“Postmarked” is a fictional series of love letters written in postcards mailed from different cities that I have visited in my real life. The correspondence is between two principal characters from an unfinished novel that I started to write shortly after the turn of the century. The novel covers a very turbulent time of my life in Washington, D.C. As a means of catharsis and mental relief, I created a set of characters living in D.C., two of whom eventually discover an intense, intimate, and impassioned love for each other. In this “Postmarked” series related to my novel, one character makes a point to send a postcard to the other character and cannot help but write what he truly feels regardless of who might read his words en route to the object of his affection. “Postmarked” is intended to be personal, personable, quirky, and humorous. It is my own tribute to hopeless romantics around the world. I hope you enjoy.
9 July 2012
Sybithian, my love:
By the time you receive this card, you’ll likely have a very quizzical look on your face (one of your trademark expressions that made me fall for you, quite interminably I might add, as gravity appears to have denied me a place to land). Then, you’ll probably let out that wondrously cute chuckle you make because you’re realizing that you were, in fact, only a few meters away from me on the postmarked date. Yes, I’m literally writing you a postcard as you sleep softly next to me in our hotel room. Every so often, I force myself to pause from gazing at your enchanting visage and look the other way to glance at the illumination of Waikiki at night with all the hotels dotting the shore, and downtown Honolulu farther in the distance. As gorgeous as the city is, there’s no real competition. I’m utterly spellbound by you and can’t stop looking at you.
I’m so elated that we were able to spend a few days in Hawaii together. What a blissful place Honolulu is…this isolated oasis in the middle of the Pacific, thousands of miles (or kilometers) away from every shore of every major continent on Earth. We’ve had so many beautiful and private moments here. Right now, I can only hear the waves outside, your gentle breathing, and the scribbling of my pen. My precious darling, why don’t we just stay here…forever? Perhaps we can just live the rest of our lives in this hotel room, or rent a place? Why not, my dear? I could learn how to cook Polynesian cuisine and feed you however many times a day you desire. If you fancy, I could perform this just wearing a malo. Must we really return to wherever that place was from which we traveled?
Alas, as you know well, my imagination never has any travel restrictions or time constraints.
My love, I’m now becoming fairly drowsy at this table, so before I happily join you under the covers, I’ll mail this so you have a small memento from our time here. I love you with all my heart and can’t wait to wake up with you tomorrow.
Yours forever,
Ephri
Original Honolulu Photograph for licensing or printing
Lovely. ❤️