check out everything.”

 

Just as Hal stepped on the path a gust of wind struck the face and a clamoring broke the serenity of the moment.  He stopped, paused to listen to the sound of flapping heard but not seen.  With eyes closed and grinning from ear to ear, the imagination sparked.  “The springtime journey is over—I’m home.”

Imprint

Text: James Gerard Burch
Images: Right to use purchased from PETRA-Fotolia.com
Editing: James Gerad Burch
Publication Date: 10-06-2015

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