A Vignette In Appreciation - BOREAL FOUNDATION By BethLynn "This sucks," a voice stated. Two men lugging a stone paused to look back at the youth who had spoken. "That's eloquent," the old-timer responded. "Now stop stalling and help us. We've got to get this thing moved." They returned to their tasks. There were many others helping. Bodies strode to and fro, collecting lighter stones, while heavy machinery lifted the larger blocks. "This is one damn big X. Who the hell decided to build it here?" The young one once more paused and stared up in awe at the monumental icon eclipsing the boreal shore. "Carter," one man stated. Someone called for a break, and the crew dropped the stones they carried and dispersed, muttering the words, creator, surfer dude, and god. The old-timer remained staring at the youth. "You're new. How long you been here?" He frowned at the younger man. "Me? I've been here as long as that ring plot they decided to grow." He turned to stare at the old-timer. "How long have you been building this?" He gestured toward the big stone X. "We laid the foundation over five years ago." The old-timer smiled and patted the stones remaining. "It got big. You can see it from anywhere on earth." The old-timer beamed with pride for a moment and then shook his head sadly. "It was almost complete." The young one noticed the sadness and stepped closer to the old-timer. He wrapped an arm over the other's shoulder. "So, why are they moving it?" He waited for the old one to speak. He stared at the foundation set deep in the heart of the intrepid shore. The icon rose above it incomplete - pieces of it in transit to a new place. "Change is in the air." The old-timer grimaced at the look of inquiry in the young ones eye's. "They're moving it because it is time." He shrugged. "What the hell does that mean?" The youth frowned and focused inward, trying to come up with some conclusion that made sense. "I don't know. I just take care of the details." The old-timer reached for a handful of sand at the base of the monument and watched as the grains fell from his palm. "So, I hear you and some of the others aren't going," the youth stated quizzically. "Yes. Some have chosen to remain behind. The foundation must be maintained.". "They aren't taking the foundation?" The young one looked startled and stared with concern at the base of the X. "No," mumbled the old-timer. "They're going to try and build a new foundation. Carter said something about knocking down a bunch of letters already standing up on some hillside, and replacing them with his X." "Think he can do that?" the young one asked. He paced away from the other man, heading around one corner of the monument. The old-timer followed. He chuckled, and watched as the youth began climbing the back of the X. "Carter? He has the power of the wily FOX behind him. At the moment it appears he can do anything." He watched the man climb higher, his grip sure on the stones that made up the monument. "What are you doing?" The young man reached the top of the icon and spread his arms wide. He grinned at the man below. "I want to stand on top before it all comes tumbling down!" he shouted. The old-timer huffed with laughter and turned toward the returning crew. He gestured, and a man stepped forward to help him lift the stone they had abandoned earlier. This man glanced to the youth atop the X they were dismantling. "What's he doing up there?" The man squinted and watched the youth wave from the top of the monument. The old-timer shook his head and bent to pick up his end of the load. "Saying good-bye to the foundation left behind." END
Meg (marguerite@swbell.net) was unable to make it and asked that I pass on her appreciation of you. Warm Regards and Too Much Laughter BethLynn