CATEGORY: Memoir
AUTHOR NATURE-OBSERVATION You might wonder, reading this, why in the world my former husband and I ever divorced. Trust me. It was for the good of the planet.
"How long have you been looking for this thing?" Lane asked, amused as always by my obsessions. Since the divorce I've amused him, anyway.
"At least 40 years," he continued, answering his own question.
I couldn't believe he was coming with me on a search for the phantom orchid, aka cephalanthera austiniae. Long ago when we were married, he wasn't interested in my botanical adventures. But after Bay's wedding discussion ended, he asked what I was doing for the rest of the day. When I told him of my quest, he said he'd like to join me.
"We're getting along so well, I'm feeling lucky," he observed. "I think I'll be the one to spot your mystery plant first."
He was making this into a competition. I smiled at the familiarity.
"Why the Ohanapecosh, though?" he asked. "I thought you told me once phantom orchids were extinct around Mt. Ranier."
"I thought they were," I said. "But I stumbled into the blog of someone who claimed to have found a few in the Valley. In four different spots! Oh, Lane, what if I can find them, at last?
I couldn't believe he was coming with me on a search for the phantom orchid, aka cephalanthera austiniae. Long ago when we were married, he wasn't interested in my botanical adventures. But after Bay's wedding discussion ended, he asked what I was doing for the rest of the day. When I told him of my quest, he said he'd like to join me.
"We're getting along so well, I'm feeling lucky," he observed. "I think I'll be the one to spot your mystery plant first."
He was making this into a competition. I smiled at the familiarity.
"Why the Ohanapecosh, though?" he asked. "I thought you told me once phantom orchids were extinct around Mt. Ranier."
"I thought they were," I said. "But I stumbled into the blog of someone who claimed to have found a few in the Valley. In four different spots! Oh, Lane, what if I can find them, at last?
"Aren't you glad for the company?"
I was. Then I thought, maybe we've found something rare at this late juncture in our lives. That elusive species between a man and a woman - friendship.
I was. Then I thought, maybe we've found something rare at this late juncture in our lives. That elusive species between a man and a woman - friendship.
No comments:
Post a Comment