The end of August,the September Issue, and Leaving Work Behind

The end of August gives me the impression that time is somehow uncontrollably slipping away from me.  "Where did the summer go?" Now, once again I find myself on some adventure somewhere for the long weekend of Labor Day in the US. Usually, this is prime opportunity to run away from the every-day.  Two years ago exactly, I followed my dreams... 

Amid the turmoil that a young life can bring, my sub consciousness had provided me with a dream in the depths of a forest where no one had the ability to find me.  I was in some exotic spa, sitting on a window ledge leaning on my knee looking out to endless depths of green.  At the end of this dream, I woke up feeling tranquil.  I hadn't felt so in a long time.  Following the impulsiveness that this tranquility brought me, I booked a spa for myself in the middle of nowhere for the Labor Day weekend.  A three-hour drive from Chicago into Michigan there is a small charming place called Castle in the Country.  It has little rooms resembling Victorian décor.

The guests of this place were primarily enamored couples looking for a small getaway.  So it was with little surprise that upon arrival, the concierge looked puzzled to see me arrive alone.  With no discretion she asked me what my plans were, to which I replied that I was looking for a quiet place to work.  Not entirely untrue, I had at the time lugged with me the second edition of Bird, Steward, and Lightfoot.  Similar in weight came The September Issue of Vogue.  And so, I was shown to my room.  I immediately kicked my shoes off and plugged into the issue.  Not long after, I scheduled a massage at the spa for the following afternoon. 

Castle in the Country is type of place that prides itself in the little tricks they play on food and on the infinite coffee and tea they can serve you.  They offer picnics and other charming details that would make a weekend special. Breakfast time was entirely uncomfortable for all the guests and they mainly whispered.  I wonder why guests of these types of places so often feel unworthy of the relaxation they paid for.  I had a few questionable stares as I read my magazine and sipped on quite a few cups of coffee.  After my massage that day, I had a bath and a small nap appropriately so.  In the evening I was taken to dinner in a nearby restaurant by my brother who happens to be a great friend of mine and who also frequents this area.  We went to a patio restaurant serving good classic dishes with a modern twist in Kalamazoo.  So often these small treasures are found in small places.  The evening passed with hands applauding the musicians that set the mood of mischief with tunes of rock and roll, accompanied with whispers of secrets about past love affairs underneath breaths of bittersweet wine.  There must be something that dark skies with speckles of lights bring out in us.  Knowing we are far away from anything familiar might even give us a chance to say with small hesitation what thoughts we deemed unspeakable in close proximity to our daily lives.