The summer night smelled sweet as a birthday cake.
Saturated with the perfume of the oleander and honeysuckle that thickened the forest walls, bound into a delicious combination by the moist clinging air.
This early June twilight was so delicious it made his mouth water.
Tom was glad to be free from the stale crowd of University faculty , all of whom had gathered for this long weekend retreat in the Berkshires. It seemed to him that
no one in the crowded reception room was breathing, and it made him wonder for the upteenth time
why academics insisted on wearing tweed even in summertime. He figured they couldn’t put suede elbow patches on Hawaiian shirts, so they stuck with tweed. Tom chuckled to himself.
The moment he’d exited from the hotel, Tom undid his tie, took off his light wool sports coat and flung it behind a bush on his way to the forest path. It was getting dark but the hotel had placed twinkling lights outlining the path and Tom placed himself on the walkway they created and slowly began his stroll into the sylvan unknown.
It was the first time all weekend he felt his entire body breathe, and he was flooded with gratitude at his decision to part ways from the lowing herd of bovine associates and tenured snobs.
He strolled, he took deep refreshingly piney breaths, he followed the lights.
He lost track of time, not regretting missing the awful dry dinner promised, a supper he knew would be entirely lacking in both freshness and flavor…. A Tweed jacket of a dinner! He craved a crisp juicy apple!
Alas.
Suddenly, though it felt like his ears might be deceiving him, he heard music: flutes and the strum of more than one guitar! Could that be a lute? Surely not! But as he crept noiselessly along, the tinkling strains of what could only be categorized as Elizabethan music got louder. Tom taught music, so he knew a good early 17th century air when he heard one.
Intrigued, he ambled on.
He heard a flutter in the surrounding trees, saw a tremor in the low bushes, glimpsed a shred of iridescence among the foliage.
Giggles, soft singing, low throaty laughter! What?
And before he took his next breath, he was surrounded by a small tribe of fairy folk! Or at least a bunch of youngsters costumed in fae garb, playing, strumming and making happy sounds!
Tom felt he’d intruded upon
a genuine midsummer nights dream….would he soon grow donkeys ears? His laughter joined the groups’. His lungs felt shockingly healed.
And he did not even know how deeply he had stopped truly breathing throughout the school year until this magical meeting on the path!
He let the merry band guide him, gently push him, until lights flooded a large circle in the middle of the forest and he found himself face to face with Titania, Queen of the Fairies!
Well, actually, it was Professor Lynell Abernathy, the most popular teacher at the University and head of Drama! Costumed in flowing Titania robes, complete with a crown of flowers and a prop scepter made out of ash tree branches….with fake gold stars dancing from its rough bark on slender silk threads.
She tossed her wig full of red curls and pitched Tom a large shiny cool apple! How did she know?
Turns out she hadn’t read his mind, but rather used his sudden appearance to practice her idea of greeting audiences with playful tosses of apples and oranges, as they were shown to their seats!
Tom had walked right into a Drama department rehearsal of the play that would be presented to the academic gathering the next night. Tom felt blessed to have stumbled so, and gratefully relaxed and watched the entire run- through, chomping on both the bestowed apple and an orange that followed!
A perfect dinner, flavorful and very very fresh! A just right supper to accompany a dream!