Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Lauren and I were sitting at the kitchen table with her pop bottle rocket in front of us. I thought helping out with the making of this object was much more important than my Chemistry homework, so I worked as a bottle holder while the pieces were being put together. I was holding the rocket with one hand, and I was laying over my other arm. My eyes were closed, and my mind was drifting in between my la, la land and my. . . dream land? That sounds so stupid to say. Anyway, as I was just thinking, my phone vibrated. (it was extra loud since it was right next to my ear) I startled awake and looked at the message. It was from my neighbor Rod two doors down.

"Do you still have the wii remotes?" he asked.

Interjection: I had borrowed their wii remotes for the day date on Saturday, and I had yet to return them.

"Oh, they're still in my basement!" was my reply
"Is it okay if you brought them over; Kimberly and I just want to watch Netflix," he said
"Sure, I'll be there in 5 minutes."

Needless to say, I was slow, and it was a little longer than five minutes, but I ran over with the remotes in hand and knocked on the door. Rod answered it and asked me if the house felt extra warm. I stepped inside, and my face was completely covered in a loving warmth, and I nodded and smiled. He led me over to their fireplace, which is an old wood burning stove, and had me stand in front of it. I sat in front of it instead and just absorbed as much of it as I could.

Rod opened the door to the stove and we admired the almost perfect orange light coming from the burning wood.
"Get me a marshmallow" was my joking reply
"Do you want one?" he asked
"Sure!"

So, Rod went and got me a marshmallow to roast, and made a little stick out of a hanger. As I sat there looking at the burning fire inside the stove, I couldn't help feeling disappointed that I didn't have a camera. I thought how some of the best things happen when no camera is around. How I wished that people could just see right into my head; see exactly what I see when I tell the story. When Rod brought the marshmallows, I turned them over and over again, letting the flames absorb them until they were golden. They set perfectly on the paper towel, oozed when I dug into them, and  melted in my mouth. Happiness.

Rod then offered me a cup of hot chocolate, which I gladly received. When I wrapped my sticky fingers around the mug, they were almost burned from the heat. Taking a sip, I was reminded of the delicious hot cocoa from the beloved Starbucks, and from my face to my hands to my feet, I was completely warm- completely content, and it felt nice. I didn't want to leave that spot.

Luckily, Rod sat there and talked to me. I told him about Preference- he told me about some dates he had gone on. I told him about school- he told me about The Shop. Life was good for that moment, and it still is good. Chemistry never goes away, and I guess it's something that I am just going to have to get used to. It's also nice to slow down, be able to sit and savor the moments that are only meant for the eyes and mind; for thought and insight- no cameras needed.