Jack 99

Nervousness of standing on the doorstep Compromise, standing just inside Despite invitation, I politely insisted that the evening ended there Over days, weeks, months then years Things developed with an increasing sense of inclusion Shared excitement, shared passion, shared intimacy A time of normality, a time of exceptions and shared acceptance Times of accepted exceptional normality Thick fluffy comforting summer clouds Ever present, yet simultaneously, fleeting forms in clear blue skies Each cloud framed with an unspoken silver lining Progressive advancement of growth and expanding boundaries Each box ticked forming stories, like the timeline rings of trees An evening punctured with a 1 am call of planned reassurance A weekend away concluded with being picked up from the station Wardrobes of Narnia supposed secrecy behind supposed closed doors In line with everything time runs its course Clouds disappear forming memories and trees fall revealing their stories And we are left with the wonder of it all