W is for WIND CHIMES

Welcome to Day 23 of the Third Annual A to Z Challenge!

My theme my 26 fiction posts will revolve around something musical – it could be anything, as long as it's musically-related… maybe a song title, an artist/band, musical terminology, musical instruments, words relating to sound/rhythm/movement/dance etc.

MUSICAL ASSOCIATION/CONNECTION. WINDCHIMES – they are chimes constructed from suspended tubes, rods, bells or other objects and are often made of metal or wood; they are usually hung outside of a building or residence, as a visual/aural garden ornament, and are to be played by the wind.

                                                        

There are many things flashing before my eyes.

Images… shapes… colours… glass… green… blue… rain…

But I’m not dead.

Far from it. 

Maybe I’m drunk. Everything whirling round and round. One crazy merry-go-round. My eyes focus on the changing colours above me.

I remember the day this contraption was brought home. Five years ago.

So strange, that I should recall that day, lying here on the cold, hard verandah floor at this particular moment.

The sweet tinkling sound with the multi-coloured glass pieces ranging from light-green… to emerald… shades of blue… to a darker shade of green… greenish-blueish bits going round and round… the memories joining in this merry-go-round…

Like the tubular kaleidoscope we played with as kids… we would look through it and rotate the tube… different colours and patterns would form with the coloured glass bits and mirrors on the inside… gosh that was aeons ago… long before the windchimes… seems like the other day… round and round… blue… green… glass bits… rain…

We looked forward to rainy days… that was the perfect kaleidoscope weather… mum would bake the cupcakes… and we’d all have hot chocolate… makes me think… when last have I seen a kaleidoscope…

The tinkling sound created from a light breeze that blows… breaks my reverie.

The realisation hits me… with a jolt!

I hate the windchimes.

After they came, nothing was the same anymore.

The rainy days still continued… but the kaleidoscopes disappeared together with the cupcakes and hot chocolate…

                            *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

GENRE: FICTION

20 Comments

  1. Stephanie on April 27, 2012 at 12:55 am

    I've always found windchimes a bit creepy!

    • michelle on April 28, 2012 at 8:50 pm

      I think preference varies from person to person, depending on context and association… some people love the chimes…

  2. Debbie on April 27, 2012 at 3:26 am

    I so want to know what happend when those wind chimes arrived, and also who brought them there.
    -Debbie

    • michelle on April 28, 2012 at 8:52 pm

      Their arrival changed the entire emotional and psychological landscape for the narrator… that I can tell you…

  3. Clarissa Draper on April 27, 2012 at 1:03 pm

    I used to have one and it's a nice sound, in my opinion. However, I do like your take and the story.

    • michelle on April 28, 2012 at 8:53 pm

      I agree… they're okay… just not for my character… 🙂

  4. Jocelyn Rish on April 27, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    I know I've said this before about your previous stories, but I'm fascinated with the way you combine colors and the musical elements and make them work so well together.

    • michelle on April 28, 2012 at 8:55 pm

      Thank you, Jocelyn. Your thumbs-up really makes me feel good about my fiction writing… it's encouraging and inspirational… 🙂 Thanks for all the positive energy you bring along when you visit my place…

  5. Pat Carroll Marcantel on April 27, 2012 at 9:02 pm

    Oh no!!! I love wind chimes. Recant, please. A friend of mine is living on borrowed time–she has leukemia. She gave me a wind chime for Christmas last year and had it mounted right outside the nooIt's one of those windchimes that's tuned to a certain scale. I've forgotten which.  I'm glad your story here is fiction. Isn't it? :>)

    • michelle on April 28, 2012 at 8:57 pm

      Yes, Ms. Pat – the story is 100% fiction… so there's no need to worry! 🙂 And btw, I think windchimes are cool. I don't dislike them…

  6. Elise Fallson on April 28, 2012 at 8:29 am

    I like wind chimes, jut not too close to the house. In the garden is nice. Unfortunately, we don't put any up where we live. There is too much wind here and it'd just sound awful.

    • michelle on April 28, 2012 at 8:59 pm

      I used to have a dolphin windchime (back in the day when I went through my dolphin-obssession-phase…)

  7. k~ on April 28, 2012 at 10:35 am

    I am particular about the sound of wind chimes, but I do love them.

  8. michelle on April 28, 2012 at 9:01 pm

    They come in a variety of sizes and shapes. There's also the solar-heating chimes – I haven't seen one but I've read about it… very modern…

  9. Leslie Rose on April 29, 2012 at 12:39 am

    I had windchimes on my porch for years until a new neighbor moved in and complained about them. I miss them. BTW – I'm loving all your comments on my blog – especially on me being a committed Dr. Who companion. 🙂

    • michelle on April 30, 2012 at 6:16 pm

      Thanks Leslie. I enjoy visiting your place to see what you have to offer… 🙂

  10. Sherry Ellis on April 29, 2012 at 5:06 pm

    I've always liked windchimes.  We have a few hanging from trees in our backyard.  Unfortunately, our dog likes them, too, so they're a little beat up.  

    • michelle on April 30, 2012 at 6:19 pm

      It's probably an endless source of fascination for the dog… but how on earth does the dog reach the chimes if they're suspended from trees?

  11. Rekha on April 30, 2012 at 5:04 pm

    Picked up one of those wooden and glass wind chimes from a handicrafts exhibition as a teenager, another silly fad I adopted but in small  apartment, it creeps out with the constant noise especially on quiet nights.
     Your prose reminded me of it. I don't quite hate them but no love lost either. 

    • michelle on April 30, 2012 at 6:20 pm

      I'm also neither here nor there wrt the chimes…

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