Cherry Blossom Snow

"Ow! Someone stepped on my foot! There are too many people..."

"I could lift you....," Mohammed looked at my figure as if in doubt, ".....or we could pay 17 bucks apiece and see the parade from the grandstand." He finished quickly, making obvious that he never really intended to pick me up.

I wanted to be angry but his Pakistani accent made me giddy. "No, free is better."

He smiled. "After the parade we'll see the cherry blossoms."

"If it doesn´t start to drizzle," my eyes traveled up to the clouds and then back to Mohammed´s angular jaw, "spring is so unpredictable this early on."

The parade was over and we neared the tidal basin. A gasp escaped my throat, "Look Mody, it´s snowing! It's snowing flowers!" I ran to the grass where a pastel pink carpet was forming and stood with my palms upwards and head back feeling the brume of petals on my face, inhaling deeply to a whispered almond scent. "So that was really sweet of those Chinese people to give us all these trees."

"A gift from Japan." Mohammed corrected as he approached.

"Viscountess of China. I read it in the brochure. What´s a viscountess?"

"Have you been using your speed reading skills again?" asked Mohammed as he took the brochure sticking out from my tote. "It says: 'March 27, 1912 First Lady Helen Taft and the wife of the Japanese Ambassador to the U.S., Viscountess Chinda,´ he paused to grin then continued, ´planted the first of what would become D.C.'s famous cherry trees.'" (Take Part: March 27, 1919: Cherry Blossoms Arrive in Washington; Ed. March 26, 2010)

"Oh." I smiled, flustered by my own ignorance. "These flowers aren´t going to be around much longer, with this breeze. Good thing the festival is almost over." A wave of melancholy came and went and I pulled my cardigan closer. "So do they let people pick the cherries?"

"We´d better go on one of the tours. That way the ranger can break the news to you." He said, as if he´d felt my thought.

"What news?"

"These cherry trees are ornamental varieties, no fruit." He laughed. "Do you want to eat lunch and then go on the three o´clock?"

"Yes, let's eat. My stomach is growling."

"Since we forgot to pack a lunch we could walk a few blocks to the museum cafeterias or over to the hot dog cart there." Mohammed pointed.

I noticed a petal clinging to the shoulder of his grey pullover. Resisting the urge to pluck it I stated, "You forgot to pack a lunch. What do think I brought this tote bag for?"

"Ah, I love a frugal girl. We art history majors are always broke." He answered, pulling a petal from my hair.

Take Part: March 27, 1919: Cherry Blossoms Arrive in Washington; Ed. March 26, 2010
( http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/03/26/march-27-1912-cherry-blossoms-arrive-in-washington )

National Cherry Blossom Festival: Washington D.C. March 26 - April 10; Events
http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/category/events/