Reflections

Foreboding

• By fannieb
• June 27, 2015
• No Comments

Celeste felt uncomfortable about what might unfold that day. Though earlier she had felt particularly at peace in her emotions and thoughts, she now felt a slight bubbling just under the surface of her composure that seemed to portend doom. An unwelcome undercurrent was there. Perhaps the changing of the skies so quickly, in a matter of minutes, from fluffy white clouds where patches of blue sky seeped through to thick, heavy gray ones whose downward pressure was palpable in the humid air. Whatever its source Celeste was left feeling a bit concerned that something untoward would soon be broadcast as “BREAKING NEWS”.

It was a Friday too and though this day of the week was always a reason for most to celebrate, Celeste faced Fridays with slight apprehension and a tentativeness. She couldn’t help herself, one too many things had gone wrong in her life on Fridays. And for the sake of the masses who were in such bright spirits as they awaited their release from the prisons they incarcerated themselves in Monday through Friday, she had felt obligated to pretend to be chipper too, even on those days when she felt her world was crumbling.

But that evening when the day was being recounted on the nightly news she began to relax. The lead story confirmed that the day had appeared to be a good one. There had been no real reason for her apprehension, or so she thought. It had been a tremendous day in America; gay couples across the United States were now legally permitted to get married in any state they chose to. No doom or gloom welcome at this party. This news story buttressed her spirits, but also made her question her instincts from that morning. After the ten minute coverage of constitutionality of gay marriage in America, the news turned grim as the sky had earlier. David Muir began to report on the terror attacks that had occurred in three different countries and which claimed the lives of 38 people, many tourists on vacation in Tunisia. The newscast aired images of beach sand curdled by blood.

The day turned out to be a mixed bag of both celebratory and horrific events. As she reflected on this historic date, June 26, 2015, her thoughts stopped suddenly as she was reminded of another piece of personal history. She wondered to herself, June 26. Was this the day I learned that Daddy was dying? Celeste couldn’t remember with 100% certainty but she was pretty sure it was. She knew exactly how she could confirm this. She’d found out about her father’s dire condition on the one-year anniversary of the death of Michael Jackson. So Celeste entered the date in the Google box on her laptop and before she could complete typing it, it auto populated with “June 26, 2009 Michael Jackson”. At that moment she knew for sure and a chill ran down her spine at the realization of why she felt so disturbed that morning.

Photo Credit: Russ Allison Loar