When I first met Rail Fox he had a large snake dangled around his neck. It was not a python but a harmless snake from the Amazon Basin<\/p>\n
The snake told me a story about a woman called Sophie Gray<\/p>\n
Once a year in the first week in July the Day of Ghosts is celebrated on the island. There are similar ceremonies held all over the world most notably in Mexico with The Day of The Dead.<\/p>\n
It is a day where the living can meet the dead.<\/p>\n
Sophie Gray was sitting on the jetty that ran from the stony beach into the sea. Her bare feet dangled idly and the gentle swell occasionally caught the hem of her white cotton dress<\/p>\n
She was aware of this invasion but did not move<\/p>\n
As she looked at the sea it spoke to her<\/p>\n
What is your name? <\/i><\/p>\n
Sophie Gray <\/i><\/p>\n
I know no-one of that name <\/i><\/p>\n
Then I am a ghost after all this is the day of ghosts <\/i><\/p>\n
You are no ghost <\/i><\/p>\n
Why do you say that? <\/i><\/p>\n
Because Sophie Gray is not your real name<\/i><\/p>\n
Then I have no name <\/i><\/p>\n
I have visited the countries of the world and have met many like you <\/i><\/p>\n
Explain?<\/i><\/p>\n
The sea is full of ghosts <\/i><\/p>\n
Sophie was aware that her foot was being caressed but did not move as she found it pleasurable<\/p>\n
Why do you caress my foot? <\/i><\/p>\n
Your foot is being caressed by the ghosts of the dead<\/i><\/p>\n
The dead of the sea?<\/i><\/p>\n
The sea is full of ghosts<\/i><\/p>\n
Sailors who perished before their time?<\/i><\/p>\n
As Sophie looked into the waves she could see light gossamer shadows flitting beneath the waves. Occasionally a hand would break the surface and touch her feet and ankles<\/p>\n
It was a pleasurable sensation<\/p>\n
Why do you not swim today?<\/i><\/p>\n
Because I am dressed in fine clothes which will spoil if I swim <\/i><\/p>\n
What is your name? <\/i><\/p>\n
Sophie Gray <\/i><\/p>\n
You will have an unhappy life Sophie Gray. You will marry without love and die young <\/i><\/p>\n
You alarm me <\/i><\/p>\n
That is not your real name<\/i><\/p>\n
Sophie did not answer as she had become aware of a slight woman dark in complexion walking towards the sea. The woman ignored Sophie\u2019s presence on the jetty and soon began swimming until she was out of sight behind the rocks<\/p>\n
Did you know the swimmer?<\/i><\/p>\n
No<\/i><\/p>\n
She was an ancestor of yours <\/i><\/p>\n
What was her name?<\/i><\/p>\n
Amelie <\/i><\/p>\n
I know no Amelie <\/i><\/p>\n
She knows who you are <\/i><\/p>\n
Then why did she not pass greeting?<\/i><\/p>\n
Today is the day of the ghosts <\/i><\/p>\n
She did not look like a ghost to me<\/i><\/p>\n
What does a ghost look like<\/i>?<\/p>\n
Like the souls in the sea who caress my feet <\/i><\/p>\n
And on land should they look the same? <\/i><\/p>\n
I do not have an opinion <\/i><\/p>\n
What did you notice as the woman walked towards the sea?<\/i><\/p>\n
Her nakedness, her dark complexion, her slight figure. I noticed that she was sweating even though the day is not mature<\/i><\/p>\n
The woman had emerged from the rocks and was swimming towards Sophie. She reached the jetty and held up her hand in greeting and indicated that Sophie should join her in the sea<\/p>\n
I am afraid of the pleasure that the sea might share and this inhibits my action<\/i><\/p>\n
The woman smiled and dived beneath the waves. From her vantage Sophie could see the woman swimming with the ghosts of the sea<\/p>\n
The woman surfaced and again indicated that Sophie should swim with her<\/p>\n
I will swim without fear<\/em><\/p>\n Sophie stood up and readied herself for a swim. Moments later she dived into the sea and was surprised to find that she was quite alone. The sea was not caressing her. Her swim was without incident<\/p>\n As she turned towards the beach Sophie saw the slight woman dark of complexion walking towards the sea<\/p>\n As she emerged from the waves she passed the woman who greeted her with a smile but said nothing<\/p>\n Sophie stood on the beach and watched as the woman swam towards the rocks before disappearing from sight<\/p>\n The snake which had unwound itself from Rail Fox fell silent<\/p>\n Why tell me such a story?<\/i><\/p>\n I told you no story you closed your eyes for a moment and imagined my story. After all snakes do not speak <\/i><\/p>\n But what of your master? <\/i><\/p>\n Rail Fox is mute he tells no stories <\/i><\/p>\n Then why do I meet him on this day of ghosts? <\/i><\/p>\n Ask Rail Fox <\/i><\/p>\n But he will no hear me and is unlikely to answer you have told me that yourself<\/i><\/p>\n He will hear you and he will answer you Solange<\/i><\/p>\n The snake dropped to the ground and slithered away into the undergrowth which covered the hinterland between the road and the beach <\/i><\/p>\n My friend will return but it is time for us to talk <\/em><\/p>\n I think it will be to my advantage husband<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When I first met Rail Fox he had a large snake dangled around his neck. It was not a python but a harmless snake from the Amazon Basin The snake told me a story about a woman called Sophie Gray Once a year in the first week in July the Day of Ghosts is celebrated […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1460"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1460"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1460\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}