The Red Thread

ज ो न ा थ न 

red late-ripening apple; primarily eaten raw 

Jonathan

Hadn't thought of this guy since grade school.  Suppose he came to mind while watching Drew's Honeymoon House because his name is Jonathan.  He was the first boy to like me.  I did not share his feelings.  I was a John Schneider girl, dreaming of having Bo Duke babies with golden locks like my mother's.  Jonathan loved playing with my hair and tagged along wherever the girls were.  This did not win me friends.  One day he got brazen and kissed me right in the middle of kindergarten class.  I rewarded him by giving him his first black eye.  He escaped punishment, but for my crime I was sent to the corner and told I was a bad Christian girl.....a phrase I'd become quite familiar with.  It was Jonathan's fault; it all started with him....and from that day forward I took to calling him "Trouble". 

Unfortunately "Trouble" never did stop liking me.  Seemed punching him somehow cemented his love for me.  He did, however, learn to admire me from afar.  He was sad for much of grade three because I developed a crush on his best friend.  In grade six, he paid some kid something like $200 to be my Secret Santa.....all so he could have a reason to talk to me about my likes and dislikes.  He did introduce me to my favourite chocolate, Laura Secord's White Almond Bark.  Perhaps I may have been a little hard on him.

We graduated in the church attached to our school.  Because there were only 7 girls in a graduating class of 22, each girl was partnered with a boy.  The teacher paired us based on height and it came down to Jonathan and another boy as to who would walk me down the aisle.  In the end, she chose the other boy.  The last clear image I have of Jonathan is of him crying.

स ून ी त ा 

reliable one, one of good character, one with good morals,

good behaviour, a daughter of Dharma or 

goddess of divine bliss  

Hollywood was my first real love.  I dreamt of moving there the minute I finished school.  The plan was to become a big time producer/director with beginnings in music and acting.  I'd make my fortune by 30 then spend the rest of my life doing philanthropic work and travelling.  I was to meet my one true love; that "Golden Age Hollywood Formula" man there.  Ours would be a union of the ages, greatly admired and envied by all.     

A need to understand the magic behind "happily ever after" fuelled my desire to be in the entertainment business.  I was in the industry for 22 years before a perfect storm of events forced me out.  Suppose I could have gone back, but life had other lessons to teach me.  I still think about the "apple box" and how it came to be the most vital "magic making" prop in cinema history.  Found one some months back which perfectly resembled my vision of them.  Have it sitting in my shed waiting to be stained.

Red Thread Studio

Although these thoughts seemed random, more would follow....each connected to the theme of roots, origins, family.  Resurgences of so-called "lost memories" had the additional appendage of a red thread.  The earliest appearance of these threads occurred during the episode in which Jonathan Scott travelled to Africa. 

The scene opened on Drew Scott with a phone in his hand, then cut to Jonathan's image on Facetime.  My eyes were instantly drawn to his beard and remained fixated there until the thought "Septimius Severus?" entered my head.  Was surprised to hear an inner voice respond, "No.  Marcus Aurelius.".

I had no idea what these names meant.....until my living room morphed into a classroom!  I was in university, attending my Roman Art and Architecture class.  My professor was talking about a 90 day expedition to Tunisia at a site dating back to the time of Marcus Aurelius.  Four North American institutions would be joining and ours was the only Canadian university invited.  Memory then jumped to my childhood bedroom where I received a phone call about an opening, asking if I could be ready to go in just three days.  As soon as I said YES! the image began to fade and my living room sprang back into focus.

I did not make it to North Africa, but had no inclinations to dwell on it as I may have in the past.  I was jazzed over the fact that not only had I experienced my first LIVE memory in years, but I was able to retain the memory....a feat I've been unable to achieve since the accident.  And remembering the emotions at the time as ones full of hope, promise, and excitement over the prospect of far-away destinations, adventures, and new ways of life left me believing that all I'd attempted to sow my entire life would finally come to grow and prosper very soon.         

It's not a coincidence long-forgotten emperors, one ruling with his brother then son and one whose sons refused to rule together, sprang to the forefront of my mind while watching these two brothers.  Drew and Jonathan are emperors in their-own-right in the corporate world and as a daughter who grew up in a family empire, I would know.  I find it funny though that Jonathan prefers being a king, having a castle in the sand decorated with suit of armour and slide.  I wonder if he has a sign on his front lawn saying, "Welcome to Hogwarts"?  He also seems to like moonlighting as a knight-in-shining-armour, is a prince charming looking for his queen, and with his more difficult clients always declares himself a "GENERAL"....................................... contractor.  The guy really likes his fairytale titles.

As far as Jonathan's beard is concerned, I was mesmerized....to such a degree it may have shocked my system enough to allow for LIVE memory.....because it was so familiar to me.  It was one I loved and belonged to a man named Wyatt*.  He had a head of hair like John Schneider, but was otherwise Scottish black.  Had massive arms from throwing 150 lbs. mail bags eight hours a day.  He was a 6'4" black belt.....just like Drew and Jonathan.  He was also the only person to ask me to marry him.....except for little Jonathan who told me all the time he was gonna' marry me one day.

Wyatt* and I met in Greece on an archeological survey.  I wrestled him away from a tall, blond, leggy lass.  Suppose I didn't see or think of him while recovering these memories because he preferred philosophy to Roman studies.  Our time had also passed and there were no regrets there.  But seeing a very dark, very coarse beard on another man struck a cord because I forgot how much I missed the Scottish beard. 

Archeological Survey in Greece near Agii Apostoli
Underwater Topographical Mapping

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the persons.