A short story by Rosemary Harper
It was a bit chilly, so I pulled a college hoodie over my head and clutched my coffee mug a little tighter. I stared at the wall next to my bed really hard, taking deep breaths and trying to channel all my creative mojo (it didn’t work). Finally I grabbed the folder from where it lay on my desk, flipped it open, and began to pull pictures out.
It was time to make my fall collage. I compiled a picture collage on my wall for every season, composed of snapshots of what made that time of year unique. The compilation of images helped stir up ideas and inspiration in my brain for other projects, mostly paintings.
The first picture I pulled out was one of a blazing bonfire with toasted s’mores dangling over it. I closed my eyes and could picture scenes from my family’s annual Halloween cookout, all my cousins and I crammed onto a log, our skewers bumping into each other, the crackling flames of the fire making the Hershey’s chocolate smeared on my little cousins’ faces visible, and all of us laughing and sharing stories as we tossed marshmallows at each other playfully. I pinned the picture on my wall.
The next image I placed on my wall depicted a warm, cream-hued sweater with mustard yellow and cinnamon-colored stripes. I shut my eyes and envisioned snuggling in my cozy sweaters while doing homework in my room and pulling on ripped jeans and brown boots to go to school and church.
I slid a photo out of my folder of a heap of candy corn, the tiny triangles streaked with white and bright orange and yellow. The sweet, syrupy taste of the candy-filled my mouth, and now I was hard-core craving some of it. I would have to raid my brother’s stash later. Images of cold nights trick-or-treating and the sweet, spunky elderly lady next door who gave each of us an entire pound of candy corn filled my brain.
The next picture was one of a baseball and football lying side by side. I smiled as I stuck it next to the other pictures and countless memories of my family- bundled up in the apparel of my parents’ alma mater, going to homecoming games and cheering on their college team in the freezing cold, and all of us crammed in our living room jumping up and down, screaming at the World Series on the TV- played themselves out like a hectic movie montage in my mind.
I pinned an image on my wall of a jack-o-lantern, with a crooked grin and a jagged nose. The picture transported me to the festival my youth group had every year that finished with a pumpkin carving contest. I could feel the slimy insides of the pumpkin on my hands, and practically heard Mia go, “Oh no!” as she messed up yet again on the carving.
The next picture was one of a steaming cup of coffee. That was enough to make my insides feel warm and encourage me to take another sip of my latte. Flashbacks of Starbucks drive-through runs and clutching all types of slick mugs and drinking all types of hot drinks began to play.
The last image in the folder was one of bright, multi-colored foliage. I closed my eyes, and immediately I was on top of Stone Mountain, the sun shining down on me, the colorful expanse of crimson, burnt orange, goldish yellow, and warm brown melted together as the leaves of the trees brushed against each other.
As I stepped back and took in the collection of pictures, I realized what I did with every season and every collage: There were a million reasons to love fall.
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