Pleasant Picnicking — A True Love Story
Romance amid fall winds, underneath an orange monochrome sunset.
First year anniversaries can be so taxing or very tantalizing, depending on the occasion. They either evoke whimsical emotions or the dread of being alive long enough to remember what happened a year ago. Second year anniversaries either lessen the pain or motivate the joy of what’s to come.
I reveled in my relationship. He and I. I and him. We made each other laugh and smile at every given moment, feeling like energetic teenagers in love for the first time. Our minds were intertwined in each other’s presence. Our heartbeats synchronized as one.
My fondness for cool winds, grassy knolls, a panoramic view of trees swaying from their majestic tops; began trickling over into his list of interests. Soon, an evening of dinner and a movie would start with a walk in the park near my condo.
After a tough month of working then paying bills, we had very little funds in our bank accounts. We marveled at how a 1.75 mL bottle of Chardonnay, a box of saltines, deli ham, and American cheese goes a long way. Add in a homemade sweet potato pie from my oven, and we were in heavenly bliss in the park. Not a care in the world.
This is how we changed it up a bit. Enough of the television and being cooped up inside, we were infinite beings in an urban jungle separated by our DNA, but combined by our love. Laying on my back, staring at the sky and clouds. From three o’clock skies of periwinkle blue in the summertime to the rustic orange of a sun setting at six o’clock in the fall, behind us. I enjoyed my being in his presence.
Our second year anniversary and I had a taste for restaurant foods, and nature was the farthest thing from my mind. I knew a surprise was in store for me by the way my stomach felt like knotted pants during the spin cycle of a washing machine. We hadn’t talked about our anniversary plans except for him telling me in a smooth, calm manner, “Don’t worry about it.”
Of course, I was worried. I wouldn’t be the nostalgic Capricorn I am today if I didn’t worry or have anxiety, anticipating and overanalyzing about what was going to happen next. His car transported us to my favorite park in Houston. Hermann Park.
Green grass, artificial looking like a new bouquet of faux flowers. I saw two people standing near a set up in the park, dressed as banquet servers with their creased white button-down shirts, crisp black vests, and bow ties. I couldn’t imagine how uncomfortable they must have been, which held my attention for a moment. It hadn’t dawned on me at that moment that this lavish, orchestrated set up was prepared for me and him. He and I. I and him.
With just a gentle grasp of his hand covering mine’s, he guided me to the setup where a picnic awaited. As we walked, I felt as if the birds were paid by my boyfriend to serenade and chirp for us as we approached the picnic layout. Their song, poetic, yet classical in execution. The moment was just right.
Under the tallest and majestic of oak trees that covered the sun with shade in the park, the layout took my breath away. I was amazed by the normal variation of meat and cheese charcuterie, donut holes stacked into the shape of a pyramid, alongside a tray of macaroons of the same pattern, tuna fish sandwiches cut into squares without the crust, fried chicken wings, and large bucket with five bottles of champagne on ice.
I couldn’t keep my mouth closed, I was amazed by the meticulous, extreme detail of how he made this year’s anniversary about me. All of my favorite things. I knelt down, guided by my beau on October 13th, in celebration of our second anniversary. He sat down beside me, giving a nod to our servers to begin our date.
We embraced as the wind blew around us, shifting the smells of dew, distant smells of the zoo nearby, and the aromas of fresh food before us.
Nature was good to us that day and for many days to come as we enjoyed an orange monochrome sunset. Despite the darkness that tried to find us, our servers set up lights, dim enough to keep the ambience of romance circulating between us, but lit enough so we didn’t have to enjoy our food and adult beverages in the dark.
This was the epitome of perfect, pleasant picnicking that I would forever remember.
Please read a couple of great stories about enjoying nature from fellow Mediumites of our Reciprocal publication:
Thank you, Sahil Patel, for inspiring us to continue our creative with the art of writing. Your writing prompts help us think about the simplest of things many take for granted.
