Mere Theory - Defeating this feeling

This is the third video to be lifted from Mere Theory's debut album 'Catalan Atlas'.

The animation, by Rob Green, is based on the original story 'Once I flew' by South Australian playwright Finnegan Kruckemeyer.


ONCE I FLEW

When I was 15, I flew. It wasnt something I expected. I had been on my way to the shops, to get tea. My mother was having friends over, and with no tea, a core part of their weekly chat would be lacking. So I walked down the alleyway that joins onto the main street where the shops are. And halfway there, with no one around, with the coins for Tetleys jangling in my pocket, I began to rise. It wasnt flying at first it was only forgetting where the ground was. My steps felt lighter than they had before, and the cuffs of my pants seemed to float around my ankles. Then the footpath felt soft, so soft, and when I looked down to find out why, I saw only air on my heels, wind pushing against my soles. Then my hands rose. When people fly in movies, this is always the picture they project, but I know now that it is natural, it is the way your body reacts to the sudden feeling of only air surrounding you. And I flew.

I had two feelings about my movement that of catching the breeze, the feeling of floating and navigating my way. And then another feeling, an opposite one. The feeling that I was being taken, carried somewhere beyond my control. Once I was above the roofs, I found myself being turned and sent back the same way I had come, though not at all in the same way I had come. I was carried back above the alleyway, back to the corner of the two streets that join and form it, back onto my street, back above the footpath to my driveway. Then from up on high, I found myself sitting in the sky above my own house. And then slowly, so slowly I felt everything my eyelashes blowing in the breeze, my joints sinking into themselves I began to lower.

I lowered to window level, and looking through the glass, I saw my mother standing alone in the living room, holding a plate of well-cut sandwiches. And then I saw the plate drop and bounce, and the sandwiches fall and open, spraying lettuce and small pieces of cucumber across the carpet. And then I saw my mothers eyes widen and her knees give way. She dropped to her knees, amongst the lettuce and the cucumber, and clawed at her thin blouse, at her chest below, at the heart which at that second had decided it was tired and could beat no more. And then just before she fell forward and her face mashed against the shagpile and her eyes became only marbles that have no more life behind them, she turned her head. And she looked at me. She looked at me floating beside the lavender bush.

I snatched at the air. I knew I could not land, that I had to go back before I could go forward. I pulled at the wind until my body turned. I kicked my legs and pulled every muscle to drive my way through the sky, along the road, to the corner, into the alleyway. Then I pushed up hard, sweating, against the clouds, until I began to drop back down to the ground, to the point I had risen from.

I landed heavily and painfully, twisting my ankle, falling and causing the coins to run from my pocket, to roll into the gutters and land heads up, every one. Then I picked myself up, and forgot my ankle, which was screaming, and forgot my voice, which was screaming, and I ran. I tore along the alleyway and jumped the corner hedge and hurtled down my street, tears running from my eyes, mind hollow, fear eating out my insides. I got to my driveway and my door. I thrust hands into my pockets and found no key, and threw myself against the wood and roared at the hinges and felt so weak and so strong at the same time.

Then I ran around the house and reached the back door, and threw it open and ran inside, and let my footprints stain the carpet and my sweat stain my clothes, and I burst into the living room and threw myself onto my knees and wrapped my arms around this great, great woman. And I said things I had never said, and smoothed her clothes, and smelt her hair, and kissed her forehead. And caught my breath. And caught none of hers.

And that was the only time when I flew, when I was 15.

And I pray that I will never, ever fly again.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Alternative
• Australia
• Boomtown
• Mere
• Music
• Rock
• Theory

[jonno035]

pretty cool song reminds me of the butterfly effect a little

[matthewisacommonname]

Love the clip. Good to see something different! May it rocket up the charts.

[gamerguy69]

Trademark Aussie rock, I'll be seeing them play with Trial Kennedy in a couple weeks time.

[thesunju]

No matter how many times I watch this, it always makes me cry. This is a great song and very good interpretation in animation. Still good work Nige and Mere Theory and my very talented boy, Rob. :)

[TheHamishbatten1995]

Fuck I really want tabs for this

[DAHLIN11]

burn/pwned

[hearer87]

and your point is? its just a comment

[RamboJOE98]

dude seriously its just a video clip

[RamboJOE98]

lol u watched this to

[lifesuckers25]

wooooooooo go mr melow my pe teacher

[RamboJOE98]

or marshmelow