Page 65 of The Second Chance Bus Stop
This was my favourite installation. I did something entirely different and used geraniums, sunflowers and others to create something that borders on art. I’ve made six different installations across the common each with a different theme.Dream, Grow, Now, Play, BreatheandThink.They’re large, upright and brimming with colour and character. There is no motif, I haven’t shaped them as a teddy bear or a large sun, just how I imagine each feeling in my mind and the word made out from shades of flowers.
Blade comes up behind me with a churro in his mouth. I’m amazed at the speed at which he located and bought them.
‘Did you plan to spend the whole day eating?’
‘Plan to spend the whole day in awe of you.’
He reaches out to touch me, and I recoil.
‘Food courts are number three on the list of public placeswith the most germs. After public restroom sinks and escalator handrails,’ I explain.
‘Got it. Sorry.’
I produce a wipe from my pocket and hand it to him. The sharp smell relaxes me and I inhale deeply, as a familiar voice comes up behind me.
‘I could tell you were nearby from the smell, sister.’ I turn around and am face-to-face with Pontus, brother number two. ‘Where there’s antibac spray fumes, there’s Sophia.’ He laughs. Blade’s face remains still.
‘You’re here,’ I say.
‘I am, yeah.’
‘Nice to meet you.’ Blade says and they shake hands a minute too long, as if neither wants to be the first to let go.
Hampus comes up behind them, with Mattias next to him.
‘Hi, sister,’ they say in unison.
‘Hi, brothers one, two and three.’
‘This is pretty damn spectacular,’ Hampus says. ‘I don’t know much about art, but this feels like, well... art?’
‘Who did you work with?’ Pontus asks. Taking a step back and joining the others so that my brothers are lined up next to one another, a trio of blond, bulky men who both look like me and don’t.
‘Just me,’ I say. It’s usually the answer to everything in my life. ‘I work with no one.’
‘Incredible,’ Mattias says, smiling at me, then turning to our brothers. ‘Why don’t I take you for a proper tour and we let Sophia work?’
They come back half an hour later, with bags full of purchases and words of praise.
‘I had this idea of you with an apron behind a counter selling tulips,’ Pontus says, and Hampus nods in agreement. ‘Thought you might have a stand here selling flowers, so I wasn’t even keen to drive over when Vincent called.’
‘Vincent called you?’
‘He said we needed to see this.’
‘He did promise us free vouchers for the beer tent as well,’ Hampus adds.
Knew it.My flowers alone wouldn’t have been enough to pull them in. But they came. Showed up. And I think that’s a first.
‘Well done you,’ Mattias says.
I look at the ground which is now brown rather than green, littered with beer caps and popcorn.
‘Thank you,’ I say.
Vincent wanted them to see this because I’ve done a good job. Because he’s proud of me. He is the closest link I have to my uncle, and I can’t help but think he’d be proud too.
Sophia
