THREE THINGS
I opened the door to Debbie, she was dripping wet. She had come to return
the scarf she'd borrowed;"Yuk! What a day, 'snow mixed with rain'."
"Yeah " I said, "and I stepped in a puddle of it!"
"Ma! There's ice under the water. people are slipping. Why did you
go out today, yesterday was a beautiful day for shopping."
"And miss the sunshine," I said, "uh,uh, I'm not going to spend a day like
that in stores and malls. I'd rather go out on an ugly day... so I went
early to Stop and Shop,"
Debbie shook her head, "I could've gone for you...what did you
need ... milk, eggs, bread...?"
"Well... not exactly..."
"And what did you do yesterday, sit on the patio, take a nice walk...?"
"Oh no, it was much too cold for that. But I sat on the couch near
the window and when the sun moved I moved with it to the kitchen
window and then as it was setting I sat at my bedroom window..."
"Ha" said Debbie, " like Cody. Remember how he'd lay on the carpet
wherever the spot of sunlight was and follow it all day from room
to room? "
We both laughed at the memory. "Y'know Ma, you always used to
say that you wanted to be Cody, that 'a dog's life was not so bad' "
"Woof, woof" I barked. I thought it was funny, she didn't laugh.
Her eyes were narrow with concern, " But really, you just sit there
wherever the sunlight hits...?"
"Well, I'm not just sitting there. I have a book with me, or my lap top...
y'know I'm new at it but I love it, the internet..e mails, and yes," I nodded,
"sometimes I do take a nap. But not on the rug!" I added.
Having the talent to read minds isn't always a good thing. I read hers
and sent a telepathic message back; 'My darling, I do not need to go to
rehab and I don't need therapy for my 'sunlight ' thing... which I do admit
has become a kind of 'addiction' with me this winter. But rehab is for
addiction that ruins people's lives ...hurts their loved ones... does mine?
"So,"Debbie broke into my thoughts,"what did you have to go out for in
this awful weather?"
I hesitated, and trying to sound casual, I said, " 'Good And Plenty"
Debbie gasped, "You went out for candy?! "
.
"It's not just candy, it's my Good and Plenty, and I was down to my last
one!" I heard the emotion in my own voice.
Debbie shook her head.."Neither sleet nor snow shall..." With that she took
her cell phone out of her bag and began pressing buttons.
"Who are you calling?' I asked.
"No one. Texting." She looked up briefly, "Have you spoken to Steve
about this?"
"Huh? Spoken to your brother ...about what?!"
"You know... the sunlight thing...the Good and Plenty thing...these
obsessions of yours..."
'Obsessions'. Hmm, is that better or worse than 'addictions'...?"It's
not a big deal Debbie, so I have a few things that I feel strongly about..."
"A few!" she interrupted, "What are the others...??""
I shook my head..."Well, just one other, crossword puzzles. I keep a
big supply..from newspapers, magazines, I can't run out of them!"
Again, there was that emotion in my voice that I couldn't help.
"Three things" I heard her mumble as she went back to her texting.
As soon as she was done my phone rang, It was Steve. "Hi Ma, I heard about
about your...uh, three things..I'm stopping by on my way home..we have some
ideas for you."
"Ideas...about what?"
"We'll tell you when I get there," he said.
While we waited for him Debbie and I had tea and cookies, with our usual
heated discussion about my using her tea bag for my cup also. She couldn't
stand it!
Debbie told me to turn on my computer so when Steve came they went straight
to it, and clicked on Google. Search; Crossword Puzzles. Up came a page
headed; 'Free Daily Crossword Puzzles.'
.
I cought my breath," I didn't know about this! Debbie, Steve."
"Ma, see what it says, you can work them on line, or you can print them
out, and look, it says 'Thousands of Puzzles, " You never have to go out
for them again." said Steve.
" ' In sleet or snow...'. like the postman..." said Debbie. " He has to!" You don't!"
Next she clicked on Google: Good And Plenty', and suddenly the screen was
filled with the images of the Pink and White candy. My heart beat faster just
seeing them. "Wow!" I shouted, jumped up and clapped my hands.
"And Ma, now that you're becoming '.hi tech' You can order these on
line too, they'll send them fresh every month."
"OMG! You'll show me how!"
"Okay, so the crossword puzzle problem is taken care of. The Good and Plenty
thing is taken care of, "But sorry Ma," they both laughed, "we can't do
anything about 'sunlight' for you!"
I got up and hugged them both close to me, and then I broke into song,
'You are my sunshine, My only sunshine, You make me happy, when skies
are grey...."
Steve turned red and looked uncomfortable, Debbie rolled her eyes,
(her second roll of the day). I knew how they hated it when I got mushy
with them so I tried not to do it too often. But today I didn't care so I
kept on serenading them,."You'll never know my dears, how much
I love you..."as they both edged over to the door and left.
THE END
No comments:
Post a Comment