TUULI

                "Ours was a night born of the wind," Tuuli breath blew dry desert thru the flame of cafe  candle.

                "Can this movie get any sadder?" Neath askew brow Tess's emerald eyes shouted louder than words. "What a way to spend a Saturday evening."

                On screen at cafe table a gray suited Roark cast lament, "Of all the hearts in all the chests of all mankind, why did you Tuuli, why did you storm into mine?"

                "It's a classic," the love handled Ted defended his all time favorite movie, stuffed gob of popcorn in gullet, wiped salted butter from hand onto gray sweats.

                "You mean classic black and white antique. Tuuli's dress suit is gray, her hat off white, her hair somewhere in between." On the couch the pink and white plaid, pajama clad Tess ran fingers thru brunette shag to freckled nape of neck. Yet, was it boredom only that plowed that same hand into tortilla chips to scoop avocado dip and distractedly dribble green from bowl to lip?

                "Could it be that I trust you, Roark?" Tuuli eyes flashed. "I trust the more I despise you, the more you love me."

                "Save yourself, Roark." Ted teared up.

                "Girly man," Tess nudged Ted shoulder to shoulder.

                "Stop it," Ted choked out.

                "Cry baby!" Tess giggled.

                "A strong man's cry tis the dew of roses!" Ted sniffled.

                "Smell ain't everything, Ted." Tess pinched nose, giggled some more.

                With face of stone Roark dug deep the grave for love, "Did our kiss mean nothing?"

                In no hurry to end his suffering, Tuuli took lingering sip of cabernet sauvignon, answered with wry question, "Tell me, what necessitated your journey," the pupils of her eyes sharpened to rapier point, "your pilgrimage to the desert of my heart?"

                "Thirst," the word rasped from Roark throat.

                "You sought water in the heart of the desert?"

                "I found no water."

                "What did' you find?"

                "A fish."

                "So you see me as a fish out of water?  Do I look like I need saving?" Tuuli's laugh reeks the stench of marooned on shore sun baked eel, stirred by the feasting of gulls.

                "I smell even now the water of oasis." The heart of Roark beats deceit.

                "Roark is one sick puppy, poor baby." Tess adds sound effect puppy whimpers.

                Tuuli slaps Roark face, purrs, "I am a mirage. I am the wind."

                "Why do you hate me?" Roark implores.

                "Like I give you any thought." Tuuli tilts head, torments with mocking laugh, as beyond full lips her inner darkness exposes barren soul.

                Roark is stunned.

                Chin up Tuuli leans in close across table, "Do you see your love reflected in my eyes?"

                "Yes,"Roark breathes, then sees the match struck, sees it incinerate love's reflection and return the eyes of Tuuli to absence of light.

                Tuuli blows out the match, whispers whirlwind of scattered smoke a swirl, "Go... away."

                The dam of Tess false bravado bursts into full kilter squall.

                Ted, amid open sobbing of his own, offers Tess a tissue.

                Tess grabs it, squalls the more, "Give me the whole darn box, Ted!" She slobbers, she sobs, she swears, "Never will I ever let you ever' pick that movie to watch again!" She blows nose. "I mean it this time!"

                And on screen Tuuli's beautiful lips morph to corner of lip snarl, "My only ocean is me!"

                Tess throws empty box of nose wipes at Tuuli's head on TV screen. "Vain evil witch! Self composes no symphony of sympathy..."

                "... yet digs the ore of ego from deep dark mine!!" Ted repeats his part of well rehearsed line.

                Yet with heart sans reason Roark raises sail, "Even now, I see the the voyage anew." His head nods in sway, as if on a boat lifted by lapping white capped waves.

                "I see no ship." Tuuli trembles.

                Roark takes her hand, "Let us sail our ocean of tears."

                Tuuli wistfully withdraws her hand from his, "Dear Roark, who can turn the wind?"

                "Oooooh! I love you, Teddy!" Savagely bawling Tess entangles herself in Ted arms, kisses and slobbers all over his tad less than chubby face and tad more than receding hairline.

                And the Ted , well the Ted so says, "Truly Tuuli missed the boat."

                And into Ted ear, Tess breath breezes, "Thank you Jesus for my love handled tug boat."


In Parting: A life of vanity is but a chasing after the wind... but a shadow under the sun...
(Ecclesiastes 5:16; 2:11; 6:12: 8:13)

The whole duty of us all: Love God... Love one another...
Jesus two commands in Matthew 22:36-40. 

And as to the question, "Who can turn the wind?" The answer is in Mark 4:35-41 KJV.