Autumn?
When Diego Solomon was out of sight, Isabella told her about yet another invention of her great-great grandfather’s, a gift to Diego Solomon’s grandfather. Pablo Solomon was the great writer of Portokalia. He used so many pseudo names that one did not know how many books he actually wrote. His inspiration was endless and he lived almost half a century writing non-stop. It has been said that if one was to collect all of his writings they would be able to make a stairway leading to the stars!
“With my great-great grandfather’s invention, Pablo sowed in the dirt capital and small letters wherever he went and from that grew book flowers, colorful ones, that would chase away the clouds and rain. In the village of Portokalia, it was shiny with blue skies and plump white clouds, whenever he would pass by.
Even now that he’s no longer with us, around his monument, which was built with a huge orange, every spring grow books with news stories that always end in Autumn. One can only read them there. If you cut a book flower, it withers immediately and the story is lost forever. Thousands of people visit it in spring and summer… perhaps the next time you will Come…”
“The next time?”
“Now the leaves turn orange and brown, the wind that blows is calling you back on your own journey. But always keep Portokalia in your heart”.
Marianna saw Isabella leave, disappointed…Luckily, she turned around and hugged her tight just as her eyes were about to change into the color of a clouded sky. Isabella whispered to her:
“You will always be in our hearts. Every time you eat an orange you will think of me. And should you wish to come back one day all you have to do is squeeze a tangerine and say the magic words:
“Orange tangerine and a ripe lotus”
three times and then clap your hands…”
Orange leaves and music started to encircle her in a swirling vortex.
Marianna could taste tangerine…swirling…her eyes were closing…
Her eyes open when she hears her mom’s voice:
“We’re here…look down!”
Marianna was lost for a moment. Where was she? She looked down and saw a beautiful city with a river…Nothing like Portokalia. “Would you like some candy?”
Lucia, the stewardess smiled at her and winked.
“My friend Isabella’s favorite! It is orange and tangerine!” Marianna took a candy. As the taste flowed in her mouth, she began to recover.
“Read what is written on the wrapper”, Lucia said.
There they were! Diego Solomon’s corrected lyrics:
You were washing the sheets by the river
Dressed in orange, you sang a tune
About a thousand and two stars that were laid out to dry on the string
While your slim fingers were holding the handkerchief
“Have a great time”, Lucia said “You’ll see that everything is as beautiful here as it is in Portokalia! ”
The plane touched the ground. A little later, her and her parents were standing in front of the orange car of her dreams. Dad rented it as a surprise for her. The next several days she would learn that she did not need to fly to live a magical and beautiful journey that is on the edge of the world…
She would return to Portokalia again to live extraordinary adventures.
But that is for another time, another journey! Ours ends here!