Old Flames

They called her the Fire Woman for wherever there was fire she was there In the Fall when all the brush needed clearing in Spring when everything else needed to be burned she showed up, smiling beguiling flames to her beck and call Her tall, brown-skinned frame 'though lean and weathered and stooped a bit was still powerful and somewhat imposing- not so much in her physical presence as in her demeanor and the silent sparkle in her amber eyes as if embers from the flames were in her spirit and fire itself was in her soul She was old no one knew her exact age or much about her except that she loved to play with fire and it fell and rose to her every whim No one could lay claim to controlling fire but her... and then him- A strange romance between the Fireman and the Fire Woman began a love that revolved and flickered around their common passion for flames one who started fires and one who put them out without a doubt it was intense heat that drew them together But unlike young lovers who easily get burned they were slow and steady patiently tending their home fires taking care to control and manage the blaze to gently keep it going, and not let it get too cool or too hot, but just right for a brisk, chilly night Two old flames burning toward the end of life keeping each other from the cold