ani•ani kau•lona paʻi lau•lā
kik (noun) Wide angle lens. Lit., wide shot lens. Also aniani paʻi laulā. Unpublished new word list to: Māmaka Kaiao: A Modern Hawaiian Vocabulary, 2003, U.H. Press
Dani took her time in the dark room. The smell of coffee permeated everything; strong instant coffee was the basis for her developing solutions. "I heard there's no plant as poisonous as coffee." Without the strong Pidgin in his delivery Dani had to ask, "What was that Grampa?" "Coffee. More poison den weeds." Umm. That was too bad. Her grandfather had never steered her wrong but still that would change things up for sure. The girl was hoping for a plateau ... a break from the learning curve, but she is young and the tale is long. The story spirals. She knew better than to question why she was part of this dream. All her favorite people were here. It was a gift. "Nevah mind the price. Honey, your Alex he stay outside da door. Waiting long time already. What you going do wit dat pictah Dani girl?"
"Papa?"
Alex stretched his long lean body on the bench outside the dark room. Using the padded mitts for a pillow Alex fell quickly asleep. Who could really know where a dreamer goes while dreaming. A wide view, a double image? His snoring was regular when Dani propped the envelope against the wooden bench leg.
When he woke it was upon the bench back in the Salish town where this began he found himself. You know that space between sleeping dreams and those with eyes wide open? Of course.. Blinking to re-anoint himself with time Alexander Santiago pushed himself upright. No padded mitts there were his hands as he had always remembered them. Large. Mottled from the years. Fingers and thumbs. All there. With effort he stretched his back, his legs, pressed his feet onto the gravel. Ah. The ache of pain. Evidence. He was.
At his booted feet was a large manila envelope. Dani's familiar swirl of writing, "ALEX." A steady rain less than a downpour but much more than a mist reminded the man he was in the damp Pacific. He wondered where Camilia was, put this faith in the moving spiral, undid a couple buttons in his shirt, tucked the parcel safe against the wet and headed for the cafe. It was a long shot but he was taking it.
Against his warm old chest in a simple paper envelope were five black and white photographs and on the back of the envelope this link written in big crayoned letters https://zenhabits.net/breathe/
... Yes the tale did split, but it does continue here. I was distracted by a potential worm and now have returned to base-camp again. Excited to keep sharing the long tale of life in the Salish territory with Alexander Santiago and his many adventures. I hope I haven't lost you.
...
