Out of the blue an unfamiliar head pops up just above the hedge surrounding the backyard, half obscured by copious balloons dancing in the morning summer breeze. “I rang but no one answered” his voice crescendos against the background noise. She points to the house and gets up. “Who’d like to help me decorate?” The request is met with acquiescent polyphonic voices. Such a music to her ears. Organising family reunions has always been one of her favourite pastimes.
She glimpses at her son across the table and her face lights up. His favourite monochrome polo shirt outlines the muscular physique that seem to precede male generations in their family. A sense of pride comes over her. The whole family is here. They gathered in his honour, to celebrate his football scholarship. As if sensing his mother’s pride, he offers a quick smile before re-joining the conversation.
Minuscule timestamp flashes in the right bottom corner of the camera. Fifty years have passed in a blink of an eye. Her eyes tear up as she looks at the home movie in her dappled hands remembering this last moment of happiness, frozen forever. As time passes the memory of his face irrevocably fades and on days like this, she watches. Just another glimpse of his smile to sustain her for days to come, until they are reunited again.
She glimpses at her son across the table and her face lights up. His favourite monochrome polo shirt outlines the muscular physique that seem to precede male generations in their family. A sense of pride comes over her. The whole family is here. They gathered in his honour, to celebrate his football scholarship. As if sensing his mother’s pride, he offers a quick smile before re-joining the conversation.
Minuscule timestamp flashes in the right bottom corner of the camera. Fifty years have passed in a blink of an eye. Her eyes tear up as she looks at the home movie in her dappled hands remembering this last moment of happiness, frozen forever. As time passes the memory of his face irrevocably fades and on days like this, she watches. Just another glimpse of his smile to sustain her for days to come, until they are reunited again.
