Drabble 117 – Scolion

I am so ready for 2018.

I woke up the morning of the first from a nightmare, 2017 still making itself felt. But I also woke up without feeling sick from food poisoning, which was a blessing. I woke up early, I made myself a cup of tea and some waffles with lemon curd, and read a book that I’m not sure I like, but that is certainly challenging me.

I took my dog for a walk with friends. I found out my tutoring job is closed today, which means I get to spend the day working on things I enjoy. I’m not superstitious, but I’m going to take all this as a good omen for the coming year.

The world is dark and scary a lot of the time. I’ll cling to this throughout the year, because I don’t think it’s over yet.

Anyway, here’s a drabble.

SCOLION

(n.) Ancient Greek

A song sung by guests at a banquet, possibly improvised.

There’s a legend that silence falls over a room at twenty past the hour. Guests at a party, having spoken for so long, will inevitably run out of things to say and lapse into quiet, perhaps awkwardly, perhaps not, always as the minute hand slides to four.

But there’s a music in silence, a comfortable moment of quiet shared between those who care for one another. Silence, too, is a song, the ticking of the clock its rhythm, the hush of comfortable breathing like low strings, the laughter that breaks it like the cheerful and bright sound of a trumpet.