Canuck'd

Then something happened…

Almost without noticing,

he seemed to find a rhythm with the paddle…

The blades cut the water without splashing,

and with each stroke he felt the power of the Sea beneath him—

beneath him,

not against him…

Faster and faster he went —

and suddenly the skinboat gave a surge,

and he was skimming over the waves,

as fast and free as a seabird…

— in Spirit Walker by Michelle Paver

Sunday afternoon,

across from the Rog,

I was cruising Costco,

for baguettes,

and the research,

which finds me…

And as I looked up,

from the boxes,

of women’s hipster briefs,

and a search,

for just my right size,

I bore witness,

to a recipe,

for disaster…

A husband approached his wife,

and two babies perched in the shopping cart,

for a scene,

right out,

of armageddon…

I saw every tone,

like anyone else,

who was paying attention,

in a ten mile radius,

and it gave me a case,

of flashbacks,

and hives…

What’s that for???

It’s to keep in the car,

for emergencies…

I don’t want that in the car…

It’s in case one of the kids gets a cut…

If one of the kids gets a cut,

they’re going to need a hospital,

not a couple of band-aids,

which is all you’re going to find in there…

Put it back…

Mr. Planningahead stood there,

like a dead 9 volt battery,

as I watched to see what he would do…

Me cheering,

from the aisle,

of ladies undergarments,

for a touchdown…

But my support,

did not reach his peripheral vision,

so he gave in,

gave up,

and left his balls,

over in summer accessories,

with the rejected,

first aid kit…

The next time I looked up,

he was standing,

three feet away from me,

browsing through the math,

workbooks,

for Kindergarten,

and Grade One,

while taking a break,

from the chaining,

as she turned,

into frozen food…

I considered throwing out a line,

about bandages,

and the hot checklist,

but chose,

to stay,

in my own department,

and push on,

into double-smoked cheddar,

and jalapeno jack…

The evening prior,

I sat on my porch,

with an old friend,

who’d dropped by,

on her bike,

like it was the good old days…

We reminisced,

about how my front door,

once revolved,

and how I’d put a stop to it…

I told her that she and her two daughters,

were the last people to drop by,

seven months ago..

What I didn’t reveal,

was that,

after the three of them had left,

Starshine said,

Mama,

I’m exhausted…

I don’t want us to be in the business,

of running,

a walk-in clinic…

I need my space…

Or how I listened,

when someone once told me,

what I already knew,

A home for your children,

should be like a womb…

A sanctuary,

in which to find refuge,

from the outside world…

And when your children,

tell you,

with their words,

and actions,

things like,

Thank you…

Our home,

is my safe place,

then you know,

that despite,

all of the struggles,

and the obstacles,

you’ve completed,

what needed to be done,

even if you didn’t know it,

from your own experience…

Just after puck-drop,

in Game 2,

of the Canucks vs. the Preds,

a stranger walked past my house,

in a steady stream of traffic,

and said,

over his shoulder,

Are you watching the game???

Clearly,

at the time,

I wasn’t…

But I got the message,

and high-tailed it inside,

to remind my team,

that even when it doesn’t feel like it,

in this story,

time,

is on our side…

Licking cookie dough,

from her sticky fingers,

Little Gem just told me,

Mama,

it only takes eight minutes,

for the light from the sun,

to get to the earth…

I learned that a long time ago,

but I thought it was something,

you should know,

right now…