Staring out the window, I search for the final line of my verse.
Through the looking glass
Beyond the land of wonder
Alice …?
Alice cries for home? Alice mourns for me?
I need to move away from the glass. I can’t focus. Every sound, any little movement, and I’m sure it’s her. Finally. Home for the holidays. She said she’s not interested, but she’s just confused. I can change her mind. Explain things. Show her my words. Convince her she’s meant to be with me. Mine. Forever.
Esther’s Writing Prompt (GLASS) immediately brought Alice in Wonderland to mind and then the Friday Fictioneers photo skewed Wonderland into an even creepier space.
Drink Me was her—admittedly, completely unoriginal—first thought. But really what else does one think when one sees a tiny door. If reading had taught her anything it was that tiny doors lead to magical places full of lovely flowers and great adventures. Intent on finding the beautiful bottle that she knew MUST be nearby, she didn’t see the bark begin to ripple. Sadly, little Allie had forgotten another important lesson about magical doors: they often have guards. Before she could even think “what a curious feeling,” she felt its arms around her. Now it’s her turn to wait.
Looking to escape the worst of a summer that will not end, we decided to head north; hoping that four hours of drive time would translate into at least twice that much in degree difference. Spoiler alert: It didn’t! Hit with a short-span heat wave that coincided directly with our trip, it was sweltering. Ugh.
It also was a holiday Monday and I had mixed feelings about being in St. Augustine on that day. What holiday, you ask? The one that Florida denotes as “Columbus Day” but that I (and many like-minded souls) honor as Indigenous People Day.
The day wasn’t chosen deliberately. Our hotel was unavailable on the day we wanted so we had to push the trip back a day. (Or should that be “push the trip up a day”? I always confuse those two.)
NOT our hotel but oh to have danced back in the day!
Anyway, we left a day later than planned and there we were—landing in St. Augustine on “Columbus Day” surrounded by families with lots of kids “celebrating” the triumph of Columbus’ legacy. For those who may not know, St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers. It is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement within the borders of the continental United States. (Which is a really benign way to say that the Spanish came, killed, enslaved, and stole from the indigenous peoples with a passion that Columbus, no doubt, would have found inspiring.)
Plus, apparently autumn is NEVER coming to Florida. Did I mention it was HOT!
So long story short(ish), as non-kid-having trying-to-be-culturally-woke folk, we felt a bit out of our element. BUT, we do love museums and (ironically) the ostentatiousness of the Gilded Age, so the Lightner Museum saved the day!
Housed in the former Alcazar Hotel (built in 1888 by super rich guy named Henry Flagler), the museum is home of one of the premier collections of fine and decorative art in the country. Seriously, Lightner collected everything! Between the hotel itself and the collections on display, it really was like stepping through the Looking Glass into a different world.
Through the Looking Glass …
“I don’t think — ” “Then you shouldn’t talk.”
“Off with their heads!”
In a Wonderland they lie, Dreaming as the days go by, Dreaming as the summers die: Ever drifting down the stream — Lingering in the golden gleam — Life, what is it but a dream?
How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour, And gather honey all the day From every opening flower!
“Curiouser and curiouser!”
“We’re all mad here.”
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!”
“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” (Yes. I was hungry and yes I was thinking about EGGS!)
“It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”
Thus grew the tale of Wonderland: Thus slowly, one by one, Its quaint events were hammered out — And now our tale is done And home we steer, a merry crew, Beneath the setting sun.
Looking at our photos (all made by myself or my husband) and thinking about Cathy’s travel writing suggestions led me to Alice. Thus the Carroll quotes as captions. Hope y’all enjoy!
Tina Stewart Brakebill 