Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, in another chapter, in another land.
There was a Blue-Eyed Man and a Green-Eyed Woman. Over the years they became fast friends at their place of employment.
The years went by and the Blue-Eyed Man and the Green-eyed Woman found their lives moving along similar paths. They talked for long hours before and after work about the intricacies of raising children and the lost intimacies seemingly leading to their respective divorces.
Work spouses. The Blue-Eyed Man and the Green-Eyed Woman spent more time together than they did with their respective partners. People talked, gossiped, started rumors. They didn’t care…
It was no surprise to either of them the night they fell together in bed, hungry for touch and tenderness. Something to know they were still capable of something more. Nothing less than something more.
They cheated on their respected spouses and it just didn’t matter. They never saw it as a betrayal. Guess they both knew it was over.
The Blue-Eyed man would find excuses to come down to the canyon that summer to see the Green-Eyed Woman. They would take lunch in one of the meadows, along the Purgatory, in a hidden canyon, on the rim of the swimming hole, Eating and loving and enjoying the scenery. The Green-Eyed Woman knew all the best out-of-the-way-hidden-from-view-spots.
When the Blue-Eyed man and his Beloved got together, it was both a relief and heartbreaking. Heartbreaking because the physical intimacies would have to end, but relief that they could remain as close as they ever had been with no fear of being the dreaded “ex” at work. The Green-Eyed Woman asked only for one thing. That The Blue-Eyed Man never abandon her as a friend, His Beloved knew they had slept together. The Green-Eyed Woman respected her insistence on not sharing. His Beloved respected the depth of their friendship in return.
So sweet, The Blue-Eyed Man would steal a kiss when his Beloved wasn’t looking and whisper in the Blue-Eyed Woman’s ear, I will never forget, dear. You are forever in my heart and soul.
The Green-Eyed Woman snuck in from Hawaii for their wedding after telling them she couldn’t make it. My god did they celebrate. His Beloved and The Green-Eyed Woman shared a slow dance with love and acceptance in their hearts.
9:15am, October 4th, 2011. The Blue-Eyed Man touched the Green-Eyed Woman’s soul as she was dressing. A curious, warm, thought of their hearts as one – as they had been 5 years previous. Another thought of needing to make a call. And while the Green-Eyed woman thought the call she would make was to the Blue-Eyed man, that call was made later to her mentor, brother, protector, friend, wildland firefighter, the Brown-Eyed Man who was called by the name of the Honey wine she so loved and who affectionately called her “Trouble”.
Two hours later, at 11:18 am, the Green-Eyed Woman got the call. The Blue-Eyed Man’s Death. His Beloved broken. Flight for Life from the canyon where she lost control of their vehicle. Where they were both ejected, She was trapped and crushed under the truck. His lifeless body on the other side of the road. No one could make heads or tales of the footprints in front of the truck one set leading to The Blue Eyed Man’s body and no set back to where his Beloved lay with her tennis shoes still on, pinned under the truck. They didn’t return her shoes for 6 months. The tread matched the footprints in the soft earth.
Do you believe? The Green-Eyed Lady does. Two people but only one can die. Who decides? The Green-Eyed Woman doesn’t believe in god but she does believe the Blue-Eyed Man made that choice for his Beloved that day.
The Green-Eyed Woman thinks of him often, his picture hangs in the office. He visits in the night.
The Green-Eyed Woman misses the Blue-Eyed Man. That scar…it’s still raw. It’s not been made manageable by time. It lives with all the things of grief in her heart.
The Blue-Eyed Man never broke his promise to the Green-Eyed Woman. Even in his death.
The Green-Eyed Woman can’t remember when she wrote this. Maybe it doesn’t matter.
Sands of Time 