I've Just Seen A Face

I've Just Seen a Face-18

River Journey

One pristine clear evening the Maharishi organised a few boats to take everyone on a trip down the river while two holy men chanted. The only other sounds are water lapping against the side of the boats and birds tweeting.

As the boats slowly made the way along the brown snaking river George and Donovan started to sing soft and slow, their voices drifting over the boats, music that everyone knew whether they were English, American, German or Swed; we all joined in a mixture of English and German songs.

Mountains hugged the river on three sides of us as we floated through the snaking bends. Beautiful views everywhere we looked, the setting sun turned a deep, deep pink while we drifted Mother Nature's beauty, painted the sky for all to share.

On the river As we travel there are ghats or stairs leading to rickety wooden boats with bamboo oars we are well-placed to witness the locals life. If it had been earlier in the day we would have seen some men and women perform yoga, others maybe pounding clothes against the stone steps, laying out bed covers and pillowslips to dry in the sun. But now as dinnertime encroached the steps were bare.

Around yet another turn and ruins of another time poke out of the ground, monkeys climb over the crumbling, derelict palaces. The stone that was once new glowing in the fading sunset.

Maharishi had given the girls bouquets of marigold flowers, we light them with a match and lean over the side of the boat to make a wish, set it adrift and watch it float away.

I Can't Sleep

It was dark, the night was moonless, no shadows, no silver streaks across the bedcovers, no slivers of beauty as I looked out the window. A hum was near me, I reached across to Johns side of the bed and it was empty.

Dropping my bare feet to the cold patterned tiles woke me up more. My eyes slowly adjusting to the dark I finally spotted the red small light across the room fading and glowing, a cigarette. "John?"

"hmmmm"

I tripped over his guitar case and swore, he laughed quietly.

"Karma"

"Karma for what?" I picked myself up and took smaller shuffling steps like I was traversing a minefield, I kicked a sandal.

"Being a naughty girl"

"Am not, I'm a good girl with a naughty John"

I fell onto him as he put the guitar behind the chair. Flicking the ciggie out the open window beside us. The rocker chair groaned and he grinned on my lips, when he found them anyway. He pushed his feet to make it move and I hugged him like a child would hug a parent.

"Couldn't sleep again hmmm" I was aware of his lack of sleep as he usually woke me, sex was a great sleeping pill once taken.

"Coming off the drugs, being free certainly has upset my clock" when John spoke, his voice deep, always sexy and rough, it made my senses tingle. "I was thinking music again a song making its way through the darkness....You were so peaceful snoring. I couldn't disturb you"

I huffed loudly and he tickled me. "I don't snore, I breathe deeply"

"Well that deep and its shaking China love"

"You swine"

"But you adore me, right"

"Only if you retract your earlier comment"

"ok ok, I can sleep!"

"John!"

"Kas you don't snore, geez you're so easily riled up, a proper firecracker, always entertaining, waiting for you to go bang, fireworks exploding from your ears and eyes"

"I'm glad you find me so amusing" I yawned and snuggled into him more, his chin resting on my head. I felt him kiss the top of my head.

"Tell me your dreams, not the Beatles- you John, your hopes for life"

"Only if you tell me yours, sweetie" John kissed my check and I nodded agreement, bumping his nose. John started off "Well I want to live to 100 but look as good as I do today. I want a nice house and kids, a few running round, my wife will do my biding no retorts or nasty comments" He sniggered and poked my side. "I want happiness, just contentment, no fans banging my door down all night. A holiday somewhere nice every now and then to share the world with my family. You now"

His voice was so deep and calm, I felt at home, should I say that, he hadn't said anything about me directly. Why not.

"Are you asleep!"

"No. I was digesting your dreams, seeing if they were worthy of you're being." I stalled. I lifted my head and found his lips kissing him softly "Can I steal most of your dreams and hopes is that ok?" I kissed him again slightly firmer this time though "I don't need the fan bit though. Ok. I want a partner who respects me, cherishes me as I cherish him. He will be amazing in and out of the bedroom, though if he is really good I might keep him in the bedroom" He sniggered "Kids, arrr maybe 3 I don't know if I could handle four especially if they were all boys like their father running amok getting into mischief. Girls would be sweet then I suppose if I wasn't careful I might have tearaways or back chatters when their teens. A house, no a home, cosy and full of pictures of my loved ones and friends, an open door- let 'em in- help if I can, if they need me. God knows they probably have helped me enough!" I thought a bit and realised I hadn't said the most important thing. "Love. I want real love"

"Love I forgot that too I'll steal that" John ran his hands all over my body, turning me to sit facing him on the chair. I ran my fingers through his hair and held his face, bringing it to me, kissing him slightly at first then peppering more on his cheeks.

"Kas does that stuff even exist?!"

I stopped and leaned back he held my back so I didn't fall. I moved in and pecked him on his lips "If you aren't given those things, I will come and give them to you myself"

"Kassandra, I want you to be with me, when I get them the first time"

"Really?"

"God girl. You're the one I want to make that home with, cosy by the fire with teenage tearaways yelling abuse at us at all hours" I laughed "Holidays and Christmas, all the year round"

"John, I was thinking about you in my dreams too"

"I know"

"How"

"Well the sex god bit, kept in the bedroom -me" He tickled me again, making me laugh.

"When do they start, the dreams I mean, is there a moment that I realise or do they slip into life when I'm busy doing other things?" I picked up his hand and put it on my heart, the beat under his palm.

"well I can start one part right now....."

"ON this rickety squeaking chair"

"Yepppp"

"So this is the cosy home bit"

"Kassandra, this is the sex god bit"

"Oh.....Oh!" I kissed him and led him to the bed, careful not to fall again. I dropped onto the bed and I could just make out his silhouette hovering over me, so I held my arms open "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Auditions are... open!"

He pulled me over onto my belly and smacked my bum.

I'm not telling YOU anymore I'm busy, real busy.