A Whale Tale
Marvin wakes up in the middle of the night and calls Susan.
“Marvin? Hello! Can’t sleep?”
“Hi. I had slept early and woke up now.”
“I wanna listen to your thoughts right now. I think they’ll be deep and profound. I usually have deep thoughts when I wake up in the middle of the night.”
“I spoke to my sister. She gave me such good life advice. It’s so creepy how everything she says feels absolutely right. I can’t run away from my emotions any longer.”
“ From what you tell me about your sister, I think she should write a self help book.”
“Guess what?”
“She already has written one?”
Marvin laughs,”No. But whales?”
“What about them?”
“I think they are magnificent.”
“You think?”
“They are out there, being ginormous and living their lives in the vast oceans. Just doing it all by themselves.”
You could almost see Marvin’s eyes glitter in the dark, if only humans could do that.
“Hmmm.”
“I gotta figure this out like the whales. Alone. How long will I keep depending on others? It’s almost clear to me in the darkness, illuminated by the glow of depth of thought that broad daylight blinded me of. It’s like I need to have you around, all the time. I know how unhealthy it is but I just can’t help but think that only this once.”
“I’ve heard people say this about cigarettes.”
“I’m addicted to you and I have no right to demand your attention and time as much as I do. Whales don’t do it. Have you heard whale sounds recorded underwater. Their mating calls are deserving.”
“It’s refreshing to hear you talk like this.”
“I’ll try my best.”
A tear escapes his eyes.
“Are you crying again? Just when I said it was refreshing to hear your voice without crying.”
Marvin could almost see Susan nodding her head sideways.
“No. I’m just”, his voice breaks.
Marvin inhales audibly. Susan says she wants to go to bed soon.
“Suze?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you lying down on your bed?”
“Yes”
“Okay.” Long pause. “How about I let you call me?”
“Okay.”
“Good night, baby.”
“Good night, sweetie.”
Marvin cannot sleep.
I watch something on Netflix. I see whale symbolisms through and through. I drift off with a slight trembling heart and dream of blue whales calling out beyond unfathomable depths.