I was dating
a boy a few years ago and he showed
up two
hours late for our
date because his
job interview ran
over WAY long. The only
reason why I was
still there was because it was
a nice day and
I had
a book to read. So
I sat
there,
outside of the theatre
waiting for
him to
show up for dinner and
a movie night that
week.
When he showed
up he walked
up apologizing and bent
over and kissed
me on the forehead and told
me :
"
I have something that will make
you forgive me." He gave
me his famous
smile as he produced an
apple from his pocket.
I jumped
up and grabbed it
out of his
hands and had the biggest
smile on my
face, it was as though he'd proposed to
me. "Are
you serious? Do
you know...I mean....****!!!!!"
I started trying to form sentences and then he hugged
me and shushed
me.
"
I know what it means, and let
me just say,
a very
wise man told
me what to do and I'm kind of shocked it worked...." He kissed
me and
we went into the
movie.
In case you're wondering
why I sound like a crazy person, it's because in the middle ages giving
someone an
apple meant that
you liked them and would
like to court them. It was
a clandestine way of displaying
affection for
someone. Enamored as
I was with the
boy I was just
happy as
a clam. Since then, the "
wise man" has revealed himself as my very dear
friend and the
boy and
I are now just
good friends rather than an "item." But, the
apple was
still very
cute.
“Josh why are you giving me an empty box?” I asked and he frowned looking down at it struggling with something. I bent down forcing him to look at me and smiled. I wasn’t use to happy go lucky Josh looking so somber and angry. “Throw out your own trash I’m having company I need to get ready.” I said and he glared at me.
“Just open it.” He said and I did. After pulling out about half a ton of baby blue tissue paper I pulled out a candle. This wasn’t just a candle it was in a spiral brass holder. With a little brass handle that curled into an intricate design with another little brass handle the size of my finger that traveled up and down the spiral. I looked up at him (even then he was taller than I was) and he grabbed the candle from me.
“See when two people would start to court each other 'back in the day' the girl’s oldest brother or father depending on which she had would give her a candle. Each time she went out to see the boy or spend time with him the candle would be wound up a little once the candle burnt to that point the girl would have to come home. If they managed to burn out the entire candle then he could consider purposing and the maybe eventually get married.” I laughed and he continued to glare.
“Sorry.” I mumbled taking the candle back. I didn’t really like that he was trying to interfere with one of the most important events of my life and I was a bit impatient. But when I looked up at him I realized he was really struggle with his words really trying hard to get it all out the right way.
“Since dads not around and mom could careless I want you to know that you have me.” I nearly laughed again. He was a bit taller than me and at the time chubby and so harmless looking he was still so young even younger in my newly aged freshmen head. “That if you know…” He stammered around for words and I laughed again. “If you don’t want it I can take it back and give it to Beth!” He said angrily and I twisted out of the way as he tried to grab it back.
“Thanks.” I said and he nodded turning and walking away as fast as he could without running.
It’s all those little things that make everything else worthwhile. My brother and I rarely talk like that anymore both of us really real adults too busy to reminisce about things like that but whether or not he remembers I’ll never forget that. The day my little brother became a man.
Their sweat would get soaked into the apple like a sponge.
That way, once given back, their partner could keep with them an item that always contained their lover's smell.
it sure is.