Distant Peak

“I’ll have the pumpkin,” I greeted the server at Big Dipper Ice Cream.

“Oh, that’s good dipped in chocolate,” Julie chimed in.

“Oh! Okay, yeah, let’s do that,” I muttered.

“I’ll have the eggnog,” Julie added.

We sat down and talked about plans for Saturday and some current events. Afterward, we went our separate ways, and I headed to do some grocery shopping.

Later, I pulled into my driveway and got out of the car. As I moved around to get my groceries, I was stopped in my tracks. I turned north, catching sight of a faint outline of a snowy peak in the distance. Above it, smiling down at me, was the Big Dipper. I looked away as soon as it came into focus. My phone was ringing.

It was a long conversation. Some key words were love, hate, sorry, disappointment, relationship, friends, and time. It ended after midnight, but it still felt too short for everything I needed to say. I heard things that made me feel good, that reopened some doors I thought were closed. The call ended abruptly, just as it had started. I didn’t get a chance to say what I wanted and stared at the phone with disappointment. Finally, I grabbed the grocery bags and went inside.

“I miss you,” I whispered into the frosty night air as I looked up at where the Big Dipper had been. It was gone, seemingly vanished. My words floated out in a misty cloud and faded into the darkness.