Yellow Polka Dot

Theirs had been a love affair that started at a young age, when life was still simple and care free. It was the summer of 45. Their grandparents lived on the same block and it so happened that they both were visiting them for the summer. At first ten year old Sheri hesitated to follow her grandmother persistent encouragement to go and say hi to Johnny.

After a few days of summer boredom, she wandered over. More afraid of boys than interested in them, she knocked on the door. Johnny awkwardly opened the door, as he said "hey whatcha doing?"

"I was going to head over to the park on my bike and was wondering if you wanted to ride with me."

She thought from his slow response he was going to say no, but after much consideration he replied "Sure, let me tell my Grandma, and grab my bike."


The rest of the summer they were inseparable, minus a few mandatory family activities. Their friendship grew strong and the day of parting was sad. They exchanged addresses and went on their way, several thousand miles away, him California, her New York.

Many letters and years later, a letter came to Johnny from Sheri stating, "My train arrives at 3:34 PM in San Fransisco. I'll be wearing a Yellow Polka Dot dress. Just like the bikini I wore many years ago." Johnny smiled at the thought of the yellow bikini and the song that they made up that hot summer day.

As the train pulled into the station, he felt as antsy and anxious as he did that day he opened the front door to find her standing on the porch. The screeching of the brakes changed his thoughts to wonder if she really would step off the train. Would they finally see each other after 13 years?

The doors opened. There she stood, a vision of loveliness with her dark curly hair brushing her shoulders. She smiled. He smiled. She threw her bags to the ground, and youthfully ran to him. They embraced. And finally they shared in their first Love's kiss.

Squirrels

Friday night we spent our first official night as a homeless family. Grant it we were able to sleep the night in the Holiday Inn on Town Lake, but none the less we were homeless. We as a family slept cozy in two double beds. When the sun broke through the curtains opened by my son, it hit me. We will never live in that house again. We don't know where we will be living next, well minus the part that at least we know we will be in Hawaii for six months, yet that is surrounded by uncertainties that are enough to drive me batty. So I lay in the covers, feeling light from several burdens of house selling, cleaning and packing, but feeling at the same time heavy with the uncertainties of life.

Kids- amazing creatures they are- were ready to face the day, and mostly face the swimming pool 5 stories below, well after they finished their breakfast, because night sleeping in the hotel wouldn't be complete with out the breakfast, we braved the breakfast buffet, well I guess better yet the staff braved four kids throwing cups on the floor, spilling food all over and requesting many odd things.

Breakfast was done and instead of heading to the pool, I thought it would be a great idea to go for a walk around Town Lake, actually the new name for the lake is Lake Lady Bird, after the former first lady. Anyway so we head out on the trail, well run by health enthusiasts. Along the path, the kids pointed out many things, like the lake, or runners with dogs, yes the exciting little things in life. We even saw a tree that the trunk looked like a melted candle, it was rather cool and I wish I had a camera, cuz it was really cool.

Anyway as we were walking, no kidding, a little squirrel, walked along the rail and then stopped. He looked at me, then at Bethany and then over to Gregory. Then he hopped off the fence and just stood right at our feet. I guess he figured little kids equals crackers or snacks, sorry little squirrel I am not that prepared of a mom.

The rest of the way the kids kept talking about the squirrel that just came up to us. As well as they named him Theodore because he was kind of chubby, and we had to hunt for Alvin and Simon who were fairly easy to find.

Word Fun-A

Anxiously awaiting a word about appraisal.

Anxiety arrousing,

armpits perspiring,

adrenaliline ample,

ain't a way to anticipate life's angles.

the book

The book was thick and black and covered with dust. It had been years since she had taken it off the shelf where it had sat more as a decoration than education. What had prompted her to retreive it? It couldn't have been the urge for a light beach read, for this puppy was filled with 1000 pages.

She held the book in her hands, and bent down close to the cover and blew. Dust flew in the air as she coughed a little chocking on the recently released particles. With the palm of her hand she swept off the remaining filth to uncover the title, Possession. Cracking open the book, she took half of the pages in her right hand and thumbed through them as if looking for something particular. Fanning the pages with her thumb she landed on page 687. There in the crack was a little hand written note on a torn sheet of paper.

The writing was that of her dear mother who had passed away a few years earlier. The sight of the print brought fond memories and tears. She never recalled seeing the note before, though it was addressed to her. "To my dearest Diane, I am sorry for the way things have gone for you in your life. If I could change things I would. Know I love you and that I will always be there for you. Love, Mom PS Have fun tonight"

Chick Chick

"Here Chicky Chicky" called little Timmy. He had been standing out by the barn for an hour trying to get the hens to come his way so he could feed them some fresh corn kernels. How darling he looked in his denim overalls with the sun shining through his golden curls, standing in the dirt beckoning his feathered friends. Every once in a while they'd dare closer, but making eye contact with such a creature sent them running the other direction.

"Timmy, Timmy" called little Emily, sitting over on the porch swinging. She had been assigned by her mom to keep an eye on her little brother. She was enjoying the summer breeze while reading her latest novel, and keeping a watchful eye on her brother. It was not too difficult to read a few pages and then look up to see her little brother still squating by the barn calling to the chickens.

"Emily, Emily, where is Timmy?" called her mom from the kitchen. She looked up from her book, realizing she had just read a chapter, and little Timmy was gone. She hopped up from the swing with such force, it flung back and hit the house wall. "Sorry" she said aloud to no one at all.

"He is right over by the barn." she called back to her mom, really not knowing exactly where he had wandered off too. "He had been playing for the last hour, I guess he probably got bored, he couldn't have wandered too far " she told her self.

Running down the porch steps, through the grass, towards the barn she went. She found the hens nibbling on the corn, but didn't see little Tim. She stood on the dirt and gave the yard a 360 glance. Saying a little prayer in her mind, she looked around again. Then she noticed the hen house door closed. She walked towards it, pushed it open and there she saw him.

"Mom Mom come quick" she called. "Bring the camera."

The One that got away.

"If only today were a Federal Holiday then I wouldn't have to be out delivery bills and trash mail to these people" thought Dan as he drove down the ice packed freezing roads of Maine. He thought about how the people of this little town, will not even step outside this snowy, below zero day. Would they miss the mail if he went home? He could just turn down the road to his warm house, sit by the fire for a little while, as he thaws out. maybe he'd even read a book.

He was putting mail in the boxes just down the street from his house. Oh the temptation was killing him, as his wool gloved hands put the last of the mail in the boxes. No one would know if he took a break. He looked down at his watch. It read ten fifty. Justifiable lunch time? Yeah he thought so. Closing the last box, he took off with a grin.

Down the road he drove, slipping a little. Pulling into the driveway he noticed the smoke coming from his red brick chimney. Oh the thought of just sitting by the fire, warmed him from head to toe. He put the red truck into park, stepped out getting a firm grounding, then shut the door as fast and quiet as possible.

Crunching across the snow and ice, he headed quickly towards the front door. His family typically used the back kitchen door, so he thought he might be able to sneak passed his children and wife, allowing him a nice little break and a quiet little moment by the fire.

As soon as he opened the door, as if the flood gates had been lifted his children came scrambling from the family room to the front entry way and wrapped their arms around his legs, while screaming "daddy daddy, daddy is home." Maybe his little break wouldn't be a break after all.

Winter Scene

"If only today were a Federal Holiday then I wouldn't have to be out delivery bills and trash mail to these people" thought Dan as he drove down the ice packed freezing roads of Maine. He thought about how the people of this little town, will not even step outside this snowy, below zero day. Would they miss the mail if he went home? He could just turn down the road to his warm house, sit by the fire for a little while, as he thaws out. maybe he'd even read a book.

He was putting mail in the boxes just down the street from his house. Oh the temptation was killing him, as his wool gloved hands put the last of the mail in the boxes. No one would know if he took a break. He looked down at his watch. It read ten fifty. Justifiable lunch time? Yeah he thought so. Closing the last box, he took off with a grin.

Down the road he drove, slipping a little. Pulling into the driveway he noticed the smoke coming from his red brick chimney. Oh the thought of just sitting by the fire, warmed him from head to toe. He put the red truck into park, stepped out getting a firm grounding, then shut the door as fast and quiet as possible.

Crunching across the snow and ice, he headed quickly towards the front door. His family typically used the back kitchen door, so he thought he might be able to sneak passed his children and wife, allowing him a nice little break and a quiet little moment by the fire.

As soon as he opened the door, as if the flood gates had been lifted his children came scrambling from the family room to the front entry way and wrapped their arms around his legs, while screaming "daddy daddy, daddy is home." Maybe his little break wouldn't be a break after all.

Paper Clip

Frantically Jill pulled open each an every drawer, moving around papers and pens and pencils, trying so hard to find a paper clip. Her final paper was do, she was out of staples and had to find something to hold her report together. With five minutes until her class, she had no time to run to the book store. Why hadn't she cleaned out her desk last night? More importantly why did she wait until twenty minutes before class to print up her project? What was she thinking. She didn't like to be late.

Prompted by a quiet voice in her head, the one she usually ignored, she lifted up the unused organizer to find a paper clip stuck in the edge of the drawer. She quickly fastened her 50 page print out, grabbed her back pack and headed out the door. After the door slammed shut and locked on her, she realized she didn't have her car keys. Man, this day sucks she thought to her self.

With her running shoes on, she hoisted the back pack on and took off running. Huffing and puffing her whole way up the hill to school, she thought about how she should have picked an apartment closer. Noticing the filled parking spots, she thought it ended up being a good thing she was running. Making a mental note to do a few more minutes on the treadmill this week at a little faster pace to help her get to school on time.

The campus was fairly empty, meaning only one thing, classes had started. When the McKay Building was insight she took her pace from a run to a fast walk so to catch her breathe and wipe the sweat off her brow. Even though it was only 50 outside, the quick race to school left her pretty drenched.

She entered the building, ran up two flights of stairs, and into her classroom. "Please pass your papers to the left and then forward" said the professor.

Jill found her seat and reached down into her back pack to pull out her paper, that she had shoved in on her way out. As she pulled it out, the paper clip popped off, flying into the air and landing who knows where. All the while the papers fanned out and spread their way onto the floor. As fast as the papers fell, her cheeks reddened. She bent over to gather her papers, while doing so she passed gas. And we aren't talking the silent and deadly, we are talking the loud and proud. If the other students hadn't been staring at her already, they were now.

She kept her head down, slowing down her gathering process, to avoid eye contact and any further embarrassment. Under the seat in front of her, her paper clip rested. She tempted to reach and bend further, only to have the chair slip out from under her, landing her smack on the floor, head under the chair in front of her and feet stretched out behind her, surrounded by her papers.

At this point the professor stopped talking and all eyes were on her. She didn't know what else to do. Proudly she picked up the paper clip, organized the papers, attached the clip, stood and took a bow.