190
SARAH
PLIMPTON
just mIssmg the tips of the long marsh grass, rising higher in the
strong gusts. The lawn tennis courts are deserted, the nets removed,
the brown earth at the service lines showing clearly in the wet.
Two ducks come in for shelter near a small dock where an old
green rowboat pulls at its mooring rope in the wind, tilting one way
and then another. My windshield wipers begin to squeak, and the
leak in the window rubber drips. The driveway
is
filled with puddles,
the drains clogged, the great drops churning saucer shaped depres–
sions. I can see the candles flickering inside and Mary waves as I
drive past the windows to the garage. I trail through the house leav–
ing wet leaves and cut grass on the floors and rugs.
We spread the papers on the rug, crouching over the dim
print and I read everything and remember nothing; movie reviews,
book reviews, the week's news floats up off the page, sits suspended
flatly in front of my eyes and then drifts away horizontally. I put
on a record, the music spreads through the white room with its low
sofas and long-haired rugs and takes its shape, a square of white ·
walls and a glass window streaming with water. Mary gets up catch–
ing her high heels in the long strands of the rug and opens the door.
The music loses its form and flows out into the next room.
"It's a bad day for a wedding."
"Yes."
We concentrate again , shuffling papers and drinking the cof–
fee that the cook brings on a tray. Water continues to be every–
where, the thunder sounds distantly, lagging after the flashes of
light I see behind the line of trees through the window. They leave
to do other things and I stretch out on the sofa arranging the
rough textured pillows under my head and stare up at the lights that
hang on long cords throughout the room, examine the cracks in the
ceiling and then just stare out the big window at the trees undulating
and struggling out of their tight elastic bathing suits as the water
courses down the glass.
It is a bad day for a wedding, particularly this wedding. Wed–
dings should be in the sun and warmth. Large flowery garden party
hats shpuld drift here and there among the banks of colors, humors
flowing lightly and expansively. Broadly smiling faces should stroll
among the hedges and little girls wearing dresses with stiff white
