I am Solitude

South of somewhere and north of nowhere, I sit. Hidden in the mists of everywhere else. Hop a train and ride it here. Don’t blink or you’ll miss me. I’m less of a person and more of a place. Hardly encompassing a score acre of land. Roomy, but close-knit, I fit like a glove. Filled to the brim with trees of all kinds: cedars, oaks, maples. Even a large variety of fruit trees grows strong together in a little corner. Overflowing with rapidly growing flowers, you can’t turn around without seeing a beautiful blossom of any kind, or the promising bud of a little seedling ready to soon bless us with it’s bright and smiling face.

To an outsider, I may seem like nothing more than a wild forest. Watching you lose yourself in the density of my trees and flowers, and waiting with open arms to capture and devour you. But, to the few who reside here, I’m simply home. Every pathway and road clearly recognizable. Every tree and flower as familiar as a family member. It would be a challenge for the locals to ever find themselves truly lost here

There aren’t very many people in this town, just two as far as I know: Bee and Lavender. My little bee is the mayor of the whole town, so I guess that would make her Mayor Bee to be official. She does mayoral things like, well I really don’t know, but she does help keep me looking good. I doubt I really need all that much help though. She’s nice I suppose, to me at least. She’s very tall and lanky. I do wish she would eat more, but she’s always so busy running around with that ax. Oh, please do be careful my little Bee. She’s so fickle too. It seems she only wears striped clothing. Why I bet her whole closet is just stuffed full of all those striped sweaters and turtlenecks and leggings and socks of hers. She loves to wear her little red and white striped wetsuit, who knows why. She’s a peculiar little one, that she is, and a bit of a trickster as well, but still perfectly capable of being a wholesome friend. She is to me.

Then there’s Lavender. He’s not often seen around town. He wears these masks all the time. It can be very unnerving to the others, but you eventually get used to it I suppose. Still, I don’t believe anyone has ever seen his face, not even I. But, that’s how he likes it, so that’s how it goes. No one knows where he came from, where he goes at night, or where he’s hiding in the day. He shows up when he needs to and until then, we leave him be. He’s a botanist of some sort apparently. He experiments and grows all of the gorgeous, innumerable and often times massive flower hybrids here. He’s also an amateur herbalist and takes care of any medical needs that arise here, like the occasional cold, scraped knee, bug bite, or bee sting. If you are ever blessed with the rare chance of meeting him, the most impressionable aspect of him is his voice. It’s markedly beautiful, which is why I must tell of it now. Even through the mask, his voice is crisp and clean; it demands respect. It’s smooth and smokey, captivating the heart in every syllable spoken. All punctuated with an infectiously melodious laugh that seems to displace any and every fear and unease that often is a product of his intimidating presence

Now, do not misunderstand me, when I say there are only two people here I do not mean to say there are only two residents. There are many friendly animals who call me home as well and they are just as important as Bee and Lavender. There are all kinds of animals here: squirrels, horses, koalas, bears. I’ve even seen elephants and penguins here from time to time. It’s never too crowded, those with good intentions are always welcome and those without, disappear. I protect them and they protect me.

That’s another thing too. I am not just a place, or forest, or a home, but an active member of society, just as much as any other resident. I plant and I sow; I keep my paths neat and tidy and I provide nourishment for all of my inhabitants. Most of all, my greatest and most pleasurable job is to simply exist. To be there for a picnic or a birthday party, or just for a chat on a lonely day, gives me an inexpressible amount of joy and satisfaction.

My name is Solitude. I see a lot and I know a lot, but I’m a great secret keeper. I’m a quiet town, filled with excitement, buried secrets, and suspicious incidents, but that’s not really my business to tell.