Shorts stories about/from/ or onto benches.
BENCH 33 : At dusk, when the sun goes down over the harbour, I look at the grass, the trees and the lights announcing darkness. I sees the flags being moved by the wind. I sees the cranes in the distance, now sleeping; they elevate places during the day. I hear the water, I see you leave.
BENCH 32 : The symmetrical building, though pretty, was also utterly ugly. Its linearity was making it pretty, but its materiality and colours made it look stern, authoritarian even. It was overlooking the city with some air of je sais tout. Its door, perhaps, was the only colourful part. A mistake in its architecture, for sure. Yet spiritually empowering the whole structure. It looked a little alien to the rest, but it was there proudly saying : I am so much more fun.
BENCH 31 : The bricks have been painted black, they give a strong contrast the glazed ground floor and the gold lettering. It has been turned into a hotel, and I dream of us to book a room. It gives onto a street with beautiful red-brick buildings which you (and you only) will find stunning. It is near by a walkway with trees, one similar to the avenues of Paris, a little less so, but the feeling is there. Tell me you’ll be here soon, so we can go and walk these streets together.
BENCH 28 : I bought a piano today. There is this store, here, on the green belt, it sells piano. I walked in, to have a look, and walked out; with a piano certificate, a warranty and, a proof of purchase. I gave your address for the delivery, as I have no home currently. I hope you don’t mind, it shall arrive next week. With love, your future musician.
BENCH 27 : I looked at the trees earlier. It stands opposite a bench. It stands on a patch of land, in between two roads. It stands, it lays, there, still, listening to the people talking. Hearing the ambulances passing by. It over looks three houses on one side and it sits low opposite the police station. It lays there, silent and lonely. I shall come and occupy this bench more often. The view is not spectacular, but the bench is comfortable.
BENCH 20 : I walked around the park today. You know, that stretch of land near Augusta. Well, it is now a park and I walked around it today. I was bare feet, and sensed the grass under my feet. I had forgotten how it feels. I left my shoes in the park. I came home without them. I had to go back to the park today. After I have left my shoes. I had to go and pick them up, but I was so tired. I laid near by and fell asleep. When I woke up my shoes were gone.
BENCH 19 : I was waiting for the bus - near the bus stop. I was waiting for you to return at the bus stop. But you never came back, so now I seat still opposite the bus stop and wait. I wait for someone else to come. I wait for someone one to come. I wait for someone to illuminate my life, like you used to. I wait for a nice girl, with long hair to lay on me and read a book. I wait for her red hair to caress me when the wind blows. I wait for her naked feet to walk all over me. I wait for her to lay, her belly against mine, as she readjust her skirt. I wait for her to move, to find a new position. I long for the days someone like her comes.
BENCH 18 : It must have been the holidays for like ever, as I have not heard the bells for quite some time. You must have been out of town. The all of you. Your friends, the teachers and you; for I have not seen your faces for quite some time. You must be somewhere south. Letting the sun fondle with your face. Your feet into the sand and the water hugging them slowly. You must be there, right? This is where you are? When I feel so lonely, I remember you telling your friends about the south. You say : “And there is this person selling donught, he pretends their are alien eggs”. You mentioned the fireworks of the 14 Juillet. I never know what this means, but I like you saying it. It must have been the holidays for like ever, as I have not heard the bells for quite some time.
BENCH 11 : You know, if they would have put me a little more to the east, I would have had the best view in the whole of the city. I would be seeing the long stretch of avenue running opposite for miles. I would see its trees aligning in a magical perspective. I would see all the lines. I would see the side entrance to the hospital, and the entrances to the newest brick buildings in town, the cubes. I would see people crossing from all four corners of the junction. I would see all this and make stories about it all. Instead, I see the bins, one zebra and the large facade of the hospital.
BENCH 10 : You know, I must be the most lucky bench in the whole of the city. I see the restaurant windows of an elderly home. The beautiful reds drawing carefully two symmetrical elevations. Hiding, in parts, the building there is behind. I guess the terrace of the restaurant, I see trees and umbrellas. I see the terrace’s edge in line with the grey line of the restaurant facade. This frontage looks at me, patiently, with a caring touch. And sometimes, when the angle of the sun is right; I am moved by its reflections onto the windows. I see elderly people walking outside, they sat with me sometimes. And they tell me stories.
BENCH 09 : I have finally been put into the ground. I promised you, that once I would have settled in, I will write you a note about the place. We promised it to each-other, remember ? Just before we boarded the van. And when I left, I heard you say: write me, will you? I mumbled yes, but I fear this was rather to low for you to hear. But I hope this small note will reassure you. Anyhow, I have finally been put into the ground. From where I stand, I can see four structures, and I can guess two other. Four of which are made of bricks, one of stone and one most likely made out of wood. But they are not all sensational. The three main ones, the one I can look at the most, are three residential properties. Similar in style, these rather small city-mansion differs in many aspects. Their hues varies, the first is of a vivid orange, the second of a natural light brown (with shades of a pale yellow) and the last is of a colourful brown. They each have a balcony on the second floor. And all have steps leading to the entrances. One only has two floors, when the two other counts three. Each of them has one large window and another perforation per floor. The middle one, has no stairs leading to the entrance, giving it the opportunity to have a much larger door. The furthest one onto my left is my favorite. It has more details and some decorative features. I must leave you now, for I have just realised that I do not have an address for you. Second, because someone just sat on me, and it has become harder for me to concentrate. With love. Your bench.
BENCH 02 : It is always the same story. The walk in that building, come out, sit and cry. They walk in with papers, always looking pretty. And then they leave, their papers are all over the place, they press it onto their bodies, trying to avoid any of them to fly. And then they see me. They cross, and they sit, a little later: they sob. I am exhausted. I can’t anymore. I feel like soon, I will have cracks into my skin. I never know much about them. Nor do I truly know what happens in that building, but I can’t spend another day here, trying to comfort people. Or allowing them to wail.