Вино из одуванчиков

           Atlast,likeghostshoveringmomentarilybehindthedoorscreen,Grandma,Great-grandma,andMotherwouldappear,andthemenwouldshift,move,andofferseats.Thewomencarriedvarietiesoffanswiththem,foldednewspapers,bamboowhisks,orperfumedkerchiefs,tostarttheairmovingabouttheirfacesastheytalked.

           Whattheytalkedofalleveninglong,noonerememberednextday.Itwasn’timportanttoanyonewhattheadultstalkedabout;itwasonlyimportantthatthesoundscameandwentoverthedelicatefernsthatborderedtheporchonthreesides;itwasonlyimportantthatthedarknessfilledthetownlikeblackwaterbeingpouredoverthehouses,andthatthecigarsglowedandthattheconversationswenton,andon.Thefemalegossipmovedout,disturbingthefirstmosquitoessotheydancedinfrenziesontheair.Themalevoicesinvadedtheoldhousetimbers;ifyouclosedyoureyesandputyourheaddownagainstthefloorboardsyoucouldhearthemen’svoicesrumblinglikeadistant,politicalearthquake,constant,unceasing,risingorfallingapitch.

           Douglassprawledbackonthedryporchplanks,completelycontentedandreassuredbythesevoices,whichwouldspeakonthrougheternity,flowinastreamofmurmuringsoverhisbody,overhisclosedeyelids,intohisdrowsyears,foralltime.Therockingchairssoundedlikecrickets,thecricketssoundedlikerockingchairs,andthemoss-coveredrainbarrelbythedining-roomwindowproducedanothergenerationofmosquitoestoprovideatopicofconversationthroughendlesssummersahead.

           Sittingonthesummer-nightporchwassogood,soeasyandsoreassuringthatitcouldneverbedoneawaywith.