It's A Beautiful Day

This piece is based on the events of this afternoon. It was a mostly uneventful day, but I worked my imagination and came up with this thing. Its dedicated to John, Tina, and Nedjo, inspiration all.

*Note on Background Music: "Don’t Fear the Reaper" Blue Oyster Cult

"Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues" The Eels

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It was one of the most beautiful days anyone could remember - the air sparkled over the campus, over the rows of golden bodies lying on top of towels and sweatshirts, the incredibly green grass, and the day was blessed by a blue sky only seen in touristy postcards.

There was a certain stillness in the air - one of those days when sounds were muted, a dreamlike quality in which bodies and objects moved, a slow motion you saw and believed.

Apparently, it had already gotten too much to Nick, wearing a thick blue hooded sweatshirt even in the unusual warmth of the day. The hood over his head, shading his eyes that were locked upon the dog-eared pages of some book by some obscure author - he was suddenly and rudely shaken out of his rudely by a firm shake and a familiar voice.

"Hey, you sloth. We’re heading down to the House. Are you in?"

Nick blinked, his unfocused eyes first staring into the harsh white light of the sun, then settling upon the smiling face of Anna.

"Huh? What’s up?" he asked dumbly. Anna rolled her eyes,

adjusting her backpack to her left shoulder. "We’re getting some burgers and fries and a little of this sunshine," she drawled. She leaned in close until the back of Nick’s throat closed. "Seriously, Nick. Are you stoned right now? Don’t lie to me."

Nick forced a nervous laugh. "Nah, I’ll come. I’m going to go get Casey from the dorm then. He’ll want to come to."

"Of course," replied Anna, already heading away without looking back. Nick stared after her for a moment that seemed longer than it really was, then went back to the rooms with his book.

Incidentally, four people met up at the edge of woods to the House. Virginia had a set of earphones around her neck, chomping violently on some gum. Anna gave an apologetic shrug and a knowing glance towards Casey. Nick stared at Virginia for a minute.

The path to the House was easy, bordered by towering cypresses. The four friends could hear the crash of the ocean surf from not too far away, the freakish cry of the gull, and the buzzing of lazy spring bugs.

They were walking along the white winding path when suddenly a golf cart came along, crazily veering left and right. Anna gave a helpless little scream, and as the rampant cart passed, a benevolent-looking, white haired man grinned, saying "Sorry, don’t know who to run over first!" The four gave each other strange looks, then laughed. Anna made a crack about being killed by one of the pansy things.

At the House they ordered burgers for each of them at the counter, pushing their crisp bills before the cook/busboy/cash register person. They grabbed clear plastic cups filled with ice and soda or ice tea and went outside into the sunlit patio, where bunches of white plastic tables and chairs had been set up.

There was silence for a while, as each of them stared around them, taking in the beautiful scenery before them. It wasn’t their fault that a famous golf course also happened to be part of their school’s backyard. Anna suddenly swatted at an invisible bug, and the moment was broken as Nick settled once more into his novel, Virginia dug out pen and paper and began to draw a picture of a puffing demon, and Casey rolled a chunk of ice around in his mouth.