myLovetripper

My Hometown: Staunton, Virginia

Oh, how you should see the streets of laid red clay bricks mixed with cobble stone that stretches from one end of town to the other. At the far end of a narrow street, buildings of old stand tall looking in the direction of one solitary building cut into the embankment of a cliff-- its name is the General Jackson Hotel. Its been there even before my great grandfather took his first breath, with brilliant crystal lights dangling from the creamy ceiling, reflecting evening light into glorious rainbows. My movie would begin in this very setting with the lovely couples sitting down at white covered tables just big enough for the two to sit comfortably, the staff coming to serve them a early dinner in old custom wears of the hotels' lineage, roasts all warm with steam rising from the silver covered dishes on tea tables. The room is silent other that a few mere I love you's and the sounds of the forks finding the plates.

After dinner the young couples would find themselves going to a farm called Merdale Meadows just fifteen miles away. There they would meet up with the old man who runs the horse trail rides. Each horse is looked over carefully for temperament as he shows each person to their "old faithful." He starts off slow up a small bank-- some of the women look nervously downward holding tight to the saddle's horn, but the ride through rivers and streams across meadows and tree-filled woods with leaves falling like snow was worth it alone, but at the end of their journey, just before night dims the last light in the sky, they reach their destination-- a beautiful meadow more beautiful than all others. They dismount, wrapping the reins to a downed tree. They all stay still and hushed, but why one may ask. As night comes closer, the couples sit in the grass atop blankets-- soon the moons shines full and bright as a white sun blazing, a blue shadow to each tree. A sound comes slow at first but then louder more pronounced a nose shows from a bush. A small female fawn appears still with spots-- her mother is close grazing on the last honeysuckle of the season. The couples watch as more deer appear. Soon the group of people look on as
they are sharing the field with a heard of wild deer, a fawn skips and jumps just a little too far from mother and ends up in front of a women snuggled up to her husband. She reaches out to touch the nose of the fawn just as the tips of her
fingers touch the fawn's soft fur. The fawn runs back to mom to nurse and the group "awws" at the calming sight a small rabbit comes into view, as does a owl nestled up top an old branch. As he flies down to seek out a field mouse, the branch falls-- the large, dark buck perks his ears, raising his large graceful neck to look around. Something startles him and he runs the herd away-- jumping a low fence, the fawns squeeze through a broken fence wire hole.

The group stands to leave, and as they find there way back down the trail they had taken, each taken in the mystical power this wood still holds. When they reach the bottom they find themselves saying goodbye to the old man, thanking him for the most memorable time each had ever had. Each are given a token of their trip-- a book called The Book of Merdale. and then the couples leave. Going back to the hotel they go to their rooms with a glass of wine, and as the lights of the room dim the lovebirds go to the fire places and snuggle together on the couches-- the women kiss there love's cheek as they in return kiss there brows, and and a sigh of complete content ends the perfect afternoon in Staunton, Virginia.

-- contributed by Pararu Quamato

Labels: Movie Magic Contest, my Hometown

posted by Grace Sydney @ 9:25 AM