Bits of life

A-21 Words-1350

know about. I heard Elvira exclaiming in wonder. I heard her chiming voice traveling in the wind to the spot where Ashley and I were standing.

“Oh John, what a lovely scene! You know I love horses. We can go riding into the hills and dales and with ease on any one of your horses. They all seem fit and sharp. We should have met earlier than this,” her voice had a slightly regretful timber.

Uncle John took his time and then he answered, “ things do not happen as we expect them to happen. I wanted to meet you several times. But I could not. Why? As my father used to say, events take place as per divine design. They are not delayed a second more nor hurried by a second more. They have their own timing and a fixed place. Don’t you agree?”
We could not hear her answer. We only saw them going to the middle of the paddock where others have already assembled.

Uncle john’s stable boys were in attendance to fulfill the wishes of the guests. My aunt Sarah and mom had chosen the gentlest of the horses. As I was expecting they were getting ready to ride two Shetland ponies, which were supposed to on the best of manners and behavior. They were not spooky like the thoroughbreds which were trained to become race horses. Pedigree was not as important as the training it got from the trainer.
Mom and aunt Sarah got ready with a runner by their side. Horse riding was not new to them being their father’s daughters. They were not like my grandma who enjoyed house hold things like baking and gardening. I don’t see anything wrong with that preference. My mom was a combination of both. She took an interest in domesticated duties like stitching, embroidery and cooking while at the same time she would go out with her brothers to fishing or watching a movie in the nearby town. If she had knitted a sweater each to my uncles then she also won a game or two of tennis with one of them. she was special in many ways. She hardly lost her temper with anyone. The only time I saw her coming down with sorrow was when my dad passed away. This took her a while to come to grips with the hard reality that from now on, she had to shoulder her only son’s responsibility and that she had to live by herself. Her passing interest in needlework had seen her through the thick and thin of life. I was lucky to have her as my mom. God bless her!

Aunt Sarah was altogether a different kettle of fish. She hated cooking but she loved to play the piano. It was mainly because Francis had boasted of being an accomplished piano artist that she took an interest him and was ready to leave home and dedicate herself to whatever Francis was planning for her and her family. Well, that was a different love story completely gone astray. They, I mean love stories came in many hues and varieties. Didn’t they? Look at Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. These two lovers in tender years were torn asunder when it was not possible to belong to one another. Events played a cruel role in their life and love.

Love could be a very difficult emotion to express. Not everyone could do it as easily. The duke in the Twelfth Night or Rosalind’s love for Orlando in As You Like It, went through different tangles in love though finally they succeeded in finding true love. However, for lovers like Othello, it was difficult to think of their lady love talking to another male without suspicion. It was this streak of a strong sense of possessiveness and jealousy that killed true love eventually took the life of the beautiful and sweet Ophelia. Due to reasons like jealousy and envy some love stories are written in blood and became unique tragedies. Sometimes pride came in the way of loving someone whole heartedly and sometimes it was prejudice. Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy represent a love that was shaded and obliterated by uncalled for emotions like pride and prejudice. Writers of different ages and generations had shown the light and grey shades of love in their stories, plays and novels.

Soon I came out of my philosophizing thoughts on love and joined the others in horse riding pleasures planned by uncle John. For myself I selected Sandy the thoroughbred who was already well trained. Ashley was saddled on quarter horse, which I felt was the right choice for a girl who hadn’t ridden in years.

I was saddled on Sandy and I was enjoying the feel of his brown colored refined head, long neck,
sloping shoulders, deep body and muscular hindquarters and strong legs. A thoroughbred like Sandy could be put to many other uses besides racing. It could be used for jumping and fox hunting as well. Anyway, once I was on horseback I became absolutely overcome with the joy of riding. Soon I was riding under the trees like wind. Sandy seemed in a similar mood of extreme enthusiasm and we, the rider and the horse suited one another like the sky and the blue clouds. We rode all way to the end of the town. And there I dismounted and let the horse roam in the turf and graze a bit if it preferred.

Then I saw dust rising and spotted two more riders, Cathy and Ryan. Ryan was holding the reins of Cathy’s horse for the obvious reason. She must be feeling faint judging by the way he was holding her and halting just by the stream side. I saw him getting down and helping her put her foot in stirrup and got her down safely to the ground. After she was standing steadily in the circle of his arms he murmured some soothing words and gave her some water from the bottle he was carrying in the saddle pocket.

Then he spotted me by the end of the road and called out, “Hey Jim, I need your help man. Cathy seems a bit uncomfortable. Could you take back her horse so I can accommodate her on mine and get her home without mishap?”

I was a little alarmed. Horse riding could be a little hazardous for the first timers or beginners. Leg cramps, feeling faint, muscle cramps or spasms were common features appearing on them. When such a thing happens it had always been better for them to be home as soon as possible. So what Ryan was doing looked sensible and the right thing to do under the circumstances. Cathy looked weak and sleepy. The movement on the horseback could have had that effect. There was nothing surprising or unexpected about that, I concluded. I smiled at her.

“Don’t worry Cathy. This is just natural and not extraordinary or out of the common. Any beginner would feel the same as you did. You see there is first time for any sport. We will get you home soon. Tomorrow you will want to ride your pony again, I bet,” I said encouragingly.

“Yes Ryan. I will do that. I can take her horse along the side of mine. Let me first help you to get Cathy on the horse,” I offered.

Soon I was giving her a hand to put her foot in the stirrup and helped her get on the horseback without much trouble. Then Ryan too followed her and putting his hand around her he rode away into the town once again. They seemed lost in one another. Ryan’s expression was inscrutable. Cathy was of course much herself old self by the time she recovered and went on top. She relaxed against Ryan Anderson as though she was used to it. But I could guess her coming home feeling with Ryan taking care of her.

It looked as though another love story was in the offing. What a confusing thing it could be!
Two people who were