<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an ordinary Tuesday wasting away under the shade of rejected responsibilities.<\/p>\n
Palm relief swaying in the breeze, sipping on the rocks to the beat of a sweet melody in the rhythm of calypso drums.<\/p>\n
Morning raindrops plant kisses on my cheeks as iguana green darts across unpaved streets, and strangers exchange salutations whilst day breaks over the brim of my old, worn hat.<\/p>\n
Time spent in the rays turned the blistering red of my visiting skin to a blissful native gold, banishing the burn Nature brandishes in return for forgetting her.<\/p>\n
Before long, leathery storylines will appear in my mirror\u2019s reflection, a first edition collection, a wrinkled highlight reel on repeat.<\/p>\n
Pain au chocolat at my favorite patisserie, leaving treats for the dog wearing the blue bandana; I pay with dollars made of sand, merci a la mer for its generosity, a la terre for its hospitality.<\/p>\n
When I think I\u2019ve seen citrusy dawn from every angle, I recall how small I am within a vast planet, how far the ocean dips below the discernable surface and the sky rises in heat above.<\/p>\n
I know I can get there if I continue to wander, remain long-lost, chartering bridges to cross, wounding fragile egos in the rift of the wake.<\/p>\n
I am an honest marauder, a parttime thief and fulltime laissez-faire buccaneer, a sanguine swashbuckler; I am not a brown-eyed girl, but I am sure blue will do.<\/p>\n
I blend lime and tequila with the port and the starboard, no need for a map or a compass or the cardinal directions to reach the reef of rainbow scales.<\/p>\n
I set sail with a certain uncertainty and dive in to swim among fish and sharks and jellies, stung once or twice, but the scars will heal while regret only deepens the damage of a bite.<\/p>\n
Turquoise tides, tropical air tickles my nostrils, the taste of salt slices my tongue as a rumbling vessel passes distantly and I dance by the light of noon beneath the velvety current.<\/p>\n
Adrift, my thoughts stop by and then pass through, lingering no longer than my stay in one spot, holding tight to the ticking hands of the clock so I do not miss the chance of their embrace.<\/p>\n
The edge of the world awaits, a fatal fall if you find yourself afraid of the chase; my only fears are the wave of a white flag and catching up with the slippery skyline.
\nThe storm stirs, sweeping my ship into the abyss, but before I transcend the edge, a voice whispers in my ear: take the wheel, Captain.<\/p>\n
Even the best days must end, but tobacco smoke from Cuban cigars and the tinny rhythm of strumming string songs with new friends slows the sunset\u2019s paradisal finale; de nuit bienvenue.<\/p>\n
Promise me you\u2019ll indulge your coworkers with this fairytale when you\u2019re sitting in your corner-offices-with-a-view,\u201d I say, hanging up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Amanda Layne \u201cIt was an ordinary Tuesday wasting away under the shade of rejected responsibilities. Palm relief swaying in the breeze, sipping on the rocks to the beat of a sweet melody in the rhythm of calypso drums. Morning raindrops plant kisses on my cheeks as iguana green darts across unpaved streets, and strangers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":0,"parent":17,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-369","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","clear"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/17-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/17-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/17-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/17-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/17-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=369"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/17-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/369\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":372,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/17-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/369\/revisions\/372"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/17-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/17-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}