Chapter 21

Henry walked into the drug store. He bought the supplies needed and paid for them. Driving back…

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Chapter 21

Henry walked into the drug store. He bought the supplies needed and paid for them. Driving back home he was thinking about his wife. He would check on her first thing and then patch the wall.

When he walked into their bedroom, she wasn’t lying there. He went to the bathroom and there she was soaking. She looked so cute all covered with bubbles. He leaned down and kissed her on the nose.

“You feeling better doll?”

“Yes, the warm water feels real good on my aching body. Where you been?”

“Oh, I went into the hardware store and bought some patch for the wall. Figure I better take care of the damage before Dad sees it.”

She smiled up at him. “Thanks for rescuing me Henry. I don’t know what is wrong with that guy. He better get it fixed though.”

Neither of them said anything. Henry left her to finish and went to patch the wall. Soon Jane walked in and the two inspected his work. “Looks real good Henry. I can’t even see where the hole was. You did a good job.”

He gave her a squeeze and she pulled back a little. There was still some evidence of the fight left behind.  He led her to the bed and they laid down. He took her in his arms and held her. His body heat felt good next to her and she turned in his direction.

He kissed her nose lightly. She returned it by kissing him on the lips. Parting her lips she let him explore farther and soon the two forgot about the fight and the wall. Afterwards  they lay there both in their own thoughts.

Henry sat up and lit a cigarette. He offered her one but she refused. “I am not going to smoke anymore Henry. I have to do what’s best for the baby.” She patted her belly and placed his hand over her hand. “A wonderful thing happened when I was in the tub. I felt the baby kick.”

Henry put his cigarette out and bent down and put his ear to her stomach. He listened but heard nothing. He didn’t feel anything. “It doesn’t do it all the time silly. I just felt it once myself.”

“Wow, a living thing. I made that all by myself. You know  he or she, is going to look just like me.”

“Um, my dear Henry, I hate to tell you but I had something to do with this too. It is very well that this tiny baby could look just like me. Or better yet, maybe it will look like the both of us.”

Henry started laughing and said,”Well, maybe it will have your eyes and my fine wavy hair.” The two of them broke out in laughter and then they got up and started to redress. They walked out into the kitchen and saw him Mom sitting at the kitchen table. She was having herself a cup of coffee.

“Mom, you alright? Do you hurt anywhere?” Carol replied, “No, I am alright, but if that son-of-a bitch comes back in this house I will call the cops.”

“It’s ok Mom. I already warned him. I don’t think he will have the guts to show back up here again.”

Henry and Jane sat down at the table. Carol looked at Jane and asked,”You alright? Did you get hurt in any of this?”

“No not really. Henry saved me from getting hurt. I don’t know what I would do without him. He is just the best man all around.”

“Well he is lucky. Lucky that I didn’t have a whack at him.” They all had a good laugh over that as they realized Carol couldn’t really hurt him unless she got a hold of her iron skillet first.

Henry looked at his watch and saw he only had an hour before he had to be at work. He stood up leaving the women to sit and chat and went in to take a bath. Carol and Jane sat in silence at the table. Neither of them seemed comfortable in each others presence.

After a few moments Carol spoke. “You know Jane, we never ever had any trouble like this before. I don’t know what kind of friends you have, but I suggest you keep them a way from my house. I don’t allow stuff like that to go on here. We are a nice family and I don’t want any cops around this place.”

“Carol, I swear this Kurt guy, he isn’t any friend of mine. He isn’t even a friend of Henry’s.”

“Then how did he end up here?”

Silence once again fell and Jane got up and walked back to her room. Henry was finishing getting dressed and he glanced her way. She walked past him and laid down on the bed. She was tired. She just wanted to sleep. With Henry going to work, she all of a sudden felt real lonely.

Henry was too busy trying to get out the door and not be late for work. He bent down and gave her a quick kiss, and when he walked out of the door, she never felt more alone. She turned over and wept into her pillow thinking back to what Carol had said.

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Get In Line

He had a dream, he knew the way

To each one work and still have time to play

To know thyself and to think of others

To tuck his children safe under the covers

To go to church with family at side

To sing and pray and not have to hide

To walk and view the skies so blue

A neighbor stops and says how are you

To know that different colors could well do blend

And broken hearts would always mend

A man a woman and a child too

Could mix in business and live next to you

The Lord our god has placed each of us here

To lend a hand and a listening ear

Our world has divided and gone separate ways

We fear our children to go out and play

Gun shots heard and murders each day

I don’t think this is how God hath shown the way

We stick to ourselves and not know the names

Of neighbors near and there is no shame

God looks down over the world he hath made

And hangs his head as his memories fade

God lifts his arms and reaches out

Please say my name go ahead and shout

For this is my command that all of you do

To spread my name and say I love you

I want this world to go back to the start

I want my love to be in each of your hearts

God says I am coming again some day

Please come together and form the way

For me to lift you up and take you home

For this is the plan I have always shown

Please put the guns behind closed locks

Teach your child what thoughts to block

Share the news of me with others

Make sure you always respect your mothers

I am telling you all one more time

I will be coming now get in line.

A Man and his Dog

Rusty, the dog sat patiently at the foot end of the bed. The only time he moved was to eat

and go outdoors for relief. It did not matter if there were  visitors  or not. He never moved.

John was his master. They had been together for nine years. Every day when John went to work, Rusty would sit by the door waiting for his master to come home. They would eat supper together, sometimes Rusty would watch while John worked in the yard. It was always the two of them when John had to go to town.

Now John was sick and Rusty knew it. He guarded the bed, listening for sounds coming from his master, hoping he could help. Every day John’s sister would go to his room and attend to his needs. She bathed him, changed his sheets and fixed him a cup of soup and brought  it to him.

Before she left, she would always lean over John and tell him how much she loved him and leave snacks on his bed side table. He didn’t eat much anymore, but she didn’t want the table to be empty in case he had a change of mind.

The minister came from the church down the road. John didn’t go regularly, but the minister wanted to make sure John was straight in his heart and knew where he was going to go.

When the nights drew near, and the shadows took over the sunshine, Rusty would jump on the bed and lie at the foot of his master. When Rusty could hear the breathing slow down, he would go to his master’s side and give his master a kiss. John always smiled.

John had been a lawyer in his working days. He was strong-willed, and worked hard. He hardly ever lost any cases. He became rich in monies but poor with family and friends. He didn’t care whether he was going to hurt someone’s feelings. He didn’t care if he drained a person’s bank account. He cared about winning.

He married only once. He was past the prime age of marrying, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the lady with the big green eyes and the gentle smile. She worked for him as  part of the cleaning crew.

At first when he was working late, she would knock on his door getting permission to come in and start on his room. He seemed a little irritated with her presence, but with her gentle nudging, the two of them found conversations to become easier.

One time a few months after she had been cleaning, she knocked on the door and when she heard the familiar ring of his voice she walked in to see a two red roses waiting for her. From then on it was instant love. Love poured out of their eyes. Talk  made more sense, and soon he found himself asking, ” Joan, would you care to have dinner with me tomorrow night? It it will be Friday and I should be wrapped up with most of my work”.

Her eyes glistened as her voice shook out the words, ” Yes John, I would love to go to dinner with you”. He got up from his desk and walked over to her. He embraced her and told her, ” Good. I will pick you up around seven since you don’t work on Fridays”.

From the moment Friday night  ended, the two of them could be found dining every Friday after. As it became a regular date night, Joan’s  family stepped in to remind her of how mean John was. He thinks of no one they said. He is just not the proper man for you. Their voices went unheard as she knew in her heart she was already in love with him.

It was nearing Christmas Eve and John had asked Joan if she would consider having dinner at his house and she had said yes. He picked her up at their regular time and when they entered the front doors, the smell of food could make you dizzy.

John’s sister Kara who lived with him taking care of the house had made a delightful meal. After helping Joan take off her coat, he guided her to the dining room table where two candles were lit, and sitting on the plates were two steaming bowls of home-made chicken soup. He seated her and the two of them exchanged glances and conversations of the holidays coming.

When the bowls were removed, a plate of prime rib decorated by baby potatoes and glazed carrots appeared. Joan said, ” This food is so delicious. You should not have gone to so much bother John”. He replied, ” Don’t worry, Kara fixed it all, and she has cooked for me for so long, that placing another plate on the table was no bother”. She smiled at him.

When the dessert came, two dishes of orange sherbert were placed in front of them, and a  box also came out of John’s pocket. He laid it gently at her finger tips and said, ” Open it Joan, open it now”. Her eyes began to water as she opened the box and saw a beautiful diamond ring. She looked up at John and he said, ” Yes, it is for you. I want you to have it”. John got up from his seat and knelt at her side, and taking her hands in his, asked her to be his wife.

Joan put her hand to her heart and then grasped the box and gave it back to John. ” You put the ring on my finger John. I have always envisioned this scene in my head. You put your heart on my finger”. He took the ring out of the box and placed it on her left third finger and then standing up he helped her out of her chair and they hugged and kissed.

For the first time John felt something other than his work. Love had touched his heart. His eyes danced and his walk became lighter. Each day was filled with sunshine. He never saw gray skies again.

A couple of weeks later the two were married by the judge. He took her to Paris for their honeymoon, and the two wished they never had to return to the everyday routine. John and Joan were so happy for the next year. Each day was like a brand new day.  Except for work, the two shared a wonderful life. John even gave up a few hours of work to be with his darling wife.

One morning John woke but Joan didn’t. She had passed a way through the night. She had suffered an aneurism and she was gone. John’s heart broke in several pieces. He went through the motions of the next few days. His lips became dry and his voice choked when he spoke.

After a week had passed by, John buried himself back in his work. He stayed late nights and sometimes slept on the office couch. His sister tried to coax him into seeking some help, but he brushed her off. The only comfort he ever found was in his dog Rusty.

Rusty didn’t scold him. Rusty accepted and loved him. Every nite it was Rusty and John at the dinner table. He had no friends. There had been too many misunderstandings from the past. All he had left was Karla, and he realized that he treated her more like a servant instead of a sister.

Now John lie in his bed, getting ready to meet his maker. Alone except for Rusty and Karla. Days and nights turned into one. Karla took on another job, so she was only at home in the early mornings and evenings.

John was dying of cancer alone. He was living out his last days in the same manner he had treated people in the past. The world became cold and his heart became weary. He lay there remembering the eyes of his beloved Joan, and a smile stretched over his face and then faded a way as his last breath left his body  with Rusty lying at his side.

 

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Daily Prompt/ The Daily Post

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/daily-prompt-6/

Invent a holiday! Explain how and why everyone should celebrate.

If I could invent a holiday, I would invent one where everyone would benefit. It would be called Be Kind At Home Day. The reason behind this is to help bring families back together again, if for only to show them, what family is all about.

This would be a day when no one would be allowed to walk outside past their property, nor drive to anywhere. You would have to be with your immediate family.

The home would be filled with laughter, and a special time for coming together with problems or discussions, based on the goal that this would draw the family together once again. Children as well as parents would be allowed to participate in the conversation.

The house work would be laid to rest for this one day, except for tidying up, and the aromas that would fill the rooms would be filled from baking together just one recipe. A number of games would be placed on the table, and all would vote on the one that would be played together for one hour.

At meal times, no one would be allowed to escape sitting together as a family, and the meal would be enjoyed by all and plenty of lighthearted conversation. There would also be one hour where each person, excluding small children,(they would be napping) would spend time entirely alone, going into thought about their own goals in their lives, and checking to see if they were heading in the right direction.

The day would be entirely filled up, and by the end of the day, the family would once again know each other, and become closer. Hopefully, some of what was learned or re-learned would be carried into the following weeks and months.

Family is so important. I feel that if you do not have family, you have nothing. I know this is something that has been let slip by the side of the road, with busy schedules, divorces, and work, but we must work very hard these days to keep the communication line open. What is it we call it at work? The open door policy. Let us practice this in our own homes as well.

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Dust Off The Bible ~ Wanda’s Country Home

Dust Off The Bible ~ Wanda’s Country Home.

The Seed

Apple pie (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She had been left the land to carry after her husband was killed at war. He had been serving his country and news was carried to her that he wad dead, shot by the enemy. Here she was, a young mother, with two children, a farm to run, and very little experience.

Sophie stood outside on her porch and gazed across the fields wondering how she was ever going to do this. Her husband had always been a farmer, and up until the time, he had been drafted, they had bought and worked the farm together.

The two children, Lizzie, and Teddy came out of the house to be with their mommy. She walked over to the porch swing and sat, and the two kids followed her, and together they swung, while she thought her next move.

She knew she needed help. She couldn’t do this alone and take care of her babies too. She got up from the swing and went into the house, tidied herself up and then went to the barn and got out the wagon. After all were safely seated, they made their journey into town, the goal, to find someone to hire to help around the farm with crops, and repairs.

As they pulled into town, she saw several men and women standing in front of the general store. She pulled up a few yards from them, and lowering Lizzie and Teddy to the ground, they walked over to the crowd, to find out what was going on.

To her surprise, the meeting was about herself. When the crowd noticed her they welcomed her with handshakes and hugs. They told her they were not going to let her go this alone, that they were there to support her and to help her.

Sophie was speechless and in reply, started hugging each one and crying from joy. While the different children from the group played near by, plans were made by the adults as to which ones were available to help, and what time they would all meet at her farm.

As the meeting adjourned, the circle of friends disappeared, and they all went their own way. The next morning, promptly as planned, several men and a few women folk, showed up at her door ready to work. Some went straight to the land, and started plowing, and the others went to the barn and small buildings to work on repairs. The women folk stayed behind and helped Sophie with window washing and laundry, and spring cleaning.

One farmer, who had been in the field, came up near the house, and was getting a drink from the well. Sophie noticed him. He was different from the others. More quiet and staying to himself, just doing his work. Upon his leaving to go back to work, she asked the ladies if they knew who he was.

Sophie discovered that he was actually one of her neighbors a mile down the road. He had bought the old Miller farm, and was fixing it up, and had plans on settling down and raising a family here.

Lunch time came, and the dinner bell was sounded. All gathered around and said a prayer of thanks for the food they were about to eat. It was much-needed sounds she was listening to. Laughter, kids running and playing. The food was hitting the spot too. There was ham, and cold chicken, potato salad, and cherry and apple pies for desserts.

Everything cleaned up, they each went back to their work, and before Sophie realized it the day had slipped by. One by one, each went home to their homes. The one left behind to leave last, was her neighbor, and she asked him if he would care to stay for supper.

He nodded with a yes, and went to the rain barrel to wash his face and hands. While Sophie prepared supper, he played with the kids. This became a common thing, to see this picture each evening. Comfort was being felt, and a new love was blossoming within these four walls.

The repairs had been done, and the house was dirt-free, and the seeds had been planted both inside and out, seeds of love of the land and each other.

What I Want And Who I Am

What I Want And Who I Am.

What Is Your Answer

My sore foot (Photo credit: CCNZ)

She rose to pain when she tried to stand up from her restful sleep. She looked at her foot but saw nothing. She rubbed the bottom of her foot and felt the pain. When she bent her toes, she could feel the bone on the bottom move, and that was where the pain radiated.

She wanted to climb back into bed. She didn’t want to be forced to walk on it, but she knew she had things that she needed to do. People were depending on her, and sickness and not feeling well were excluded for good reasons to pass the time away lying down.

She tried standing on it again, and realized she could move, but the pain  could be seen in her facial features with each step. Through out the day, people came in and out of her life, no one paying any attention to the limping woman.

Sally was a waitress, and a darn good one, but today, she wanted someone to wait on her. Sally had too much pride to bring up the topic of her pain to the customers, so she kept quiet. During her shift, she managed to do her job, but on her break she went to the back room of the building and sat on a box and pulled off her shoe and sock. The bottom of her foot was cherry red, and the burning felt like someone had lit a match to her foot.

Sally knew where she had gone wrong, but this was after the fact, and there was nothing to do now but wait for the pain to diminish. She had went shopping the evening before, and instead of wearing her shoes and socks, she wore flip-flops. Not enough support for diabetic feet, but she wanted her feet to be free. It was hot and humid, and she chose not to do the right thing.

Right after lunch, there was to be a woman who came into work to relieve her, but this didn’t happen, as her boss told her the woman had called off due to illness. Sally had to stay. She went into the bathroom and took her shoe and sock off again, and cried out to no one listening. She was telling the pain to please leave. She left it open to the air for a few minutes, then got herself back a presentable look and went back to work.

Finally, it was time to clock out. She had done it, she had finished her job. She punched out and walked the two blocks home. When she got home, family was in the yard swimming, and I could hear the kids laughing. They all seemed to be having a good time. Sally waved to them as she went inside her house. She ran herself a bath and soaked her tired and achy body. Her feet seemed to be telling her thank you as some of the pain left.

She had finished her bath, and put on her house robe and was sitting in her favorite recliner, when the grandchildren came running in the door, soaking wet, and started to sit down on the furniture. Sally told them to go back outside and dry off before coming in, and the kids listened, giving her more time to relax.

About a  half an hour went by and Sally had just dozed off, and the door flung open and they all entered. They were hungry, they wanted to know what was for supper. All plopped down in front of the TV and the discussion about food continued.

Sally told them about her sore foot and what a busy day she had at work, and that she wasn’t planning on having anything more than toast and coffee for herself for supper. This hint went over their heads. The talk continued, and eventually Sally knew she had to get up and prepare supper. As she stood up from her recliner, she mumbled under her breath, inconsiderate people, always thinking of themselves. The story ended seeing Sally limping out into the kitchen to yet prepare another meal.

 

What should have happened in this story?

1. Sally should have called off work?

2. Sally should have told the truth to the boss?

3. The family should have been considerate and cooked or ordered take-out?

4. Sally should have told the family off and sent them out the door?

5. Sally should have stayed in bed.

 

Which one of these answers would you choose, and explain why.

Alone, Outside

English: One of many garbage bags at a sports event. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before, I say anything, I just want to let you know that I am in a good mood. Although, having to go outside and pick up crap was not fun.

After getting up this morning,and realizing no one was going to be stopping by, I took my time drinking my coffee and enjoying my blogging friends. I even showed off one of my granddaughters earlier this morning.

The sun was hinting to me that it was warming up as the central air kicked on. I fought it very hard, but inside my heart, I knew I needed to get outside to clean the yard before I turned into a roasted marshmallow!

You realize this is the same thing we do with God also. We know what we need to do. It is right there in our mind and our heart, but we fight it and fight it. We either turn our backs on God and turn into a disappointment, or we listen to him and do what is right, and move in his work and word.

So, I get myself dressed in a one piece romper, terry cloth. I know I do not have the figure to wear it, but who is going to see me?, a passer-by, the squirrels, or maybe an old lady peeking out of her window? haha. I walk outside and I feel the heat. I have my flip-flops on. I know I should be wearing my shoes and socks, because I have diabetic Neuropathy, but gosh darn, it is hot, and my feet were begging me to be free. I felt the sun beat down on my delicate little fat toes, and I quickly moved to the shaded areas to start my job.

I believe this is the fourth clean-up job for me,although the other three were done together with other helping hands, so it is just me out here alone. I do what I tell others never to do. I work for a while, and then look at what is ahead of me yet. I do know that doing this makes me more tired than I was a moment ago. Never preach what you will not practice.

As I moved inch by inch, I was picking up nails, staples, little pieces of tar papers, and single pieces of shingles, and some of them were double shingles. I filled up three bags and a garbage can of trash. What made me a little irritated, wasn’t the fact I was cleaning up from the roof left overs, but I was picking up the guys junk also. Water bottles, bottle labels, cigarettes and food wrappers. Are you serious? I have to touch those dirty butts that someone else sucked on and had in their mouth? Cooties for sure! LOL. I know they deserved to smoke, and drink, and even eat, but something about touching those ciggy butts made me ill, and I smoke, so it must be a germ thing.

I had two small piles on the cement where the car sat, and I tried a couple of times to sweep them into the bag with my broom and a dust pan, but I could not keep the flimsy plastic trash bags open, and they are even Hefty ones, strong, powerful, made to do any job! Not!

I go inside where Al is sitting all nice and comfy in his recliner, in the cool air, and ask him if he can help me outside. He didn’t want to go, not so much because of the Parkinson’s, but he didn’t want to help, but he came out. I don’t know what was going on. Maybe it was the mental challenge, or the heat or the Parkinson’s or the idea he didn’t want to help, but it was a useless idea. He could not or would not hold the bag open for me, and when I tried putting the dust pan inside of the bag, it would only catch half and the other half went back to the ground. Now it is 91 degrees out here in the shade. I can’t do this. Diabetics, at least me, do not do well with our sugar management when we are over heated. I sent him back inside, and went to the natural scooper, my hands, and got all of the big stuff, then used the broom and dust pan for the final touches.

I put all the tools away, swept off the porch, ran the broom around the edges where there were millions of tiny pieces of sparkles and little beads from the old shingles. The edges of the house were coated so that the color of the house looked like black mold. After doing the sweep thing, all color came back. I picked up all extension cords, boom boxes, and walked all around the house with my little black bags. If a child would be a passenger in a car going by, he would wonder if I was Santa. My skin was turning red from the sun but I had a black goodie bag, instead of a red one!

After three hours, and a mild sun-burn so far, and a nice cool shower, and clean clothes, I have finished the project. Now I am going to post this and take a nap on my couch with the air running and a light weight blanket covering me with my own soft pillow. See you all later on, after Al wakes up from his nap!