daffodil

My name is Daffodil. I am small. As small as a grown woman's thumb. I am shy, and quiet. And very curious. I don't talk a lot, but I do enjoy people. They fascinate me. I have always wondered what life is like for someone different from me. In size. And in personality.

So. I placed an ad on Craig's List. Asking anyone out there if they'd like to take me along for a ride. So that I could witness firsthand what their life is like. I told them I would simply live in their pocket, or whatever crawl space they might have. Just somewhere I could peek out and simply watch. Watch someone's life unfold before my eyes. For a moment.

A very energetic young adult girl named Star responded. Said she'd gladly take me on as a traveling companion. Wherever she goes. To experience life as she lives it. For a night, into the morning.

So different than my serene life. 

She picked me up. On Friday night. In her sleek and shiny black, brand new, 2012, Volkswagen Beetle. Set me on the dashboard, in a cozy shot glass, so that I could watch the sights outside my window, as she drove along. Slowly down the bumper-to-bumper 10 Freeway, into the heart of Hollywood, on our way to a club. A club bouncing with hipsters. Having a great time.

I watched her mingle with friends. Girlfriends. Guy friends. And a boyfriend. All through the night. Fascinated by how different her life is from mine. Star says she's not shy, by any means. Not quiet at all. Less curious, more spontaneous. Stillness doesn't exist for her. Only movement. Constant movement. In the city under all those bright lights.

As the wee hours of the morning approach, Star drives me home. Back to my quiet life. Asking if I enjoyed myself. "Definitely," I said, in my teeny tiny voice. She kissed the top of my head, as she said goodbye.

I walked into my small place. The place I love most in this world. My bigger than a thumb sized home. Surrounded by the umbrellas of mushrooms. On the outskirts of town. And noticed that my answering machine light was blinking. I listened, with amazement, to the variety of people who wanted to give me a glimpse of how they choose to live. Wanted me to sit quietly in their pocket, to watch their life unfold before my eyes.

I'll call back, later.

I need to find some peace and serenity. To just sit still. And enjoy my own life. For the moment.

(contribution for Write on Wednesdays prompt: imagine yourself as small as your thumb... )