Summer...

...That year was a strange experience. One of turbulence and contrasting weather. Whilst one day we would bake, the next we would drown. It was a strange experience, one of ghosts: one day living one day dead.   

One day whilst walking in the summer of that year, I came across an old friend, Jimmy Dean. He was sitting on a dry stonewall, not far from where he left his car. We greeted each other in our by now customary manner, befitting of the living to the dead, somehow shook hands and I stopped to share the craggy old wall. It seemed quite fitting to rest there, high, looking down on the places of my childhood and the ghosts it contained.

We were silent for quite a while contemplating the beauty of it all when all of a sudden he jumped from the wall, pulling me with him and he ran down amongst my memories, all the while he had me by my collar and shook me until I feared for my life. I could not understand why such a friend would turn on me so quickly and without warning, and there he left me, without explanation or benediction.

One day, one week later in the summer of that year I met him again whilst out walking. We shook hands, exchanged greetings as if nothing had happened. He asked me to sit with him again and without hesitation I did, throwing aside my caution and my fear to share that dry stonewall. We talked awhile and he was the first to speak of the week before.

He was sorry. He did not wish to cause me pain, and to make amends he said I could share his wall for as long as and when I wished.  Now happy and again trusting I accepted his open offer and said I would return.

Another week later in the summer of that year I came to stay. Our customary greeting was now re-installed. I had no reason to doubt or fear him. Or so I thought, for on arriving I found not just Jimmy but three of his friends, leaving no room for a fifth on that dry stone wall and despite our customary greeting and despite the introductions it was not long before Jimmy had forgotten I was there and he disappeared back into their previous world, leaving me amongst the unkempt grass at the foot of that dry stone wall.