In a town where each year on the anniversary of Edgar Allen Poe's birthday
a shadowy caped covered figure leaves a single rose and a bottle of muscatel
on Poe's grave maybe this story is also possible. Could that mysterious form
be Lenore ?
They meet each day around 7:30 AM. Bus stop # 2647 smiled down on them from
his perch at Mother's Gardens and enjoyed this tender weekday reunion of two
of his favorite regulars ,Tom and Anne.
They had been meeting like this for the past fifteen years, smiles on their
faces, arms out held, tender kisses,warm hugs, hand holding, nips at the
neck, a furtive brush of more intimate body parts, quick snippets of
conversations, a laugh, some tears, then disappointment in their faces when
the # 19 Parkville would pull up for Anne or the # 22 Highlandtown for Tom.
They lingered until one had to board a bus and end their stolen morning
happiness.
Only once many years ago did they break their routine and head for a stroll
around the Gardens. The carmine and white dogwoods were in full mid spring
bloom as they stood on the rustic stone bridge looking but not really seeing
the goldfish pond below. Each fingered their separate wedding bands as
BS # 2647 listened in on their conversation.
"Tom, we can't. Both of us are married and not that unhappily to others and
have children."
"But Ann, who would know but us ?"
"We'd know, Tom ."
Thus with a look of resigned consternation ended their one attempt at a
tryst. Oh once in a while BS # 2647 would overhear one or the other try to
initiate another try but the other would end the attempt with , " Remember,
our other families. We can't hurt them."
One day BS # 2647 witnessed a horrific accident. Tom was standing with his
wife when a car hurtling out of control on Harford Avenue jumped the curb and
hit Tom's wife.
Bus Stops can't cry but if they could BS # 2467 would have for Tom.
The next week BS # 2647 watched as Anne worriedly paced his stop and eagerly
awaited each bus for Tom's arrival but Tom was attending to his wife's
funeral and the grief he and his family was feeling. Finally Tom had to get
about his life so the day he appeared at BS #2647 he gave an academy award
performance to Anne and just said he was called out of town suddenly on
family business. He didn't want to tell Anne that he was no longer married
and maybe they could persue their love for each other but the thought of
breaking up her family made him hold his tongue.
They just tightly clung to each other as they let a few busses pass them by
before finally breaking their tender embrace and continuing their
separate journeys.
Their sweet romance went on like this for years even though Anne went through a
painful divorce but she was so like Tom she could not talk to Tom for fear of
breaking up his family.
One day BS # 2647 noticed neither Tom nor Anne appeared at their regular
time and never graced his pavement with soft scenes of unrequited love again.
He wondered a little what had happened to them but he had other passengers
to entertain him and the love of Anne and Tom just became a warm spot in his
memory.
If bus stops could communicate he would have found out BS # 1762 on
Greenmount Avenue had seen both Tom's and Anne's families bringing the
remains of Tom and Anne to their final rest at Greenmount Cemetery on the
same cold morning.
The families, strangers to each other but connected by a slender thread of
love, stared at each other across granite markers as Tom and Anne were buried
not a stone's throw from each other.
Not quite an eternity but many years later..........
"Razinfrasting blasters.", mumbled Steve as he came out of the shop and did
not notice the older bearded man entering. A slight thrump and arms aflying
caused both men to lose their caps and Steve to wind up flat on the carpet
staring at his Oriole cap and the other gentleman's bus driver cap. As he
picked himself and the caps up he noticed the emblem on the older man's cap,
BTC # 2647 not the MTA emblem the drivers wear today.
"Hey, that's an antique you have there, sir. An old Baltimore Transit
Company instead of a Maryland Transit Authority. That goes back to before I
was even born."
"Yup, that was my first hat I got when I started working for the old BTC.
Retired now and pick up loose change by driving young lovers around in a
horse and carriage. Just can't keep me out of the streets. What was your rush,
young man ?"
" Ahh, my car won't be ready today and I have a date tonight with a gal I
have been working on for two months."
" Aw, that be a shame. Ever thought about clip cloping around town ? It can
be quite romantic and not all that expensive. Just bring some wine and chicken
while I give you a tour. Learned a few things about this town while driving
busses. Even know a few places where your gal just might want to hold on to
you a little tighter. No bucket seats separated by a console. Just a fine
leather seat that was made for cuddling." With a click click of the mouth and
a wink of the eye the old man finished selling the ride and made a deal to
meet Steve at Meena's house later that night.
The old man was true to his word. He regaled the young couple with tales
of long ago and they hardly noticed as he turned the carriage under the stone
arched entrance to Greenmount Cemetery, burial place of Baltimore's famous
and infamous. Founding fathers and Civil War heros lay with highwaymen and
even John Wilkes Booth. Eighteenth and nineteenth century funerary statues
abound amidst tall oaks and gives the feel of another more restful place
than the hustle and bustle just beyond the stone walls. The full moon shines
through the almost bare trees on this delighful Indian summer night and the
dancing shadows playing on the monuments give them life they do not have.
The driver waits until the couple break a kiss and points out Black Aggie,
a huge moss covered black granite statue with a pose somewhat similar to
fortune teller machine ladies you would see in an old amusement park.
"They say that under a full moon she breaths and will reach out for ye if
you wander to close to her stone hands."
Steve and Meena give him a condenscending smile as they alit from the
carriage and make a few tenative steps towards Black Aggie. An owl hoots,
a raven caws, whispy clouds cover the moon, a breeze tickles the trees and
to the couple Black Aggie seems to make a grab for them and with mock screams
of fear and true laughs of delight they run back arm in arm to the carriage.
As they settle back into the leather seat Steve puts his arm around Meena and
she lays her head on his shoulder as the magic of a great first date sprinkles
stardust in their hair.
When the couple put a tender end to a deep kiss they see that the driver has
taken them to a newer part of the cemetery. Less ornate markers here but a
few statues atop the forest of marble markers.
The old man starts a new tale." See those two statues at the far end ? "
" You mean the two that seem to be staring at each other ?", asks Meena.
" Ayeah. The legend goes that when first placed their backs were turned
but through the years they have turned towards each other and stone tears
can be seen on the faces which were not put there by the stonemason."
A wide eyed Meena and a somewhat sceptical Steve lean forward and ask if
there is more to the legend.
"Could be. Just could be."
"Come on. Stop teasing us. Go on."
"Well, I've been told that if two lovers kiss there the smell of springtime
dogwood clings in the air and that a full moon turns into an early morning
sunrise."
"Get outta here!", comes laughingly out of Steve while Meena says, "Come
on Steve. Let's give it a try."
Somewhat apprehensive they hold hands and walk to a spot equidistant from
both markers. With a quick look around first they embrace and exchange
their kiss then blow one to Tom's and Anne's statues.
A slight breeze rustles the leaves. Faintly Meena hears a voice whisper,
" Hold fast to each other and never let go." Steve sees Meena shiver and
wraps his arms around her, gently escorting her back to their carriage.
Meena wonders quietly to herself , "Did he hear it too?"
Steve also hears voices from the statues telling him to hold tight. He boldy
holds her a little tighter and she responds in kind. They hold each other
as if in a trance. A good witch's magic spell has descended on them and they
have never felt so secure and happy in anybody else's embrace. Their tongues
brush lightly on the next kiss and then she burys her face in his neck. They
just stand there holding tight and enjoying the moment when love might have
entered their lives. Can it be that in mere minutes, a lifetime has passed
between them? The horse winnies and brings them back into a tender embrace.
They feel their passion building. They are drawn to Ann's and Tom's
site. They lay down in the grass surounded by their markers and the two
statues. As Steve gives Meena a heavier kiss he notices a fresh tear on Tom's
statue. She reachs up for him and covers his face with longing kisses. Steve
returns them with more passion than he has ever felt.
They seemed to be driven by two forces. One their mutual passion for each
other and four unseen hands that guide them in the exploration of each other
bodies. They want each other but something is holding them back for a while
so it can enjoy the thrashings of their bodies. Steve's hand slips inside of
Meena's dress to cup her breast and the other hand holds her tight but she
feels but does not see a third hand carresing her face. There is no sense of
fear here just a sense of love for all. Steve raises her skirt and places his
hand on her secret place and songs fill the air.
That touch opens Meena's floodgates and she is bathed in a sea of emotions.
She has had other lovers, but none have made her feel what is coursing through
her body as she lays there with him. Meena opens her mouth to tell Steve of
her desire for him, but instead she hears a voice somewhat unfamiliar, but
yet similar to her own. " Tom, is it really you?"
"Yes, Anne.", comes out of Steve's mouth. " It's Tom, finally "
What once was two people sharing love has turned into four life forces,
streaching the boundries of reality. They know that they are being driven by
forces just beyond their reach but are willing partners. They know that Tom
and Anne are finally going to consumate their love through them.
There is a smell of dogwood in the air even though it is late fall. An early
morning sun seems to be shining although moonlight floods the area. They
allow Tom and Anne the full use of their bodies for Tom's and Annie's
pleasure.
"At long last my love. We are free from the ties that keep us apart. How I've
longed for you! How I've spent my time regreting that we were never together
as we should have been. But that doesn't matter now. I give myself to you now,
my love."
Unseen hands guide Steve and Meena. Unseen bodies respond through them.
Unseen lips touch private places. There is a feeling of joy and final
fullfillment as Steve/Tom enters Meena/Anne. Two bodies and four lifeforces
are joined as one. There has never been a love or lovemaking like this.
The statues smile down on them as their juices finally mingle and they hold
tight in spasam of heavenly wonder. After the mutual release they are
reluctant to leave each other's grip and lay there holding tight onto the
magic that has passed between them.
As they lay in each other's arms, she feels lightheaded. She looks at him
and gently kisses his cheek. He kiss her back and pulls closer. She looks up
at the statues and see that the tears have dissapeared. She looks at him again
and notices that his features have changed. The stranger that she met earlier
this evening is now gone. In his place is her true love. The man that she
waited a lifetime for. The sun is starting to peek over the rooftops of old
town. The carriage that brought them to their destiny is long since gone.
He smiles at her as they stand and embrace.
"Care to catch a bus?", Tom whispers to Anne as they walk hand in hand down
the road.
Quoth the Raven,"Evermore."