Gentleman (Jonathan Toews)

See You See the World

Jonathan

"Keep up" Payton teases as we hike up yet another mountain.

Since six o clock this morning we have been walking up and down hills. We've been scaling mountains and experiencing this world for all that it is. No cameras, no other people, just me, my girl and this God given excellence. Finally able to experience this earth as it is given to us without the influence of humans or paths.

"How are you not tired" I ask trying to catch up to her.

"How can I be tired? This place is amazing" she smiles.

"You are" I say and she just shakes her head.

"Come on, were almost to the top" she insists grabbing my hand and pulling me behind her.

We get to the top of the highest part of the mountain and I let out a little gasp. You can see everything from here. From the village to the water to the land. It was like one perfectly painted picture. For the first time this whole day Payton pulls out her camera and snaps a picture. She takes picture of me too and I just roll my eyes. You get used to it after a while.

She sits down and pulls out a banana before eating it. I join her and hope I don't start cramping up here, it's going to be a long way down.

"Isn't this place amazing" she asks.

"It's surely something" I admit.

"Don't get me wrong, I love the city, but sometimes I wish I could live out here. At least for a little while" she claims.

"Why" I ask.

"Here everything is so pure. It's not paper, it's trees. It's not pollution, it's pollination. It's not processed, it's natural. It's not everyone telling me what to do or where to be, it's me exploring the world and myself like I've always wanted" she explains.

I watch her carefully as she stares off in the distance. Nothing but her lips moving at a steady pace as she says what I've been thinking for years.

"It's kind of a shame what the worlds coming to, huh" I ask.

"It is. But it makes places like this so much more valuable. So much more beautiful" she insists.

"What happens if we destroy this like everything else we touch" I wonder.

"I don't know, I hope not us or our kids or anyone will ever have to see that. All nature has done is give to us and all we've done is take. Don't you think it's time we give back" she asks.

I turn to her as she was still staring out into seemingly nowhere. I think back to before the accident and before the playoffs to when I first started dating Payton. I think about when Brent and Sharpy were telling me how no one understands me like she does. And they're right. As much as I hate to admit it, they're right.

She listened better than anyone I've ever met. And I didn't even have to tell her most things for her to get it. She just gets me, and I know that sound cliche but I've grown so accustomed to people not understanding me, I stopped trying to get people to see things the way I do and the person to break my spell ended up finding me. It's funny how things work out.

"Why are you looking at me like that" she finally asks.

"I just really love you, that's all" I insist.

"I love you too" she says before planting a kiss on my lips. I cup her cheek as she rests her forehead on mine.

"I really need to use the bathroom" she admits and we break apart to laugh. Only her.