Last Monday I walked here. The sky a cerulean blue. The sunlight a bright butter gold as it fought with the damp air off the ice in the gulf.
I rested on the rough rusty yellow pipe on the bridge where the brook crossed Cabot Street. I listened as the water gurgled in laughter, happy that the thick ice it wore a few days earlier was gone. In the adjoining park the cries of the seagulls blended with the moan of the wind. The wind tugged at my winter coat and hurried me along.
As I crossed from Cabot to Hillview Avenue, the sunshine glinted off the window panes. A door opened and the smell of cinnamon grabbed me. I could taste it. My mind raced, my nerves buzzed with endless questions. Questions like were they professional people drawn to putting words on paper.
With hesitancy I entered the split blue doors of the Southend Community Centre. The long two story brick building. A large white painted crescent with blue steel siding above and green eaves decorated the building.
I hurried upstairs and on the second floor landing I met a friendly lady who directed me to the room. In the room I was warmly welcomed by a gracious lady whose enthusiasm and warmed by her wonderful laugh made me feel at home. She quickly explained the program and asked me to take a seat.
Here I was in the magic room where imaginary worlds of the past and future collided with the present. A place where psychic windows of the soul open people’s minds, that spoke of dreams, of experiences and of hope. How astonishing to share their innermost thoughts; to marvel at their skills to create new worlds.
Then I was introduced to the group.
When all were seated the lady instructor took a felt marker and wrote on a flip chart a number of clichés, phrases related to the use of the word green. She explained the exercise and gave a time limit for us to use as many of these on our tablet. And with the click, click of pens we began.
What amazed me was the speed and clarity with which the class wrote. Some had written two to three pages. I had seven sentences when the time expired. Needless to say I was highly embarrassed. It was like living in the castle of the Jolly Green Giant, sitting drinking green tea and staring out the window wondering when the lawn would be green with grass. Then all read what they wrote and it was impressive.