The Winding Road
| By |
Raymond R. Laliberte
It was a winding road up that lonely hill and he
walked it slowly and painfully. His
walked it slowly and painfully. His
breathing was hard and labored, not used to
exercise, and he panted. But he deemed it a
challenge, one to his health, his body, and his mind.
He was determined to finish the walk and to reach
the top. The air was cool and a wind stirred the
leaves of the pines and birches. A cool wind rustled
and made the trees true sentinels on that road. It
seemed they swayed and touched their crowns, or
just barely did so, and talked. Did they discuss the
traveler coming up the road? There was nobody
exercise, and he panted. But he deemed it a
challenge, one to his health, his body, and his mind.
He was determined to finish the walk and to reach
the top. The air was cool and a wind stirred the
leaves of the pines and birches. A cool wind rustled
and made the trees true sentinels on that road. It
seemed they swayed and touched their crowns, or
just barely did so, and talked. Did they discuss the
traveler coming up the road? There was nobody
around but him
alone, walking up
that hill, rosy-
cheeked and
panting. The
clouds drifted
aimlessly and yet
put up a shield to
alone, walking up
that hill, rosy-
cheeked and
panting. The
clouds drifted
aimlessly and yet
put up a shield to
the warming sun. It seemed they had a mission that
day: to obscure the sun, to make it cool for the
traveler, to make the breeze sing along the birches
and sway to and fro. A meadowlark made its
presence known, perhaps defying the walker to
approach her post, or perhaps welcoming him to her
meadow. To the twitter tweet of her call came the
answer from her mate in the branches of a fir in the
woods. The male flew in from the forest and alighted
on the branch, with its suppliant posture. They
greeted each other and flew off to their nest for the
night. The sun was setting quickly now and the
stranger reached the crest of the hill now and was
walking off the path to a fallen tree
day: to obscure the sun, to make it cool for the
traveler, to make the breeze sing along the birches
and sway to and fro. A meadowlark made its
presence known, perhaps defying the walker to
approach her post, or perhaps welcoming him to her
meadow. To the twitter tweet of her call came the
answer from her mate in the branches of a fir in the
woods. The male flew in from the forest and alighted
on the branch, with its suppliant posture. They
greeted each other and flew off to their nest for the
night. The sun was setting quickly now and the
stranger reached the crest of the hill now and was
walking off the path to a fallen tree
where he sat down and rested. The sun had
outwitted the clouds and was now below them,
giving them a reddish hue, and the hills and
mountains beyond started to take on the royal
purple that was always their color at this time of
day. Now the trees and forests had colors of pink
and the meadows orange. Nobody ever saw this
sight, except for the man sitting down resting. He
had nowhere to go, but seemed content just sitting
there, admiring this spectacle before him. The man
got up abruptly and walked back to the road and
continued along the path which was now downhill
and which made his step quicker, perhaps because
it was downhill, or perhaps it was because of the
waning day, or maybe it was a combination of both.
The sun was now an enormous red ball, always
showing its last boastful sight at this time of day
before the earth swallowed it up. The man
disappeared down the road that curved into a grove
of white birch on either side. The last rays of the sun
were barely touching the treetops and the
surrounding countryside was becoming paler and
outwitted the clouds and was now below them,
giving them a reddish hue, and the hills and
mountains beyond started to take on the royal
purple that was always their color at this time of
day. Now the trees and forests had colors of pink
and the meadows orange. Nobody ever saw this
sight, except for the man sitting down resting. He
had nowhere to go, but seemed content just sitting
there, admiring this spectacle before him. The man
got up abruptly and walked back to the road and
continued along the path which was now downhill
and which made his step quicker, perhaps because
it was downhill, or perhaps it was because of the
waning day, or maybe it was a combination of both.
The sun was now an enormous red ball, always
showing its last boastful sight at this time of day
before the earth swallowed it up. The man
disappeared down the road that curved into a grove
of white birch on either side. The last rays of the sun
were barely touching the treetops and the
surrounding countryside was becoming paler and
paler, more somber, and to the east was a full
moon slowly rising, still faint from the sun's dying
light. Beyond the trees towards the lake came the
sound of the loons heading for the shores of the
lake and to their nests. The man was gone now
and he was nowhere in sight, perhaps too far from
this meadow where the lark had first greeted him,
or perhaps he was still in the area, but not visible
in the darkening woods.
moon slowly rising, still faint from the sun's dying
light. Beyond the trees towards the lake came the
sound of the loons heading for the shores of the
lake and to their nests. The man was gone now
and he was nowhere in sight, perhaps too far from
this meadow where the lark had first greeted him,
or perhaps he was still in the area, but not visible
in the darkening woods.
Who was this man and where was he going? Is it
someone who dares to go down a path where
nobody has been or rarely goes? What a sight, the
trees in the forests, the sun, wind, birds, sounds of
the forests, etc. It was Nature's gift to that man
alone. The moon was more and more visible now
and filled the sky with light. The sun was down and
the purples and reds of the forests and meadows
were almost black now. Around the bend of white
birch where the man had last been seen ran a brook
at first along the road and then disappeared
underneath the path and re-emerged on the
someone who dares to go down a path where
nobody has been or rarely goes? What a sight, the
trees in the forests, the sun, wind, birds, sounds of
the forests, etc. It was Nature's gift to that man
alone. The moon was more and more visible now
and filled the sky with light. The sun was down and
the purples and reds of the forests and meadows
were almost black now. Around the bend of white
birch where the man had last been seen ran a brook
at first along the road and then disappeared
underneath the path and re-emerged on the
other side of the path, which was forded at this point
by a stone bridge. The water was hardly visible, but
audible as it gurgled its way through brush and stones
and fallen branches. Just past the old bridge came
the faint sound of panting. It was the man again. He
was still there on the road winding to the left away
from the stream, then to the right towards it. On the
right of the man were the watchful eyes of the forest.
A white tail and his doe and fawn were emerging
from the forest toward the road, the buck leading,
cautious and sniffing the air around him. His mate and
deerling were more cautious and held back to the
shelter of the forest. The man heard the snap of
twigs, looked to his right, and quickened his pace.
He seemed frightened in this strange wood, on this
lonely road at night. He was rushing now and panting
more heavily. He was frightened! The forest seemed
alive now with sounds and noises that were foreign
to him. It was no longer the familiar sounds of
chirping birds, rustling leaves, creaking branches,
gurgling waters, but rather sounds he could
by a stone bridge. The water was hardly visible, but
audible as it gurgled its way through brush and stones
and fallen branches. Just past the old bridge came
the faint sound of panting. It was the man again. He
was still there on the road winding to the left away
from the stream, then to the right towards it. On the
right of the man were the watchful eyes of the forest.
A white tail and his doe and fawn were emerging
from the forest toward the road, the buck leading,
cautious and sniffing the air around him. His mate and
deerling were more cautious and held back to the
shelter of the forest. The man heard the snap of
twigs, looked to his right, and quickened his pace.
He seemed frightened in this strange wood, on this
lonely road at night. He was rushing now and panting
more heavily. He was frightened! The forest seemed
alive now with sounds and noises that were foreign
to him. It was no longer the familiar sounds of
chirping birds, rustling leaves, creaking branches,
gurgling waters, but rather sounds he could
not recognize. The hooting of an owl made him
stop, turn around, and holding his breath, he looked
in the direction he had just come from and then
after a few moments, let out an audible gasp. He
turned toward the direction he was going and
continued his walk. He had seen the light of a farm
in the
stop, turn around, and holding his breath, he looked
in the direction he had just come from and then
after a few moments, let out an audible gasp. He
turned toward the direction he was going and
continued his walk. He had seen the light of a farm
in the
distance minu-
tes ago and
he was making
his way to-
wards it. The
light of the
moon guided
him along the
path and he
kept to the
tes ago and
he was making
his way to-
wards it. The
light of the
moon guided
him along the
path and he
kept to the
center of it, not sure of what might be to his right
or to his left. He heard the gurgling of the stream
again which had been a companion to the right off
and on. As he approached the farm on his right,
he let out a sigh of relief. Another hooting owl
made him turn quickly to his left and as he did, he
or to his left. He heard the gurgling of the stream
again which had been a companion to the right off
and on. As he approached the farm on his right,
he let out a sigh of relief. Another hooting owl
made him turn quickly to his left and as he did, he
could hear the
rustling of the almost
silent predator's
wings gliding through
the leaves of the
branches of the trees
in the forest. He
turned back to the
road and continued,
rustling of the almost
silent predator's
wings gliding through
the leaves of the
branches of the trees
in the forest. He
turned back to the
road and continued,
his pace almost a run now. He left the forest
road and started up the small path leading to the
farm, the light from the window in one of the
rooms guiding him and beckoning him forward.
He approached the house and went to the door
and before knocking, he stepped on the mat at
his feet that had dark letters scribbled there that
read "Welcome Weary Traveler". It seemed to
have been put out there just for him. He opened
the door. The old door creaked its heavy weight
on the rusty old hinges and he stepped into the
room, lit by the dancing flames in the fireplace.
There was a pot hanging by the hearth, steaming
and giving the room a pleasant odor of
vegetables and meat. He walked
road and started up the small path leading to the
farm, the light from the window in one of the
rooms guiding him and beckoning him forward.
He approached the house and went to the door
and before knocking, he stepped on the mat at
his feet that had dark letters scribbled there that
read "Welcome Weary Traveler". It seemed to
have been put out there just for him. He opened
the door. The old door creaked its heavy weight
on the rusty old hinges and he stepped into the
room, lit by the dancing flames in the fireplace.
There was a pot hanging by the hearth, steaming
and giving the room a pleasant odor of
vegetables and meat. He walked
in past the comfortable old sofa with the old
quilt draped over one end of the comfortable
old seat, past the old armchair, and went to the
cabinet to take out a bowl and saucer. He then
went over to the pot, took off the lid and
ladled some of the contents unto his plate. He
went back to the cabinet and took out a silver
spoon from the middle drawer, went over to
the chair on the side of the fireplace, sat down
and began to eat.
quilt draped over one end of the comfortable
old seat, past the old armchair, and went to the
cabinet to take out a bowl and saucer. He then
went over to the pot, took off the lid and
ladled some of the contents unto his plate. He
went back to the cabinet and took out a silver
spoon from the middle drawer, went over to
the chair on the side of the fireplace, sat down
and began to eat.
He took out some freshly-baked bread from the
bread warmer and soaked it in the broth of the
stew and ate happily. From another room, he
could hear the heavy steps of the woman
coming to the living room. Rosy-cheeked and
with a smile on her face, the heavy little woman
walked over to the man, kissed him on the
cheek, and walked back into the bedroom. He
was home after a long walk.
bread warmer and soaked it in the broth of the
stew and ate happily. From another room, he
could hear the heavy steps of the woman
coming to the living room. Rosy-cheeked and
with a smile on her face, the heavy little woman
walked over to the man, kissed him on the
cheek, and walked back into the bedroom. He
was home after a long walk.
