Post on 13-Apr-2017
Harness 1
Christopher Harness
Mrs. Denomme
AP English Language and Composition
24 February 2014
The Heart at the Heart of the Forest
The roads my family traveled were long and tiresome as the countryside that surrounded
us was unsettled and full of advertisements. Although the signs of commercialism obstructed the
view of the driver, it served as no distraction since we knew we would eventually get away from
all of the glitz and glamour that cities held and into the peaceful scenes of nature. Our travels
ended up at our Kalkaskan cottage, a cottage that was built by an old Italian couple who just
wanted to get away from their six crazy kids in order to get some peace and quiet. We shared the
same dreams as our ancestors once did: no more did we want the commotion from social media,
no more did we want to deal with the complaints of customers, no more did we want to get
involved in the drama between our most despised family members; we just wanted to get away,
get away from the craziness in our lives.
The exhausting journey would come to a satisfying halt once the driver in my car located
the hidden mailbox on the opposite side of the road after a quick pass or two (even Bruce Wayne
has trouble finding the Bat Cave from the outside). The car would creep up the driveway very
slowly, hitting dangling branches while tumbling around in the dirt like a turtle stuck in an
earthquake, but once we’ve gotten out of it, we were welcomed by a cottage that was still caught
in its slumber. However, in order to get our personal peace and relaxation, we had to complete
one simple task: locate the hidden key while avoiding or killing the temple guards, the guards
being swarms of pesky, blood-lusting mosquitoes. The plan would normally go off without a
Harness 2
hitch, thanks to the convenient can of Raid that was sitting on the porch, and we would follow
the brave soul who risked his or her own life for the family to get into the house. Wooden walls
and dust coated furniture greeted us the moment we walked into the dark foyer room, giving us
the feeling that this place had been abandoned for years. Navigating through the cottage would
be next to impossible unless someone put life back into it. This was a job for the “heart hunter,”
or the one who was responsible for locating the generator in the washroom. My family would
watch the unlucky one fade into darkness until the tacks of switches rung through the home, and
the light would bleed onto every surface, revealing the kitchen and hallways. Beds were chosen
from the two available, yet cramped rooms that were off the hallway or from the loft that stood
above the foyer. The dust covers acting like shells for the furniture were molted off and placed
into the washroom, making the furniture available for our comfort, and thus starting the vacation.
Kalkaska wasn’t the hoity-toity city to do shopping or socializing in, rather it was a quiet
area with a couple of lakes, vast, open plains, and plenty of wildlife. The cottage was at the heart
of it all, and the shed that stood up beside it held many do-what-you-want utensils such as fishing
poles and BB guns. Also, if there was enough gas left in the van, my family could return to the
city life in the glitzier Traverse City. It was like touring through the Beverly Hills of Michigan,
excluding the actual Beverly Hills in Michigan, with its larger-than-life homes, great views of
the Great Lake Michigan, and plenty of shopping for any tourist. Even if we didn’t go, there was
still plenty of fun to be had back at the cottage, whether it be cycling through the ancient forms
of entertainment (who has ever heard of a VHS tape?) or fishing at the secret pond that shied
away from the eyes of the public. Nights would be spent with a feast at the wooden “Seven
Dwarves” dining room table, followed by a gazing of the outside world that stretched across the
sky. No one from the city could experience this quiet, yet fascinating life without worrying about
Harness 3
the next “tweet” or the horrors that spur in the world of politics, this was a private life that my
family and I could experience forever. Unfortunately, reality would butt its ugly head back into
our lives of relaxation, persuading us to return back to the oppressing, crazy, and just plain
boring city life.