Tuesday, February 11, 2014

It takes the cake.



What a crazy beautiful day this is. Sunshiny, clear, a light wind every now and then, temperatures in the 30s. I have the day off hence this morning I set out as soon as possible to taste the weather, to wander. The sky was intense, full of cirrus clouds that were radiant with presence. Do you know what I'm talking about? On days like today, I can't take my eyes off the sky.

It's not just beautiful. There's a sense of power in skies like DC's this morning. A storm of one kind of another is headed our way. Cirrus clouds foretell these things. In addition, in the Reyaverse, this kind of sky indicates that celestial dignitaries are swooping down close enough to get a look at us, or maybe transact some kind of business.







On my mind was my latest episode with cake. It's a long story not worth repeating. The quick version is that some cake I bought from the historic and once fabulous Watergate Pastries ended up in the garbage, not only because the shop was closed by the Health Department yesterday (though the door was open and the woman gladly sold me cake, the red sign was prominently displayed on the front door). The cake was old and tired. Why I bought the old cake even though I saw the Health Department sign is worthy of contemplation. I was under the spell of what once was, the Watergate Pastries of song and story. Even though clear evidence that that era had ended was right in front of my eyes, I proceeded to buy three slices. When I left the chateau, I was determined to buy cake. I wasn't going to let a little Health Department closure sign stop me.

I guess! As soon as I saw the shop was closed, I should have turned and walked away. But I went in and bought three slices, only to toss them out without even a taste.

This morning I was thinking of this as a piece of inadvertent performance art. Also wondering, it were a dream, what would it symbolize? I decided it pointed to the truth that, even though what's done is done, I can still hang on to my romantic illusions. The experience has the flavor of divorce to it, a wake up call. I'm now divorced from the idea that the Watergate is still glamorous, also from my self identity as a lover of cake. The truth is, I'm really picky, and most cake gives me a stomach ache even if it tastes good. I am not a cake person after all. I had to buy a lot of cake, then even throw cake away, to get it. But I did open my eyes to a different version of "the truth." There are many truths!




There's some kind of parable in all this, I'm sure of it. Until I can find suitable language to describe it, I will continue to wonder. This is the way of life.

Shalom.



5 comments:

  1. I am still thinking that you missed a crafting challenge with those nasty cakes...We had a brick of Velveeta cheese for seven years, built a shrine around it and celebrated it every year with a "tasteless person's party" ...it had not changed one bit! Scary, then friends moved away, no more parties, no more cheese.

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  2. Though you think you might not have articulated it well, you have. I know exactly what you mean.

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  3. OMG, Linda Sue. A velveeta shrine? You are a goddess.

    Thanks, ain't. It's a relief that you understand.

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  4. LOL -- I love the Velveeta shrine. When I was in college we had a steak in the freezer for years. We celebrated its birthday a few times.

    I'm sorry you had to toss the cake, Reya, but if it's any consolation, I get like that about certain places, too -- I hold on to romantic ideas even when it's obvious the romantic days are long gone. (If they ever were at all!)

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  5. I'm not a big cake fan, never have been even as a child. I guess I like cake OK, it's the frosting that I don't care for. but if I am choosing a dessert, it's never cake, if I have a choice.

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