Waiting For the Breeze

时间:2021-12-16 08:41:37 优秀英语作文

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Noairconditioning?Howcanyousleep??afriendasks,horrified.I'vejustrevealedthatmyfamilyhasdecidedtoturntheairconditioneroffandtrimourelectricbill.

"Nobodyopensawindow,dayornight,"warnsanotherfriend,whosewindowshavebeenpaintedshutforadecade."It'sjustnotsafe.?Onthisfirstnightofourcostcuttingadventure,it's30degrees.We'renotgoingtosuffer,butthethreekidsgrumbleanyway.They'vegrownupin22-degreecomfort,insulatedfromtheworldoutside.

"Howdoyouopenthesewindows??myhusbandasks.Jigglingthemetaltabs,hefinallyreleasesone.Apotpourri*ofbugbodiesdecoratesthesill.Aswespringthewindowsonebyone,thenightnoiseshowloutside-andin.

"It'sjusttoohottosleep,"my13-year-olddaughtercomplains.

"I'mabouttodiefromthisheat,"herbrotheryellsdownthepassage.

"Justtryittonight,"Itellthem.

IntruthI'mtootiredtoargueforlong.I'mexhaustedafterattendingGrandma'sestateauction.ItotedhomeherovaltinbathtubandthechairIoncestoodonlikeabigshotbehindthecounterofhershop,packingchocolateandrollingcoins.

Myfaceissweaty,butIliequietlylisteningtothecricketchoirsoutsidethatremindmeofchildhood.Theneighbour'sdoghowls.Probablyatrespassingsquirrel.It'sbeenyearssinceI'vetakenthetimetoreallylistentothenight.

IthinkaboutGrandma,wholivedto92andstillsupervisedMum'sgardeninguntiljustafewweeksbeforeshedied.

Andthen,I'mbackthereatherhouseinthesummerheatofmychildhood.

ImovemypillowtothefootofGrandma'sbedandanglemyfacetowardstheopenwindow.Iflipthepillow,huntingforthecoolerside.

Grandmaseesmethrashing."Ifyou'lljustwatchforthebreeze,"shesays,"you'llcooloffandfallasleep.?ShecranksuptheVenetianblinds.Istareatthefilmywhitecurtain,willingittoflutter.

Lyingstill,waiting,Isuddenlynoticethelifeoutsidethewindow.Thebugchorusshouts,"Ajooga!Ajooga!?Neighbours,sittingontheirverandasuntillate,speakinhazywordswithsandededgesthatsootheme.

"Keepwatchingforthebreeze,"Grandmasayssoftly,andI'mh-huh?inreply.Bugspingthescreen.Threeblocksawayatrainrumblesby.

Icatchthescentoffreshgrassclippings.ThenIhearsomethingIcan'tdecode-perhapsatreebranchrakingtheshinglesontheshoproofnextdoor.

Sleepy-eyednow,Ifocusonthecurtain.Itflutters...

"Mum,didyouhearthat?"myseven-year-oldblurts."Ithinkitwasanowlfamily.?"

Probably,"Itellhim.Justkeeplistening...?

Withoutthedroningairconditioner,thehouseisoddlypeaceful,andtheunfilterednightnoisesseemcloseenoughtotouch.

IhopeI'mawaketonightwhenthefirstbreezesneaksin.