Slightly More Happens - September Splendor

WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.129 --> 00:00:05.809
Get more Nothing Much Happens with bonus episodes, extra long stories,
2
00:00:06.009 --> 00:00:09.220
and ad-free listening, all while supporting the show you love.
3
00:00:09.820 --> 00:00:28.750
Subscribe now. Welcome to a special, longer episode of Bedtime
4
00:00:28.809 --> 00:00:37.549
Stories for Everyone. in which slightly more happens. You feel good,
5
00:00:38.869 --> 00:00:45.469
and then you fall asleep. I'm Catherine Nicolai. I write
6
00:00:45.810 --> 00:00:49.990
and read all the stories you hear on Nothing Much Happens.
7
00:00:51.770 --> 00:00:57.289
Audio engineering is by Bob Wittersheim. We give to a
8
00:00:57.329 --> 00:01:01.670
different charity each week, and this week we are giving...
9
00:01:01.869 --> 00:01:07.370
to brown bag lady, rooted in using kindness, food, and
10
00:01:07.409 --> 00:01:11.209
essentials as a way to improve the lives of others
11
00:01:11.670 --> 00:01:16.319
throughout Los Angeles. Learn more about them in our show notes.
12
00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:23.319
Here is your monthly dose of Extra Nothing Much, in
13
00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:26.799
which we give you a three-story episode on the free
14
00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:31.890
feed and a five-story episode on our premium feed. And
15
00:01:31.969 --> 00:01:36.609
this is a perfect moment to upgrade, because there is
16
00:01:36.670 --> 00:01:41.019
a part four to the stories I'm telling tonight, and it,
17
00:01:41.859 --> 00:01:45.519
plus another episode, will be part of the premium version.
18
00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:52.930
Learn more at nothingmuchappens.com. Just as with our regular episodes,
19
00:01:54.049 --> 00:01:58.989
these stories are simply a soft place to occupy your mind.
20
00:02:00.939 --> 00:02:04.659
to keep it steady, and allow you to drift to sleep.
21
00:02:06.540 --> 00:02:10.360
All you need to do is listen. I'll tell the
22
00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:14.490
stories twice, and I'll go a little slower the second
23
00:02:14.530 --> 00:02:20.469
time through. If you wake later in the night, don't
24
00:02:20.530 --> 00:02:28.030
hesitate to just start them over again. Our stories tonight
25
00:02:29.050 --> 00:02:34.530
are if I do say so myself, such a treat.
26
00:02:36.069 --> 00:02:40.590
If you have ever wished to book a stay at
27
00:02:40.650 --> 00:02:45.099
the inn of nothing much, to watch the leaves change
28
00:02:45.819 --> 00:02:49.680
while sipping coffee from the back porch, if you love
29
00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:54.219
trains and journals and cats and trays of food sent
30
00:02:54.280 --> 00:03:00.689
up from the kitchen, these stories are for you. Once
31
00:03:00.789 --> 00:03:05.219
the nights start getting cooler, making the bed extra cozy
32
00:03:05.379 --> 00:03:09.620
is something I look forward to so much. And Quince
33
00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:13.780
has become one of my go-tos for bedding. Their European
34
00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:18.379
linen gets softer with every wash, and their organic cotton
35
00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:23.500
bedding is soft, breathable, and made for everyday comfort. I
36
00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:27.889
use Quince myself. I have some really lovely green gingham
37
00:03:27.949 --> 00:03:31.430
check sheets right now, and I love them. I really
38
00:03:31.550 --> 00:03:36.449
recommend Quince because they work directly with ethical factories. Their
39
00:03:36.490 --> 00:03:40.550
products are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands.
40
00:03:41.449 --> 00:03:44.330
Make your bed your favorite place to be this season
41
00:03:44.590 --> 00:03:48.830
with Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers or
42
00:03:48.870 --> 00:03:53.400
go to quince.com slash nothing much. Get free shipping on
43
00:03:53.409 --> 00:03:58.360
your order and 365-day returns, now available in Canada and
44
00:03:58.379 --> 00:04:08.150
the UK too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E dot com slash nothingmuch. So
45
00:04:08.210 --> 00:04:15.009
please get comfortable and let your whole body relax into
46
00:04:15.060 --> 00:04:20.160
the bed. I'll be here keeping watch as you sleep.
47
00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:28.040
Take a deep breath in through your nose. Let it
48
00:04:28.100 --> 00:04:43.430
out your mouth. Nice. One more. Breathe in. And out. Good.
49
00:04:45.810 --> 00:04:52.290
Autumn at the Inn. Part 1. It came as a
50
00:04:52.350 --> 00:04:59.709
recommendation from a friend. I'd been going on a bit wistfully,
51
00:04:59.790 --> 00:05:06.360
I'm sure. about missing the bright leaves and crisp scents
52
00:05:06.420 --> 00:05:14.269
of autumn, after living somewhere where the seasons barely budged
53
00:05:14.649 --> 00:05:23.810
throughout the year. It had its benefits, the sunshine and
54
00:05:23.829 --> 00:05:28.889
the months and months of warm weather. I got to
55
00:05:28.930 --> 00:05:34.949
spend a lot of evenings out on the deck. I
56
00:05:35.009 --> 00:05:40.490
went for beach walks, while many others in less friendly
57
00:05:40.550 --> 00:05:46.769
climbs were scraping ice from their windshields. And almost none
58
00:05:46.870 --> 00:05:54.490
of my paycheck went into a mitten budget. But every autumn,
59
00:05:55.829 --> 00:05:59.120
I found myself longing for a chill in the air,
60
00:06:01.379 --> 00:06:06.029
a day to kick through fallen leaves and feast on
61
00:06:06.089 --> 00:06:14.329
cider donuts. In fact, and I'd probably deny this if
62
00:06:14.410 --> 00:06:21.089
it got out, sometimes in the fall, I turned the
63
00:06:21.170 --> 00:06:29.329
air conditioner all the way up, dressed in jeans and
64
00:06:29.370 --> 00:06:36.209
my one flannel shirt And I pretended. I had a
65
00:06:36.269 --> 00:06:44.170
few favorite movies, all set in September and October. And
66
00:06:44.209 --> 00:06:48.649
I'd watch them with a sweet cinnamon coffee in my hands.
67
00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:55.240
I'd pull the curtains tight to block out the sun
68
00:06:56.379 --> 00:07:00.019
and the sight of my neighbors walking the sidewalks in
69
00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:07.509
shorts and flip-flops. I'd light a pumpkin candle and try
70
00:07:07.550 --> 00:07:17.610
to fool myself into feeling properly autumnal. And I guess
71
00:07:18.430 --> 00:07:22.410
that's what I would have done again this year, except
72
00:07:22.509 --> 00:07:27.850
for the friend who'd clearly had enough of my lamenting
73
00:07:29.990 --> 00:07:33.680
and slipped me a worn business card from his wallet
74
00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:44.699
The card was simple, off-white, creamy stock, printed with faded,
75
00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:52.699
dark green ink. The name of an inn, an address,
76
00:07:54.819 --> 00:08:00.689
a phone number, and a line drawing of an old
77
00:08:00.850 --> 00:08:08.300
stately building beside a lake. He said he'd visited years
78
00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:14.459
before and still thought about it. I ran my finger
79
00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:20.800
over the lines that made up the lake and had
80
00:08:20.819 --> 00:08:27.129
a sudden image in my mind of geese flying overhead,
81
00:08:29.490 --> 00:08:35.799
tall trees crowned in red and gold and orange. and
82
00:08:35.820 --> 00:08:41.279
a bench by the water. I'd prodded my friend a bit.
83
00:08:42.860 --> 00:08:48.090
What made this place special? What did he remember from
84
00:08:48.129 --> 00:08:54.750
his trip? Nothing much, he answered. Just that when I
85
00:08:54.809 --> 00:09:02.710
came back, I felt like my shelves had been restocked. Gosh,
86
00:09:02.809 --> 00:09:06.690
I'd love to go back. I guess that's why I've
87
00:09:06.730 --> 00:09:10.769
kept the card in my wallet all this time. I
88
00:09:10.809 --> 00:09:15.149
like just knowing that it's there. I asked him if
89
00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:20.639
he wanted the card back, but he shrugged and said
90
00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:27.399
I should keep it. I'd need it to call and
91
00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:31.659
make a reservation for a trip, to go see the
92
00:09:31.700 --> 00:09:38.320
leaves change. I slipped it into my pocket, and we
93
00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:44.559
went on to talk of other things. I actually forgot
94
00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:49.440
all about it until that night, when I was changing
95
00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:55.149
for bed and found it. I set it down on
96
00:09:55.190 --> 00:10:01.159
my bedside table, propped against my lamp. and went to
97
00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:07.700
brush my teeth. By the time I finally crawled into bed,
98
00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:15.799
it seemed too late to call. Maybe I thought I
99
00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:20.389
should sleep on it. Maybe it wasn't the right time
100
00:10:20.490 --> 00:10:27.220
for a trip. Maybe it was silly to travel so
101
00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:32.940
far just to stay at an inn and feel a
102
00:10:32.980 --> 00:10:38.080
bit of the fall air on my neck. But I
103
00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:45.750
couldn't sleep. I turned from side to side, thinking about
104
00:10:45.789 --> 00:10:50.730
the ten-day forecast I'd checked before shutting things down for
105
00:10:50.750 --> 00:10:59.220
the night. Hot and sunny, every day for the foreseeable future.
106
00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:08.539
Humid and unrelenting. I sat up and reached for the card.
107
00:11:11.590 --> 00:11:16.909
The moonlight snaking through my blinds glinted off the ink.
108
00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:28.309
And again I imagined those geese overhead, the bench by
109
00:11:28.350 --> 00:11:35.690
the water. I dialed the number, shaking my head a
110
00:11:35.730 --> 00:11:42.340
bit at my rashness. I fully expected to leave a message.
111
00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:46.139
I was sure there'd be no one at the desk
112
00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:52.149
at this time of night. but a quiet voice answered
113
00:11:52.309 --> 00:11:59.710
right away. Oh, hi, I stammered. I didn't think anyone
114
00:11:59.730 --> 00:12:06.779
would be up. Well, actually, I wasn't. But my cat
115
00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:09.940
got me up. He was meowing at the door and
116
00:12:10.820 --> 00:12:14.460
wouldn't stop till I came down to the office. And
117
00:12:14.620 --> 00:12:21.070
that's when the phone rang. It sounded like this. might
118
00:12:21.110 --> 00:12:26.370
not have been the first time that had happened. I
119
00:12:26.409 --> 00:12:31.309
imagined her with a pen already in her hand, and
120
00:12:31.330 --> 00:12:35.009
a large desk calendar spread out in front of her,
121
00:12:36.830 --> 00:12:41.809
ready to take my reservation. When would you like to come,
122
00:12:42.470 --> 00:12:50.230
she prompted. Oh, um, actually, I hadn't thought that far ahead.
123
00:12:53.110 --> 00:12:56.710
Just a friend passed me your card, and I could
124
00:12:56.750 --> 00:13:03.230
kind of use a getaway. Of course. Let me see.
125
00:13:03.629 --> 00:13:09.919
We just had a cancellation, and it's during peak color season.
126
00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:18.710
Does that sound good to you? That's perfect. She told
127
00:13:18.750 --> 00:13:24.120
me the dates. starting in just a few days. And
128
00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:27.820
I was glad that it was enough time to plan
129
00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:36.500
and travel, but not enough to second-guess myself. She took
130
00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:40.909
my name and number, and we were just about to
131
00:13:40.970 --> 00:13:48.009
hang up when I stopped her. One last thing. What's
132
00:13:48.029 --> 00:13:55.409
your cat's name? She laughed quietly and said, Sycamore, and
133
00:13:55.429 --> 00:13:57.769
I'm sure you'll get to meet him. He'll even sleep
134
00:13:57.850 --> 00:14:03.259
on your bed if you let him. After I'd hung up,
135
00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:07.840
I wrote the dates on the back of the inn's
136
00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:15.230
card and slid back down into my sheets. In the morning,
137
00:14:16.490 --> 00:14:22.250
I'd have a full list of to-dos. travel plans and laundry,
138
00:14:24.029 --> 00:14:26.990
pulling my suitcase out from the high shelf in the
139
00:14:27.029 --> 00:14:32.289
closet and arranging to have the plants watered while I
140
00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:37.759
was gone. I'd need to do a bit of shopping
141
00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:43.519
for warm clothes, a good pair of sturdy shoes or
142
00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:49.909
boots to hike in, and my camera. It was ready
143
00:14:49.950 --> 00:14:53.389
to be picked up from the shop where it had
144
00:14:53.429 --> 00:14:59.529
been repaired. And even with all of that on my mind,
145
00:15:02.110 --> 00:15:06.529
as soon as I pulled the blanket up over my shoulder,
146
00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:17.059
I fell quickly and deeply asleep. I dreamt of a
147
00:15:17.159 --> 00:15:24.129
view from a window on an upper floor looking out
148
00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:31.740
across the lake at a forest of vibrantly swathed trees.
149
00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:40.429
In the dream I smelled the scent of coffee cake
150
00:15:41.789 --> 00:15:47.309
and heard a tinkling bell on a black cat's collar
151
00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:55.899
there was a winding staircase and a long hallway lined
152
00:15:56.000 --> 00:16:01.419
with portraits that led to a porch full of tables
153
00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:12.149
set for breakfast. I smiled in my sleep. Part Two
154
00:16:15.330 --> 00:16:20.340
On the Journey I'd filled several pages of my journal.
155
00:16:23.590 --> 00:16:27.669
I wrote about the land flying past the train window,
156
00:16:30.789 --> 00:16:40.419
green and yellow fields of sunflowers, and rolling farmland, freshly
157
00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:48.830
plowed and dotted with haystacks. I wrote about a bevy
158
00:16:48.889 --> 00:16:57.519
of deer sitting calmly under a weeping willow as the
159
00:16:57.559 --> 00:17:03.220
wind of the passing train tossed drying leaves down on
160
00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:09.670
top of them. And I wrote about the lady who
161
00:17:09.710 --> 00:17:17.220
pushed the drinks cart up and down the aisle who'd
162
00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:22.609
had a story to tell at nearly every stop we made.
163
00:17:25.250 --> 00:17:29.210
Did I know she'd been a pageant winner in her day?
164
00:17:31.890 --> 00:17:36.559
I chuckled as she poured my coffee and said, I didn't,
165
00:17:38.140 --> 00:17:43.259
but I'd love to hear about it. It had been
166
00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:51.200
long before She'd sold encyclopedias door to door, but after
167
00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:56.539
she'd been mayor of that small town we'd passed as
168
00:17:56.579 --> 00:18:03.859
we crossed the trestle bridge over the river. I wondered
169
00:18:03.940 --> 00:18:09.769
if she wrote a whole new biography. Each time she
170
00:18:09.809 --> 00:18:16.309
boarded and stocked her cart, And if I rode long enough,
171
00:18:18.309 --> 00:18:24.849
if I could become her archivist, tracking all the tales,
172
00:18:27.210 --> 00:18:32.440
noting how they crisscrossed like the routes of the trains themselves.
173
00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:43.809
Sometimes I wrote about myself. Little thoughts. that didn't necessarily
174
00:18:43.930 --> 00:18:52.890
go anywhere, but felt good to express. Bigger thoughts that
175
00:18:52.930 --> 00:18:56.779
had been waiting for me to have the time to
176
00:18:57.970 --> 00:19:03.900
look them in the eye. I had a feeling that
177
00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:11.569
was behind the general wanderlust that had spurred me to
178
00:19:11.609 --> 00:19:18.390
book a ticket and a room at the inn. I'd
179
00:19:18.430 --> 00:19:23.910
been spinning my wheels and needed a way to help
180
00:19:23.950 --> 00:19:32.460
them grab the earth again and propel me forward. That
181
00:19:32.579 --> 00:19:38.740
and desperately craving a fresh apple cider and a walk
182
00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:45.019
in the spicy air under changing leaves on the harvest moon.
183
00:19:47.380 --> 00:19:52.960
I'd been sketching that moon. onto the pages of my journal,
184
00:19:55.319 --> 00:20:00.940
not noticing that the train was slowing when my friend
185
00:20:01.009 --> 00:20:04.609
at the drinks cart leaned in to tap me on
186
00:20:04.650 --> 00:20:12.089
the shoulder. Your stop is next, dear. Don't miss it. Oh,
187
00:20:12.509 --> 00:20:20.759
I'd spluttered, um, thanks. I closed the book, snapping the
188
00:20:20.839 --> 00:20:27.559
elastic closure into place, and hurriedly pulled down my suitcase
189
00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:34.869
from the luggage rack. I'd bought myself a new jacket
190
00:20:35.589 --> 00:20:43.019
for this trip, with a soft flannel lining and a
191
00:20:43.059 --> 00:20:48.920
hood in case it rained. I slid it on and
192
00:20:49.059 --> 00:20:55.960
zipped it up tight. By the time the train chugged
193
00:20:56.160 --> 00:21:02.250
to a stop and the doors hissed open, I was
194
00:21:02.309 --> 00:21:11.970
standing ready behind them, ready for my autumn adventure. and
195
00:21:12.009 --> 00:21:17.990
I must have overpacked a bit. Too many pumpkin orange
196
00:21:18.049 --> 00:21:23.970
sweaters and thick socks, because I could barely shift my
197
00:21:24.049 --> 00:21:30.289
suitcase down the first step. A porter stepped over from
198
00:21:30.349 --> 00:21:36.960
the platform, grabbing it down in one hand and helping
199
00:21:37.019 --> 00:21:42.720
me out with the other. Oh, How much it means
200
00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:48.490
when someone is kind to you. When someone helps you
201
00:21:48.970 --> 00:21:53.589
when you are traveling. When you are somewhere you have
202
00:21:53.670 --> 00:21:58.799
never been before. He must have read it on my face.
203
00:22:01.259 --> 00:22:05.980
Because after he waved off my thanks, he asked if
204
00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:11.470
I needed help. if I had a ride waiting for me.
205
00:22:14.690 --> 00:22:21.950
I told him I was headed to the inn, and
206
00:22:22.130 --> 00:22:25.539
that they'd said they would send someone to pick me up.
207
00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:33.720
Did he know where their shuttle would be parked? He
208
00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:37.839
smiled a bit as he nodded and guided me down
209
00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:45.269
the platform. to point through the open, high-ceilinged station to
210
00:22:45.309 --> 00:22:53.680
the street beyond. Not really a shuttle. We take turns,
211
00:22:54.380 --> 00:23:01.779
whoever is going out that way. And today, I'd say
212
00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:08.130
you hit the jackpot. Look for a station wagon and
213
00:23:08.170 --> 00:23:12.420
a lady in an apron. Wouldn't be surprised if she's
214
00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:16.700
got a good bit of flour on her. I turned
215
00:23:16.859 --> 00:23:22.069
to look in the direction he pointed. Not sure I'd understood.
216
00:23:23.970 --> 00:23:28.390
But when I turned back to him, he was already
217
00:23:28.490 --> 00:23:35.910
down the platform, lifting another case from the train. Well,
218
00:23:36.759 --> 00:23:43.170
it was supposed to be an adventure, wasn't it? On
219
00:23:43.210 --> 00:23:48.470
the street, just like he'd said, I found a station wagon,
220
00:23:49.430 --> 00:23:53.220
an old one with those faux wooden panels on the
221
00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:58.519
sides and vinyl bench seats in the front and back.
222
00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:09.279
Standing at the open tailgate, shifting cases and crates, was, indeed,
223
00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:15.069
a woman in an apron. She smiled as I came
224
00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:20.470
around the car to her and shook my hand in
225
00:24:20.490 --> 00:24:28.450
a friendly and, yes, flowery way. She looked down at
226
00:24:28.529 --> 00:24:34.730
my lone suitcase and said, Oh good, I can fit
227
00:24:34.769 --> 00:24:38.740
that in the back seat. I thought I'd have to
228
00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:43.460
stack the pies. And I don't know how much you
229
00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:48.589
know about pies. She lifted the lower gate, and it
230
00:24:48.650 --> 00:24:55.230
locked into place. But they really shouldn't be stacked. Of
231
00:24:55.309 --> 00:25:00.670
course not, I said. It could crush the crust. And
232
00:25:00.710 --> 00:25:07.089
that's the best part. You get it, she nodded. and
233
00:25:07.130 --> 00:25:12.990
helped me load my case into the back seat. Once
234
00:25:13.069 --> 00:25:17.390
we were buckled in, she started up the old car,
235
00:25:19.490 --> 00:25:24.349
and we began to trundle down what I guessed was
236
00:25:24.410 --> 00:25:31.609
the main street of this little village. There was an
237
00:25:31.710 --> 00:25:37.500
open bakery box on the seat between us, and she
238
00:25:37.559 --> 00:25:44.220
insisted I help myself to a cookie. I'd been craving
239
00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:50.880
oatmeal raisin for ages, and the box was full of them.
240
00:25:53.400 --> 00:26:00.799
But they weren't just plain cookies. They were sandwiched together
241
00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:08.509
around a generous spread of vanilla cream like a stepped-up
242
00:26:08.569 --> 00:26:13.410
version of the kind I'd eaten from a cellophane package
243
00:26:14.349 --> 00:26:23.759
after school as a kid. They were absolutely delicious. And
244
00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:28.799
for a few blocks, I was lost to anything but
245
00:26:28.839 --> 00:26:36.799
the flavor and aroma of the treats. Baker asked a
246
00:26:36.839 --> 00:26:43.730
few questions. Was it my first time here? How long
247
00:26:43.750 --> 00:26:49.109
was I staying? And did I prefer apple crisp or
248
00:26:49.190 --> 00:26:55.920
apple turnovers? I answered in order. Yes, it was my
249
00:26:55.980 --> 00:27:01.319
first time. A week or so. And that I hoped
250
00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:08.759
I never had to make such a difficult decision. She
251
00:27:08.819 --> 00:27:12.819
pointed out a few places I might want to visit
252
00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:19.470
while I was here. Her bakery, of course. A cafe
253
00:27:20.789 --> 00:27:28.809
with outdoor tables grouped around standing heaters that glowed orangey-red
254
00:27:29.210 --> 00:27:34.930
in the cool air. A stationary shop if I filled
255
00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:41.119
up my journal and needed a new one I need
256
00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:44.539
a new one no matter how many I have, I
257
00:27:44.579 --> 00:27:51.480
told her. There was a bookshop with a cozy reading
258
00:27:51.559 --> 00:27:57.930
nook built right into the front window and a park
259
00:27:59.210 --> 00:28:05.869
with a newspaper kiosk at its entrance. The farmer's market
260
00:28:05.950 --> 00:28:11.470
was bustling with shoppers and stalls. and I could see
261
00:28:11.549 --> 00:28:18.279
that they had a whole section just for mums. As
262
00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:22.640
we wound our way out of town, I asked her
263
00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:28.119
what was taking her to the inn today. She smiled
264
00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:33.410
and said she was delivering all those pies for the exhibit,
265
00:28:34.990 --> 00:28:39.029
and then helping chef with a round of pickled brussels sprouts.
266
00:28:42.029 --> 00:28:47.990
Now I was the one with the questions. Exhibit? Chef?
267
00:28:49.390 --> 00:28:57.039
And most importantly, pickles? We turned down the long drive
268
00:28:57.140 --> 00:29:01.559
to the inn, just as I was voicing all of these.
269
00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:09.079
But rather than answer, she pointed past the beautiful old home,
270
00:29:10.069 --> 00:29:14.450
where I would be spending the next week, to the
271
00:29:14.490 --> 00:29:22.470
sliver of lake visible through the trees. She began to
272
00:29:22.569 --> 00:29:29.720
crank her window down, and I followed suit. Fresh lake
273
00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:37.220
air rushed in, and I closed my eyes, letting it
274
00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:43.349
wash over me. I could hear a wind high in
275
00:29:43.390 --> 00:29:48.799
the trees and waves on the surface of the water
276
00:29:52.019 --> 00:30:01.430
my shoulders dropped and my jaw relaxed though I hadn't
277
00:30:01.650 --> 00:30:07.809
even been aware I'd been clenching it. Though I'd never
278
00:30:07.869 --> 00:30:15.799
been here before, but somehow it felt familiar, like I
279
00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:25.180
was coming home. Part Three The jingle of the cat's
280
00:30:25.369 --> 00:30:32.799
collar woke me in the night. I'd been deeply asleep,
281
00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:40.730
dreaming about train tracks, a bakery box full of cookies,
282
00:30:43.509 --> 00:30:47.710
and a lake with a family of ducks tranquilly floating
283
00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:55.140
on its surface. But the bell on that collar was persistent.
284
00:30:57.789 --> 00:31:05.440
Or rather, the cat it was attached to was. Sycamore
285
00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:13.369
and I had already become friends. He'd greeted me as
286
00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:17.410
soon as I stepped into the inn with my suitcase
287
00:31:17.470 --> 00:31:27.299
in hand. I'd been momentarily stunned by the grand, curving staircase.
288
00:31:29.640 --> 00:31:36.650
and the rich smell of varnished wood and eucalyptus. I'd
289
00:31:36.670 --> 00:31:40.329
set my case down and stepped up to the foot
290
00:31:40.349 --> 00:31:47.049
of the stairs, leaning against the banister to crane my
291
00:31:47.109 --> 00:31:54.509
neck and look up through the railings. I felt something
292
00:31:54.670 --> 00:32:00.599
soft slink around my ankle, and with a start, looked
293
00:32:00.660 --> 00:32:07.450
down to find a black cat with bright green eyes
294
00:32:08.990 --> 00:32:17.059
sitting beside my foot, playfully swatting at my shoelace, which
295
00:32:17.099 --> 00:32:25.420
had come undone. I stooped down to retie it and
296
00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:31.970
said hello to the cat I've learned to let animals
297
00:32:32.150 --> 00:32:39.410
show whether they welcome a pet or not, since, as
298
00:32:39.490 --> 00:32:46.240
far as I am aware, they can't speak. I watched
299
00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:52.000
his movements, and when he dropped his eyes and butted
300
00:32:52.099 --> 00:32:57.190
his small head against my leg, I took that as
301
00:32:57.230 --> 00:33:05.720
an invitation. and reached out to scratch his ears. Just
302
00:33:05.779 --> 00:33:13.440
then we both heard a voice calling from somewhere far off. Sycamore,
303
00:33:14.829 --> 00:33:21.869
come on. We have a guest arriving any minute. The
304
00:33:21.890 --> 00:33:28.470
cat's ears twitched, clearly listening, and I whispered to him,
305
00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:37.359
Are you Sycamore? He just stared into my eyes in
306
00:33:37.380 --> 00:33:46.339
that slightly unnerving way that cats sometimes do. Footsteps were
307
00:33:46.380 --> 00:33:51.769
coming closer down a long hallway from what must be
308
00:33:51.829 --> 00:33:56.730
the back of the inn. And I pushed myself up
309
00:33:56.789 --> 00:34:04.329
to standing. Oh. You're here, said the smiling woman, who
310
00:34:04.390 --> 00:34:11.909
emerged from the hall. Then, seeing Sycamore at my foot, said,
311
00:34:13.750 --> 00:34:17.409
And so are you. I'm the one who was missing.
312
00:34:19.510 --> 00:34:24.889
I liked her immediately, and felt another layer of tension
313
00:34:25.590 --> 00:34:32.460
and burnout melt off my shoulders. Within a few minutes,
314
00:34:33.559 --> 00:34:37.579
I'd been given a key and shown up to my
315
00:34:37.659 --> 00:34:43.360
room on the second floor. I was invited to come
316
00:34:43.460 --> 00:34:46.880
down for some tea and a tour of the house
317
00:34:47.059 --> 00:34:51.739
and grounds when I was ready, and I was let
318
00:34:51.989 --> 00:35:08.340
in on the quote-unquote sycamore situation. Sycamore situation, I asked. Yes,
319
00:35:09.239 --> 00:35:13.489
she said, with a small note of consternation in her
320
00:35:13.550 --> 00:35:18.329
voice that made me laugh just to hear it. A
321
00:35:18.530 --> 00:35:27.519
sycamore takes his role as hospitality specialist very seriously and
322
00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:30.860
may try to look in on you during the night.
323
00:35:32.449 --> 00:35:36.300
You know, to make sure that you have everything you need.
324
00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:43.480
And to see if something you need might be a cat,
325
00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:51.659
I asked. Exactly, she said. We both looked down at Sycamore,
326
00:35:53.460 --> 00:35:58.250
who seemed to be following along with the conversation, just
327
00:35:58.349 --> 00:36:05.210
waiting for his turn to interject. He had butted my
328
00:36:05.309 --> 00:36:13.059
ankle again. The innkeeper reached for a paper placard hanging
329
00:36:13.159 --> 00:36:16.599
from a ribbon on the back of my room's door.
330
00:36:19.250 --> 00:36:23.969
There was a large black paw print inked onto one
331
00:36:24.010 --> 00:36:32.119
side of it. On the other, a classic do-not-disturb message.
332
00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:39.059
with one word added in large block letters at the top,
333
00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:50.289
so that it read, Sycamore, do not disturb. Pawprint out
334
00:36:50.469 --> 00:36:56.809
means he's welcome. Otherwise, flip the message to the hall,
335
00:36:58.010 --> 00:37:03.610
and he will most likely leave you alone. I wasn't
336
00:37:03.750 --> 00:37:10.539
sure if she was serious. She looked serious. If this
337
00:37:10.599 --> 00:37:14.940
was a joke, she had a very reliable straight face.
338
00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:23.190
He can read? I asked. She waved her hand at me,
339
00:37:24.010 --> 00:37:27.269
as if to say that it wasn't much to be
340
00:37:27.329 --> 00:37:35.119
impressed by, and said, only in English. Now, saddle in,
341
00:37:36.119 --> 00:37:40.659
and we'll see you later for some tea. And they
342
00:37:40.699 --> 00:37:48.280
both trooped out and closed the door behind them. I'd
343
00:37:48.340 --> 00:37:53.510
still been chuckling to myself as I wandered over to
344
00:37:53.550 --> 00:37:58.650
the window and looked out at a view that was
345
00:37:58.710 --> 00:38:08.550
truly breathtaking. The inn sat on a small rise, and
346
00:38:08.590 --> 00:38:13.050
from my room I could see the sloping lawns below
347
00:38:15.369 --> 00:38:20.949
and the path that led to the lake. The lake
348
00:38:20.989 --> 00:38:26.030
was larger than I'd imagined. I could see the other side,
349
00:38:26.199 --> 00:38:31.460
but had to squint to make out the houses and
350
00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:41.340
docks there. Trees, so many trees, and they were turning
351
00:38:41.820 --> 00:38:49.260
all shades of yellow, orange, and red. I took several
352
00:38:49.460 --> 00:38:56.940
deep breaths, just standing there, letting the calm of the
353
00:38:57.000 --> 00:39:05.219
world I was looking at transfer into my body. I'd
354
00:39:05.260 --> 00:39:12.739
meant to unpack my suitcase and immediately go down to
355
00:39:12.800 --> 00:39:15.349
check out the rest of the inn and the property.
356
00:39:18.530 --> 00:39:24.110
But the exhaustion I'd been pushing to one side suddenly
357
00:39:24.190 --> 00:39:30.460
engulfed me. I'd taken my finger out of the dam
358
00:39:32.659 --> 00:39:37.900
and there was no walling it back up. I kicked
359
00:39:37.980 --> 00:39:44.659
off my shoes and stretched out on the large soft bed.
360
00:39:47.159 --> 00:39:53.030
There was a blanket folded at its foot One of
361
00:39:53.070 --> 00:40:00.880
those thick, incredibly soft and heavy throws. And as soon
362
00:40:00.960 --> 00:40:05.860
as I pulled it up over me, I fell asleep.
363
00:40:10.159 --> 00:40:15.260
It had been late afternoon when I'd arrived at the inn.
364
00:40:17.590 --> 00:40:23.280
Hours of daylight still ahead. But when I heard the
365
00:40:23.340 --> 00:40:31.619
bell on Sycamore's collar and finally pulled myself from the
366
00:40:31.699 --> 00:40:37.610
deep sleep I'd been in, it was pitch black outside.
367
00:40:40.329 --> 00:40:45.389
I sat up in bed, still in my traveling clothes,
368
00:40:47.860 --> 00:40:52.679
the blanket wrapped around me. and blinked into the dark,
369
00:40:55.840 --> 00:41:03.079
trying to remember where I was. Though confused for a moment,
370
00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:10.949
I felt safe. I knew I was exactly where I
371
00:41:11.030 --> 00:41:18.570
was supposed to be, even if the exact details had
372
00:41:18.630 --> 00:41:29.539
escaped me. Then I heard the bell again and remembered. Sycamore.
373
00:41:31.260 --> 00:41:34.760
The sign still hung on the back of my door
374
00:41:36.400 --> 00:41:40.619
where the innkeeper had left it. He didn't know if
375
00:41:40.730 --> 00:41:47.690
I needed him. But by the steady ringing and the
376
00:41:47.750 --> 00:41:54.090
small black paw, was feeling around through the crack under
377
00:41:54.139 --> 00:42:02.190
my door, he had a pretty good idea. I struggled
378
00:42:02.289 --> 00:42:09.329
to my feet, pulling the blanket around my shoulders, and
379
00:42:09.369 --> 00:42:15.050
went to let him in. When I unlocked the door
380
00:42:15.179 --> 00:42:20.380
and opened it, I found him sitting on his haunches,
381
00:42:21.929 --> 00:42:29.619
looking up at me, purring loudly. Beside him in the
382
00:42:29.659 --> 00:42:35.000
hall was a cart with covered dishes and a note.
383
00:42:37.840 --> 00:42:41.619
I looked up and down the empty hall and wondered
384
00:42:41.659 --> 00:42:48.309
how long it had sat out while I slept. I
385
00:42:48.369 --> 00:42:54.429
reached for the note. noticing the same dark green ink
386
00:42:56.130 --> 00:42:59.170
that had been on the business card that led me
387
00:42:59.269 --> 00:43:06.820
to this wondrous place. It just said, thought you might
388
00:43:06.880 --> 00:43:15.659
be hungry. Still groggy, but feeling my stomach growl at
389
00:43:15.719 --> 00:43:20.420
the thought of food, I wheeled the cart into my room,
390
00:43:22.199 --> 00:43:26.800
ushered Sycamore in behind it, and shut the door again.
391
00:43:26.820 --> 00:43:33.590
I switched on a lamp and took a look at
392
00:43:33.670 --> 00:43:39.090
what had been set out for me. Under the covers
393
00:43:39.170 --> 00:43:44.630
was a basket of seedy rolls and crackers and little
394
00:43:44.730 --> 00:43:53.139
sealed jars of spreads. There were two shining apples with
395
00:43:53.179 --> 00:43:57.179
a small paring knife and a dish of peanut butter.
396
00:43:59.900 --> 00:44:04.139
Beside it was a porcelain cookie jar in the shape
397
00:44:04.199 --> 00:44:10.170
of an owl that was full of dark brown molasses cookies.
398
00:44:13.190 --> 00:44:17.230
There was also a thermos full of some kind of
399
00:44:17.289 --> 00:44:26.219
herbal tea Chamomile, maybe, and a jug of water. I
400
00:44:26.280 --> 00:44:31.369
rolled the cart over to the window seat and curled
401
00:44:31.489 --> 00:44:36.510
up on it in the moonlight. I poured a cup
402
00:44:36.550 --> 00:44:42.539
of the tea, which was still hot and steaming, and
403
00:44:42.579 --> 00:44:47.989
began to cut the apple into slices. when I shook
404
00:44:48.130 --> 00:44:52.769
out one of the cloth napkins, a little packet fell out,
405
00:44:54.409 --> 00:44:59.460
and Sycamore jumped up beside me to sniff it. Cat treats?
406
00:45:01.699 --> 00:45:05.639
I think of everything here, I whispered, as I shook
407
00:45:05.679 --> 00:45:12.619
a few onto the sill. We ate together in the
408
00:45:12.679 --> 00:45:19.579
silence of deep night. when I changed into my pajamas,
409
00:45:20.500 --> 00:45:29.199
brushed my teeth, and crawled right back into bed. I
410
00:45:29.260 --> 00:45:37.489
wasn't nearly done catching up on my sleep. Sycamore hopped
411
00:45:37.610 --> 00:45:42.329
up beside me, and as I rolled onto my side,
412
00:45:44.369 --> 00:45:48.579
he curled up against my chest. and began to purr.
413
00:45:51.820 --> 00:45:56.349
I tucked an arm around him, and we fell asleep.
414
00:46:00.050 --> 00:46:08.929
Autumn at the Inn, Part 1 It came as a
415
00:46:09.010 --> 00:46:19.340
recommendation from a friend. I'd been going on a bit wistfully,
416
00:46:19.440 --> 00:46:29.630
I'm sure, about missing the bright leaves and crisp sense
417
00:46:29.670 --> 00:46:39.559
of autumn after living somewhere that the seasons barely budged
418
00:46:40.420 --> 00:46:51.469
throughout the year. It had its benefits. the sunshine, and
419
00:46:51.489 --> 00:46:59.369
the months and months of warm weather. I got to
420
00:46:59.429 --> 00:47:08.139
spend a lot of evenings out on the deck. I
421
00:47:08.199 --> 00:47:16.329
went for beach walks, while many others, in less friendly climbs,
422
00:47:18.280 --> 00:47:26.230
were scraping ice from their windshields. And almost none of
423
00:47:26.289 --> 00:47:36.469
my paycheck went into a mitten budget. But every autumn,
424
00:47:38.449 --> 00:47:45.179
I found myself longing for a chill in the air.
425
00:47:47.829 --> 00:47:53.590
a day to kick through fallen leaves and feast on
426
00:47:53.690 --> 00:48:04.030
cider donuts. In fact, and I'd probably deny this if
427
00:48:04.110 --> 00:48:11.960
it got out, sometimes in the fall, I turned the
428
00:48:12.079 --> 00:48:21.409
air conditioner all the way up. dressed in jeans and
429
00:48:21.449 --> 00:48:29.730
my one flannel shirt, and pretended. I had a few
430
00:48:29.949 --> 00:48:40.039
favorite movies, all set in September and October, and I'd
431
00:48:40.079 --> 00:48:46.559
watch them with a sweet cinnamon coffee in my hands.
432
00:48:50.789 --> 00:48:55.969
I'd pull the curtains tight to block out the sun
433
00:48:58.150 --> 00:49:04.739
and the sight of my neighbors walking the sidewalks in
434
00:49:04.820 --> 00:49:13.730
shorts and flip-flops. I'd light a pumpkin candle and try
435
00:49:13.849 --> 00:49:26.780
to fool myself into feeling properly autumnal and I guess
436
00:49:27.699 --> 00:49:35.070
that's what I would have done again this year except
437
00:49:35.909 --> 00:49:42.070
for the friend who'd clearly had enough of my lamenting,
438
00:49:44.630 --> 00:49:50.550
and slipped me a worn business card from his wallet.
439
00:49:54.739 --> 00:50:05.280
The card was simple, off-white, creamy stock, printed with faded
440
00:50:05.460 --> 00:50:17.559
green ink The name of an inn. An address. A
441
00:50:17.599 --> 00:50:24.570
phone number. And a line drawing of an old stately
442
00:50:24.610 --> 00:50:34.050
building beside a lake. He said he'd visited years before
443
00:50:35.869 --> 00:50:44.590
and still thought about it. I ran my finger over
444
00:50:44.650 --> 00:50:52.500
the lines that made up the lake and had a
445
00:50:52.619 --> 00:51:06.500
sudden image in my mind of geese flying overhead, tall
446
00:51:06.639 --> 00:51:16.690
trees crowned in red and gold and orange, and a
447
00:51:16.750 --> 00:51:24.219
bench by the water. I'd prodded my friend a bit.
448
00:51:27.079 --> 00:51:32.719
What made this place special? What did he remember from
449
00:51:32.760 --> 00:51:42.059
his trip? Nothing much, he answered. just that when I
450
00:51:42.139 --> 00:51:50.480
came back I felt like my shelves had been restocked. Gosh,
451
00:51:50.960 --> 00:51:57.219
I'd love to go back. I guess that's why I've
452
00:51:57.300 --> 00:52:05.940
kept the card in my wallet all this time. I
453
00:52:05.980 --> 00:52:12.929
like just knowing that it is there. I asked him
454
00:52:14.289 --> 00:52:21.130
if he wanted the card back, but he shrugged and
455
00:52:21.190 --> 00:52:29.750
said I should keep it. I'd need it to call
456
00:52:29.929 --> 00:52:37.210
and make a reservation for a trip, to go see
457
00:52:37.289 --> 00:52:48.280
the leaves change. I slipped it into my pocket and
458
00:52:48.300 --> 00:52:56.639
we went on to talk of other things. I actually
459
00:52:56.760 --> 00:53:04.889
forgot all about it until that night when I was
460
00:53:04.989 --> 00:53:12.179
changing for bed and found it. I set it down
461
00:53:12.300 --> 00:53:21.349
on my bedside table, popped against my lamp, and went
462
00:53:21.630 --> 00:53:29.050
to brush my teeth. By the time I finally crawled
463
00:53:29.110 --> 00:53:39.199
into bed, it seemed too late to call. Maybe, I thought,
464
00:53:41.170 --> 00:53:47.250
I should sleep on it. Maybe it wasn't the right
465
00:53:47.389 --> 00:53:56.280
time for a trip. Maybe it was silly to travel
466
00:53:56.360 --> 00:54:04.059
so far, just to stay in an inn and feel
467
00:54:04.119 --> 00:54:10.530
a bit of fall air on my neck. but I
468
00:54:10.590 --> 00:54:19.429
couldn't sleep. I turned from side to side, thinking of
469
00:54:19.530 --> 00:54:27.369
the ten-day forecast I'd checked just before shutting things down
470
00:54:27.530 --> 00:54:36.349
for the night. Hot and sunny, every day for the
471
00:54:36.389 --> 00:54:48.869
foreseeable future, humid and Unrelenting. I sat up and reached
472
00:54:48.949 --> 00:55:00.559
for the card. The moonlight, snaking through my blinds, glinted
473
00:55:00.719 --> 00:55:08.809
off the ink. And again, I imagined the geese overhead.
474
00:55:11.969 --> 00:55:22.150
the bench by the water. I dialed the number, shaking
475
00:55:22.230 --> 00:55:29.780
my head a bit at my rashness. I fully expected
476
00:55:29.960 --> 00:55:35.099
to leave a message. I was sure there'd be no
477
00:55:35.300 --> 00:55:41.300
one at the desk at this time of night. but
478
00:55:41.320 --> 00:55:49.320
a quiet voice answered right away. Oh, hi, I stammered.
479
00:55:50.539 --> 00:55:58.019
I didn't think anyone would be up. Well, I wasn't, actually,
480
00:55:58.980 --> 00:56:02.940
but my cat got me up. He was meowing at
481
00:56:03.000 --> 00:56:07.989
the door and wouldn't stop till I came down to
482
00:56:08.030 --> 00:56:16.039
the office. And that's when the phone rang. It sounded
483
00:56:16.119 --> 00:56:21.480
like this might not have been the first time that
484
00:56:21.539 --> 00:56:29.070
had happened. I imagined her with a pen already in
485
00:56:29.110 --> 00:56:36.590
her hand and a large desk calendar spread out in
486
00:56:36.650 --> 00:56:46.380
front of her. ready to take my reservation. When would
487
00:56:46.389 --> 00:56:55.059
you like to come? She prompted. Oh, um, actually, I
488
00:56:55.840 --> 00:57:02.269
hadn't thought that far ahead. I just, a friend passed
489
00:57:02.289 --> 00:57:07.429
me your card, and I could kind of use a getaway.
490
00:57:10.469 --> 00:57:17.760
Of course. Let me see. We just had a cancellation.
491
00:57:19.280 --> 00:57:24.920
And it's during peak color season. Does that sound good
492
00:57:24.960 --> 00:57:34.300
to you? It's perfect. She told me the dates. Starting
493
00:57:34.320 --> 00:57:40.429
in just a few days. And I was glad that
494
00:57:42.199 --> 00:57:48.219
it was enough time to plan and travel, but not
495
00:57:48.300 --> 00:57:56.750
enough to second-guess myself. She took my name and number,
496
00:57:59.230 --> 00:58:03.909
and we were just about to hang up when I
497
00:58:03.949 --> 00:58:16.110
stopped her. One last thing. What's your cat's name? She
498
00:58:16.170 --> 00:58:22.590
laughed quietly and said, Sycamore. I'm sure you'll get to
499
00:58:22.630 --> 00:58:26.949
meet him. He'll even sleep on your bed if you
500
00:58:26.969 --> 00:58:37.130
let him. After I hung up, I wrote the dates
501
00:58:38.429 --> 00:58:44.860
on the back of the inn's card and slid back
502
00:58:45.039 --> 00:58:54.269
down into my sheets. In the morning, I'd have a
503
00:58:54.449 --> 00:59:06.260
full list of to-dos, travel plans, and laundry, pulling my
504
00:59:06.340 --> 00:59:12.969
suitcase out from the high shelf in the closet. and
505
00:59:13.010 --> 00:59:17.809
arranging to have the plants watered while I was gone.
506
00:59:22.110 --> 00:59:27.139
I'd need to do a bit of shopping for warm clothes.
507
00:59:31.409 --> 00:59:37.030
a good pair of sturdy shoes or boots to hike in,
508
00:59:40.250 --> 00:59:45.409
and my camera. It was ready to be picked up
509
00:59:47.429 --> 00:59:55.750
from the shop where it had been repaired. Even with
510
00:59:56.070 --> 01:00:03.639
all that on my mind, As soon as I pulled
511
01:00:03.659 --> 01:00:14.469
the blanket up over my shoulder, I fell quickly and
512
01:00:14.530 --> 01:00:25.010
deeply asleep. I dreamt of a view from a window
513
01:00:25.030 --> 01:00:34.369
on an upper floor. looking out across the lake at
514
01:00:34.389 --> 01:00:42.809
a forest of vibrantly swathed trees. In the dream, I
515
01:00:44.469 --> 01:00:53.050
smelled the scent of coffee cake and heard a tinkling
516
01:00:53.159 --> 01:01:01.690
bell on a black cat's collar. There was a winding
517
01:01:01.789 --> 01:01:12.400
staircase and a long hallway lined with portraits that led
518
01:01:12.519 --> 01:01:22.469
to a porch full of tables set for breakfast. I
519
01:01:22.550 --> 01:01:35.599
smiled in my sleep. Part Two On the journey, I'd
520
01:01:35.760 --> 01:01:43.630
filled several pages of my journal. I wrote about the
521
01:01:43.690 --> 01:01:53.239
land flying past the train window. Green and yellow fields
522
01:01:53.409 --> 01:02:05.079
of sunflowers. And rolling farmland, freshly plowed. undotted with haystacks.
523
01:02:09.250 --> 01:02:16.769
I wrote about a bevy of deer sitting calmly under
524
01:02:16.829 --> 01:02:23.440
a weeping willow as the wind of the passing train
525
01:02:26.619 --> 01:02:35.679
tossed drying leaves down on top of them. I wrote
526
01:02:35.820 --> 01:02:42.739
about the lady who pushed the drinks cart up and
527
01:02:42.820 --> 01:02:52.309
down the aisle, who'd had a story to tell at
528
01:02:52.389 --> 01:03:02.139
nearly every stop we made. Did I know she had
529
01:03:02.239 --> 01:03:10.639
been a pageant winner? in her day. I chuckled as
530
01:03:10.699 --> 01:03:18.659
she poured my coffee and said, I didn't, but I'd
531
01:03:18.699 --> 01:03:26.090
love to hear about it. It had been long before
532
01:03:27.250 --> 01:03:35.030
she sold encyclopedias door to door. But after she'd been mayor,
533
01:03:36.409 --> 01:03:42.730
of the small town we'd passed as we crossed that
534
01:03:42.809 --> 01:03:51.619
trestle bridge over the river. I wondered if she wrote
535
01:03:52.400 --> 01:04:00.059
a whole new biography each time she boarded and stocked
536
01:04:00.099 --> 01:04:08.429
her cart. And if I rode long enough Could I
537
01:04:08.530 --> 01:04:18.570
become her archivist? Tracking all the tales and noting how
538
01:04:18.610 --> 01:04:28.519
they crisscrossed like the routes of the trains themselves. Sometimes
539
01:04:29.659 --> 01:04:39.449
I wrote about myself. Little thoughts. but didn't necessarily go anywhere.
540
01:04:43.690 --> 01:04:51.079
Bigger thoughts that had been waiting for me to have
541
01:04:51.139 --> 01:04:58.320
the time to look them in the eye. I had
542
01:04:58.389 --> 01:05:07.840
a feeling they were behind the general wanderlust. that had
543
01:05:07.920 --> 01:05:14.079
spurred me to book a ticket and a room at
544
01:05:14.119 --> 01:05:22.829
the inn. I'd been spinning my wheels and needed a
545
01:05:22.969 --> 01:05:29.869
way to help them grab the earth again and propel
546
01:05:29.909 --> 01:05:39.659
me forward. That and desperately craving a fresh apple cider,
547
01:05:41.840 --> 01:05:47.940
and a walk in the spicy air under changing leaves
548
01:05:50.239 --> 01:05:59.070
in the harvest moon. I'd been sketching that moon onto
549
01:05:59.110 --> 01:06:06.309
the pages of my journal, not noticing that the train
550
01:06:06.389 --> 01:06:14.010
was slowing when my friend at the drinks cart leaned
551
01:06:14.130 --> 01:06:23.750
in to tap me on the shoulder. Your stop is next, dear.
552
01:06:25.250 --> 01:06:34.099
Don't miss it. Oh, I'd spluttered. Um, thanks. I closed
553
01:06:34.219 --> 01:06:45.369
the book. snapping the elastic closure into place and hurriedly
554
01:06:45.510 --> 01:06:54.530
pulled my suitcase from the luggage rack. I'd bought myself
555
01:06:55.769 --> 01:07:03.309
a new jacket just for this trip with a soft
556
01:07:03.869 --> 01:07:11.429
flannel lining and a hood in case it rained. I
557
01:07:11.489 --> 01:07:18.269
slid it on and zipped it up tight. By the
558
01:07:18.329 --> 01:07:25.159
time the train chugged to a stop and the doors
559
01:07:25.239 --> 01:07:36.099
hissed open, I was standing ready behind them. ready for
560
01:07:36.159 --> 01:07:47.309
my autumn adventure. I must have overpacked a bit. Too
561
01:07:47.349 --> 01:07:55.429
many pumpkin orange sweaters and thick socks. Because I could
562
01:07:55.690 --> 01:08:05.800
barely shift my suitcase down the first step. a porter
563
01:08:06.039 --> 01:08:12.280
stepped over from the platform, grabbing it down in one
564
01:08:12.320 --> 01:08:20.729
hand and helping me out with the other. Oh, how
565
01:08:20.930 --> 01:08:27.430
much it means when someone is kind to you, when
566
01:08:27.470 --> 01:08:33.689
someone helps you, when you are traveling, when you are
567
01:08:33.770 --> 01:08:41.449
somewhere you have never been before. He must have read
568
01:08:41.529 --> 01:08:47.960
it on my face, because after he waved off my thanks,
569
01:08:51.020 --> 01:08:55.199
he asked if I needed help, if I had a
570
01:08:55.270 --> 01:09:03.029
ride waiting for me. I told him I was headed
571
01:09:03.229 --> 01:09:08.930
to the inn, and that they'd said they would send
572
01:09:09.050 --> 01:09:16.260
someone to pick me up. Did he know where their
573
01:09:16.319 --> 01:09:23.789
shuttle would be parked? He smiled a bit as he
574
01:09:23.850 --> 01:09:33.149
nodded and guided me down the platform to point through
575
01:09:33.189 --> 01:09:45.279
the open, high-ceilinged station to the street beyond. Not really
576
01:09:46.000 --> 01:09:52.170
a shuttle. We'd just take turns. whoever is going out
577
01:09:52.250 --> 01:09:58.510
that way. And today, I'd say you hit the jackpot.
578
01:10:01.470 --> 01:10:05.970
Look for a station wagon and a lady in an apron.
579
01:10:08.069 --> 01:10:11.630
Wouldn't be surprised if she's got a good bit of
580
01:10:11.710 --> 01:10:18.750
flour on her. I turned to look in the direction
581
01:10:18.829 --> 01:10:26.939
he pointed. not sure I had understood. But when I
582
01:10:27.020 --> 01:10:32.039
turned back to him, he was already down the platform,
583
01:10:34.600 --> 01:10:42.529
lifting another case from the train. Well, it was supposed
584
01:10:42.590 --> 01:10:51.819
to be an adventure, wasn't it? On the street, Just
585
01:10:51.859 --> 01:11:00.409
like he'd said. I'd found a station wagon. An old one.
586
01:11:01.949 --> 01:11:07.770
With those faux wooden panels on the sides. And vinyl
587
01:11:07.829 --> 01:11:15.810
bench seats on the front and back. Standing at the
588
01:11:15.930 --> 01:11:26.109
open tailgate. Shifting cases and crates. was, indeed, a woman
589
01:11:26.270 --> 01:11:32.140
in an apron. She smiled as I came around the
590
01:11:32.399 --> 01:11:40.720
car to her and shook my hand in a friendly, yes,
591
01:11:40.899 --> 01:11:53.560
flowery way. She looked down at my lone suitcase and said, Oh, good.
592
01:11:55.100 --> 01:12:01.250
I can fit that in the back seat. Thought I'd
593
01:12:01.329 --> 01:12:07.569
have to stack the pies. And I don't know how
594
01:12:07.630 --> 01:12:13.949
much you know about pies. She lifted the lowered gate
595
01:12:14.590 --> 01:12:20.970
and it locked into place. But they really shouldn't be stacked.
596
01:12:23.619 --> 01:12:28.039
Of course not, I said. It could crush the crust,
597
01:12:29.720 --> 01:12:34.760
and that's the best part. You get it, she nodded,
598
01:12:36.510 --> 01:12:44.109
and helped me load my case into the backseat. Once
599
01:12:44.229 --> 01:12:49.210
we were buckled in, she started up the old car.
600
01:12:51.979 --> 01:12:57.760
and we began to trundle down what I guessed was
601
01:12:57.800 --> 01:13:05.789
the main street of this little village. There was an
602
01:13:05.890 --> 01:13:12.510
open bakery box on the seat between us, and she
603
01:13:12.609 --> 01:13:23.220
insisted I help myself to a cookie. I'd been craving
604
01:13:23.229 --> 01:13:29.479
oatmeal raisin for ages, and the box was full of them.
605
01:13:32.220 --> 01:13:39.140
But they weren't just plain cookies. They were sandwiched together
606
01:13:39.159 --> 01:13:50.729
around a generous spread of vanilla cream, like a stepped-up version.
607
01:13:52.539 --> 01:14:00.000
of the kind I'd eaten from a cellophane package after
608
01:14:00.060 --> 01:14:11.770
school as a kid. They were absolutely delicious. And for
609
01:14:11.810 --> 01:14:19.149
a few blocks, I was lost to anything but the
610
01:14:19.270 --> 01:14:29.699
flavor an aroma of the treats. The baker asked a
611
01:14:29.739 --> 01:14:37.880
few questions. Was it my first time here? How long
612
01:14:37.960 --> 01:14:46.449
was I staying? And did I prefer apple crisp or
613
01:14:46.510 --> 01:14:54.640
apple turnovers? I answered in order. Yes, it was my
614
01:14:54.699 --> 01:15:00.229
first time. A week or so. And that I hoped
615
01:15:01.100 --> 01:15:08.710
I never had to make such a difficult decision. She
616
01:15:08.770 --> 01:15:13.289
pointed out a few places I might want to visit
617
01:15:13.489 --> 01:15:21.380
while I was here. Her bakery, of course. A cafe
618
01:15:23.159 --> 01:15:32.770
with outdoor tables grouped around standing heaters that glowed orangey-red
619
01:15:34.010 --> 01:15:42.899
in the cool air. A stationary shop if I filled
620
01:15:43.020 --> 01:15:50.189
up my journal and needed a new one. I need
621
01:15:50.250 --> 01:15:54.390
a new one, no matter how many I have, I
622
01:15:54.449 --> 01:16:03.409
told her. There was a bookshop with a cozy reading
623
01:16:03.489 --> 01:16:10.779
nook built right into the front window and a park
624
01:16:12.420 --> 01:16:18.920
with a newspaper kiosk at its entrance. The farmer's market
625
01:16:20.529 --> 01:16:27.689
was bustling with shoppers and stalls. And I could see
626
01:16:27.789 --> 01:16:36.329
that they had a whole section just for mums. As
627
01:16:36.369 --> 01:16:41.890
we wound our way out of town, I asked her
628
01:16:42.409 --> 01:16:48.279
what was taking her to the inn today. She smiled
629
01:16:48.439 --> 01:16:54.710
and said, She was delivering all those pies for the exhibit,
630
01:16:57.069 --> 01:17:01.630
and then helping Chef with a round of pickled Brussels sprouts.
631
01:17:04.789 --> 01:17:11.670
Now I was the one with the questions. Exhibit? Chef?
632
01:17:13.949 --> 01:17:23.670
And most importantly, pickles? we turned down the long drive
633
01:17:23.829 --> 01:17:30.289
to the inn, just as I was voicing all of these.
634
01:17:33.439 --> 01:17:40.899
But rather than answer, she pointed past the beautiful old
635
01:17:40.979 --> 01:17:48.710
home where I would be spending the next week, to
636
01:17:48.770 --> 01:17:58.720
the sliver of lake visible through the trees. She began
637
01:17:58.939 --> 01:18:07.770
to crank her window down and I followed suit. Fresh
638
01:18:08.630 --> 01:18:19.109
lake air rushed in and I closed my eyes letting
639
01:18:19.189 --> 01:18:28.289
it wash all over me. I could hear wind high
640
01:18:28.350 --> 01:18:34.250
in the trees and waves on the surface of the water.
641
01:18:37.970 --> 01:18:46.880
My shoulders dropped and my jaw relaxed, though I hadn't
642
01:18:47.060 --> 01:18:57.020
even been aware. I'd been clenching it. No, I'd never
643
01:18:57.140 --> 01:19:09.560
been here before. But somehow, it all felt familiar. Like
644
01:19:09.659 --> 01:19:21.859
I was coming home. The jingle of the cat's collar
645
01:19:23.420 --> 01:19:34.510
woke me in the night. I'd been deeply asleep, dreaming
646
01:19:34.649 --> 01:19:45.020
about train tracks, a bakery box full of cookies, and
647
01:19:45.090 --> 01:19:52.989
a lake with a family of ducks tranquilly floating on
648
01:19:53.050 --> 01:20:07.689
its surface. But the bell on that collar was persistent. Or, rather,
649
01:20:09.109 --> 01:20:17.789
the cat it was attached to was. Sycamore and I
650
01:20:18.989 --> 01:20:27.890
had already become friends. He'd greeted me as soon as
651
01:20:28.050 --> 01:20:32.609
I stepped into the inn with my suitcase in hand.
652
01:20:36.899 --> 01:20:46.550
I'd been momentarily stunned by the grand, curving staircase. and
653
01:20:46.569 --> 01:20:56.170
the rich smell of varnished wood and eucalyptus. I'd set
654
01:20:56.210 --> 01:21:01.569
my case down and stepped up to the foot of
655
01:21:01.630 --> 01:21:10.800
the stairs, leaning against the banister to crane my neck
656
01:21:13.659 --> 01:21:21.180
and look up through the railings. I felt something soft
657
01:21:23.600 --> 01:21:32.520
slink around my ankle. And with a start, looked down
658
01:21:33.840 --> 01:21:41.539
to find a black cat with bright green eyes sitting
659
01:21:42.119 --> 01:21:51.029
beside my foot, playfully swatting at my shoelace. which had
660
01:21:51.109 --> 01:21:58.619
come undone. I stooped down to retie it and said
661
01:21:58.659 --> 01:22:06.960
hello to the cat. I've learned to let animals show
662
01:22:08.600 --> 01:22:17.050
whether they'd welcome a pat or not. Since, as far
663
01:22:17.149 --> 01:22:26.640
as I am aware, I can't speak. I watched his movements.
664
01:22:29.619 --> 01:22:34.649
And when he dropped his eyes and butted his small
665
01:22:34.770 --> 01:22:41.409
head against my leg, I took that as an invitation
666
01:22:44.220 --> 01:22:52.800
and reached out to scratch his ears. Just then, we
667
01:22:52.840 --> 01:23:02.029
both heard a voice calling from far off. Sycamore, come on.
668
01:23:03.989 --> 01:23:12.310
We have a guest arriving any minute. The cat's ears twitched,
669
01:23:13.529 --> 01:23:21.899
clearly listening. And I whispered to him. Are you Sycamore?
670
01:23:25.229 --> 01:23:33.210
He just stared into my eyes in that slightly unnerving
671
01:23:33.369 --> 01:23:46.810
way that cats sometimes do. Footsteps came closer down a
672
01:23:46.970 --> 01:23:52.109
long hallway from what must have been the back of
673
01:23:52.149 --> 01:24:03.590
the inn, and I pushed myself up to standing. Oh,
674
01:24:05.409 --> 01:24:13.640
you're here, said the smiling woman who emerged from the hall.
675
01:24:15.960 --> 01:24:25.170
Ben seeing sycamore at my foot, said, and so are you.
676
01:24:27.409 --> 01:24:34.760
I'm the one who was missing. I liked her immediately
677
01:24:37.340 --> 01:24:45.539
and felt another layer of tension and burnout melt off
678
01:24:45.619 --> 01:24:54.949
my shoulders. Within a few minutes, I'd been given a
679
01:24:55.029 --> 01:25:01.510
key and shown up to my room on the second floor.
680
01:25:05.890 --> 01:25:11.189
I was invited to come down for some tea and
681
01:25:11.229 --> 01:25:15.899
a tour of the house and grounds when I was ready.
682
01:25:18.939 --> 01:25:29.300
And I was let in on the quote-unquote sycamore situation.
683
01:25:33.420 --> 01:25:44.329
The sycamore situation, I asked. Yes, she said, with a
684
01:25:44.449 --> 01:25:51.729
small note of consternation in her voice. That made me
685
01:25:51.770 --> 01:26:01.989
laugh just to hear it. Sycamore takes his role as
686
01:26:02.890 --> 01:26:11.840
hospitality specialist very seriously and may try to look in
687
01:26:11.979 --> 01:26:19.960
on you in the night. You know, to... Make sure
688
01:26:19.979 --> 01:26:28.029
you have everything you need. And to see if something
689
01:26:28.789 --> 01:26:38.699
you need might be a cat, I asked. Exactly, she said.
690
01:26:41.819 --> 01:26:47.979
We both looked down at Sycamore. who seemed to be
691
01:26:48.100 --> 01:26:57.300
following along with the conversation, just waiting for his turn
692
01:26:58.180 --> 01:27:11.289
to interject. He had butted my ankle again. The innkeeper
693
01:27:11.430 --> 01:27:20.470
reached for a paper placard, hanging from a ribbon on
694
01:27:20.510 --> 01:27:27.590
the back of my room's door. There was a large
695
01:27:28.189 --> 01:27:36.560
black paw print inked onto one side of it, and
696
01:27:36.659 --> 01:27:46.180
on the other, a classic do-not-disturb message with one word added,
697
01:27:48.260 --> 01:27:57.630
and large block letters at the top, so that it read, Sycamore,
698
01:27:58.729 --> 01:28:12.859
do not disturb. Paw printout means he's welcome. Otherwise, flip
699
01:28:13.000 --> 01:28:18.890
the message to the hall. and he will most likely
700
01:28:20.210 --> 01:28:27.979
leave you alone. I wasn't sure if she was serious.
701
01:28:31.100 --> 01:28:39.090
She looked serious. If this was a joke, she had
702
01:28:39.130 --> 01:28:49.399
a very reliable, straight face. He can read? I asked.
703
01:28:52.489 --> 01:28:57.510
She waved her hand at me, as if to say
704
01:28:57.770 --> 01:29:04.489
that it wasn't much. to be impressed by, and said,
705
01:29:06.010 --> 01:29:13.890
only in English, now, settle in, and we'll see you
706
01:29:13.949 --> 01:29:22.250
later for some tea. And they both trooped out and
707
01:29:22.310 --> 01:29:30.020
closed the door behind them. I had still been chuckling
708
01:29:30.220 --> 01:29:38.550
to myself, as I wandered over to the window and
709
01:29:38.569 --> 01:29:47.689
looked out at a view that was truly breathtaking. The
710
01:29:47.850 --> 01:29:54.560
inn sat on a small rise, and from my room,
711
01:29:54.579 --> 01:30:02.250
I could see the sloping lawns below and the path
712
01:30:02.869 --> 01:30:10.079
that led to the lake. The lake was larger than
713
01:30:10.159 --> 01:30:18.590
I'd imagined. I could see the other side, but had
714
01:30:18.689 --> 01:30:28.960
to squint to make out the houses and docks there. Trees,
715
01:30:31.109 --> 01:30:41.970
So many trees. And they were turning all shades of yellow, orange,
716
01:30:42.050 --> 01:30:52.100
and red. I took several deep breaths, just standing there,
717
01:30:55.500 --> 01:30:58.859
letting the calm of the world I was looking at
718
01:31:01.460 --> 01:31:10.109
transfer into my body. I'd meant to unpack my suitcase
719
01:31:13.550 --> 01:31:18.550
and immediately go down to check out the rest of
720
01:31:18.590 --> 01:31:27.520
the inn and the property. But the exhaustion I'd been
721
01:31:27.979 --> 01:31:37.569
pushing to one side suddenly engulfed me I'd taken my
722
01:31:37.670 --> 01:31:45.789
finger out of the dam and there was no walling
723
01:31:45.890 --> 01:31:55.449
it back up I kicked off my shoes and stretched
724
01:31:55.670 --> 01:32:05.090
out on the large soft bed there was a blanket
725
01:32:07.180 --> 01:32:16.319
folded at its foot. One of those thick, incredibly soft
726
01:32:17.840 --> 01:32:25.159
and heavy throws. And as soon as I pulled it
727
01:32:25.300 --> 01:32:34.369
up over me, I fell asleep. It had been late
728
01:32:34.949 --> 01:32:43.630
afternoon when I'd arrived at the inn. Hours of daylight
729
01:32:44.310 --> 01:32:53.819
still ahead. But when I heard the bell on Sycamore's
730
01:32:53.880 --> 01:33:03.899
collar and finally pulled myself From the deep sleep I'd
731
01:33:03.960 --> 01:33:14.060
been in, it was pitch black outside. I sat up
732
01:33:14.279 --> 01:33:24.239
in the bed, still in my traveling clothes. The blanket
733
01:33:25.079 --> 01:33:35.449
wrapped around me and blinked into the dark. trying to
734
01:33:35.510 --> 01:33:45.550
remember where I was. Though confused for a moment, I
735
01:33:45.609 --> 01:33:52.949
felt safe. I knew I was exactly where I was
736
01:33:53.050 --> 01:33:59.109
supposed to be, even if the details had escaped me.
737
01:34:03.250 --> 01:34:13.939
Then I heard the bell again and remembered. Sycamore. The
738
01:34:14.020 --> 01:34:20.520
sign still hung on the back of my door where
739
01:34:20.560 --> 01:34:28.310
the innkeeper had left it. He didn't know if I
740
01:34:28.510 --> 01:34:38.270
needed him. But by the steady ringing and the small
741
01:34:38.430 --> 01:34:45.270
black paw that was feeling around through the crack under
742
01:34:45.329 --> 01:34:56.399
my door, he had a pretty good idea. I struggled
743
01:34:56.579 --> 01:35:07.810
to my feet. pulling the blanket around my shoulders, and
744
01:35:07.869 --> 01:35:15.710
went to let him in. When I unlocked the door
745
01:35:17.550 --> 01:35:23.760
and opened it, I found him sitting on his haunches,
746
01:35:27.220 --> 01:35:36.979
looking up at me, purring loudly. Beside him in the
747
01:35:37.020 --> 01:35:44.460
hall was a cart with covered dishes and a note.
748
01:35:47.659 --> 01:35:54.210
I looked up and down the empty hall and wondered
749
01:35:54.310 --> 01:36:04.399
how long it had sat there while I slept. I
750
01:36:04.439 --> 01:36:11.579
reached for the note, noticing the same dark green ink
751
01:36:13.819 --> 01:36:17.770
that had been on the business card that led me
752
01:36:17.789 --> 01:36:28.180
to this wondrous place. It just said, thought you might
753
01:36:28.279 --> 01:36:39.960
be hungry. still groggy but feeling my stomach growl at
754
01:36:40.000 --> 01:36:49.119
the idea of food I wheeled the cart into my
755
01:36:49.180 --> 01:36:59.909
room ushered sycamore in behind it and shut the door
756
01:36:59.970 --> 01:37:09.550
again I switched on a lamp and took a look
757
01:37:09.609 --> 01:37:15.090
at what had been set out for me. Under the
758
01:37:15.130 --> 01:37:24.279
covers was a basket of seedy rolls and crackers and
759
01:37:24.340 --> 01:37:31.159
little sealed jars of spreads. There were two shining apples.
760
01:37:33.420 --> 01:37:40.050
with a small paring knife and a dish of peanut butter.
761
01:37:43.949 --> 01:37:50.649
Beside it was a porcelain cookie jar in the shape
762
01:37:50.729 --> 01:38:01.890
of an owl, full of dark brown molasses cookies. There
763
01:38:01.930 --> 01:38:06.430
was also a thermos of some kind of herbal tea,
764
01:38:08.989 --> 01:38:19.149
chamomile maybe, and a jug of water. I rolled the
765
01:38:19.210 --> 01:38:25.899
cart over to the window seat and curled up on
766
01:38:25.949 --> 01:38:32.810
it in the moonlight. I poured a cup of tea,
767
01:38:35.390 --> 01:38:40.989
which was still hot and steaming, and began to cut
768
01:38:41.029 --> 01:38:49.109
the apple into slices. When I shook out one of
769
01:38:49.170 --> 01:38:57.460
the cloth napkins, a little packet fell out, and Sycamore
770
01:38:57.579 --> 01:39:05.750
jumped up beside me to sniff it. Cat treats? They
771
01:39:05.850 --> 01:39:12.010
think of everything here, I whispered, as I shook a
772
01:39:12.090 --> 01:39:22.619
few onto the sill. We ate together, in the silence
773
01:39:23.380 --> 01:39:33.949
of deep night. Then I changed into my pajamas, brushed
774
01:39:34.069 --> 01:39:44.109
my teeth, and crawled right back into bed. I wasn't
775
01:39:44.310 --> 01:39:53.069
nearly done catching up on my sleep. Sycamore hopped up
776
01:39:53.270 --> 01:40:01.399
beside me, and as I rolled onto my side, he
777
01:40:01.500 --> 01:40:11.100
curled up against my chest and began to purr. I
778
01:40:11.159 --> 01:40:23.039
tucked an arm around him, and we fell asleep. Sweet dreams.