The Blovel #1
The smell of patchouli fills the air as the sun beams that enter through the towering white framed windows cut through the classroom and dance with the smoke from the burning incense. Coltrane plays through the blue-tooth speaker that sits upon the massive, hand-made, red cedar desk at the head of the class. It’s shellacked to perfection and can sit six co-eds eager to know more about the after-hour whereabouts of the professor that purchased the bureau they frequent. He constantly reminds them to find comfort in the less flattering auditorium style seats there tuition has yet to upgrade. He wears a tailored black and white houndsooth suit with an open collared white shirt with adjacent black pocket square. His black and white saddle oxfords remind his students that even though he shows a little grey in his beard, he knows a little more than they would assume.
He walks among his pupils with an affinity for the genre greater than their appreciation yet he encourages them to allow the music to move their pens. “This is an exercise in letting go and letting it happen. So often we allow our thoughts to dictate to us what we put down on our pages; don’t think, just write. Let the melody dictate your efforts.” Coltrane plays thunderously through the speaker. He observes his students closing their eyes and inhaling the marriage of the saxophone and piano and ingesting the emotions he expresses leaving them in a sentimental mood. Some write, some ponder, some fill page after page and some just a few words. He observes them all as the song plays. When the song comes to a close he speaks to his young writing enthusiasts, “Creative Writing isn’t always about finding the right words; sometimes its about letting the words find you. And with that, have a great Spring Break everyone. See you all in about ten days! Don’t drink too much and please, please don’t end up on the internet. Be well!”
Buxton left the auditorium faster than his students. He loved being a creative writing professor but, like most education professionals, he loves his breaks! He walked briskly away from the students that eagerly asked him which vacation destination he was going to in hopes they would see him. He knew it was grossly inappropriate but he never fed into the advances. He loved his career choice and no twenty-something year old young lady would ever detour him from his plans, no matter what she was offering.
He walked through campus to get a glimpse of the sun at its peak. He never looked directly into the sun but loved the warmth and vigor the sun brought to the world. He noticed how alive campus would be on bright, sunny days, however today campus is scarce as everyone is leaving campus for Spring Break. Normally Buxton stays in town. He knows that vacations at this time, especially the heavily flooded, not too expensive student destinations could pose a huge issue for him if he is even seen at such a place, however, he has taken the opportunity to join his best friend Jeremy on a trip to the Dominican Republic.
As he reached his four door, hard top matte black Jeep Rubicon with limo tint and matte black twenty inch rims, he felt this cell phone vibrating in his pocket. He pulled the phone from out of his pocket and saw it was Jeremy. “Buxton! What the hell are you doing? I thought you were meeting me at my place at 2:00?” “I’m on the way Jeremy. I ended class a bit early but there’s some traffic getting off campus.” “We can’t miss this flight B,” Jeremy responded. Buxton replied, “I’m on the way.”
Buxton and Jeremy get to the airport in time to have their bags checked for their international flight and and find an airport bar to sit at and have drinks. Both gentleman sit at the end of the bar and order their respective favorites: Cabernet Sauvignon and Johnnie Walker Blue. As Jeremy sips his Blue Label, he is excited about the week they will be spending in paradise.
“Bux, are you excited bro?”
“Yeah I’m excited man, but I know I’m going to have to spend the majority of my time watching out for you. The last time we went somewhere it was crazy.”
“Ay look Bux, that was the old me; I’m different now. I got my shit together.”
“Yo, you just got divorced last year and you’ve been sleeping with anyone available to you. I’m not trying to put you out there J, but we are going to the DR and I know your’re going to do your thing. I just hope it comes with less drama than before.”
“C’mon Bux. Forreal? I was just having a good time. Nobody got hurt.”
“Yeah! That’s because I saved both of us from that woman’s husband by pulling you out the room and leaving out the back door before he got up the stairs.”
“But you were right there with me with her friend.”
“Her friend wasn’t married either J. Ay look, I’m not on that anymore. I’m getting a bit tired of the short lived romances. I want something long term. I want more than the moments in time. Anyway, let’s try to enjoy the week.”
As Buxton and Jeremy stand from the bar after paying their tab, Jeremy turns and unknowingly bumps into a woman with her friends and knocks her drink out her hand to the floor. “Oh damn I’m so sorry. Let me uh, let me uh get you another one” Jeremy turns to the bartender to order. Buxton immediately bends to clean up the mess his friend made. As he gets closer to the floor he sees he’s joined by the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. She has short, curly hair, a cocoa brown hue, nice lips, she smells of lavender and she’s wearing glasses; all of which Buxton is immediately attracted to. “Please excuse my friend. He can be a bit clumsy at times.” She replied, “No it’s no worries. I tend to have these interactions all the time. I’m beginning to think it’s me.” Buxton countered, “It could never be you madam. We tend to misstep more often than you. I’ll clean this, I wouldn’t want you to get glass anywhere near you. Let me help you up.” She offered, “No I can do it. I’m a big girl, I’ve been doing things for myself for a long time now.” Buxton retorted, “Maybe it’s time you let someone else carry the burden.” She continued to look at the floor and began to reach out to touch the broken glass. “Please don’t madam. Allow me.”
Buxton reached out his hand to take hers to pull her up from the mess upon the floor. She continued to look at the floor but Buxton assured her that he would handle the mess. Her friends called out, “Girl we are about to leave. Hurry up!” They continued without her as if they knew she would be fine by herself. She lifted her head, pushed her glasses back as they were on the tip of her nose and looked up at Buxton. He towered over her in a comforting way that she found appealing and secure. She liked his lighter complexion and grey accented beard. She didn’t smile but felt the energy of the moment move her towards doing so. “My name is Buxton. Pleasure to meet you...” She leaned into Buxton on her tiptoes, placed her hand upon his chest and moved her face close to whisper into his ear, “My name is Charley, but I have to go now. I’ll see you again.”
Charley walked briskly to catch up to her friends. Buxton swept up the glass and turned to see where she was; she was gone. He felt defeated. How could he let her get away so easily? “You ready Bux? We about to get wild out in the DR!” Buxton grabbed his boarding pass and carry on and walked to their gate. He felt the emptiness of a chance unfulfilled. He wondered if this woman was more than just another moment in time. How would he ever see Charley again?