Crossing the Bridge
I woke up this morning with a sad face as this lockdown was getting a bit tedious, so I thought I would take a chance and go to the park for a bit of exorcise, I put on my coat and picked up my walking stick and headed out of the door.
As I got to the park it was good to see some trees and flowers again, since living in a terraced house there was not a lot of flora around, and it was nice to get out.
As I got to the bridge over the canal, I saw a magnet on the floor, so, picking it up, it seemed to pull me towards the other side of the bridge, and allowing it to lead the way I walked into a cloud of smoke
As I walked through the smoke and into a clearing I realised that I was in another country, Australia, I think, with kangaroos bounding around all over the place!
This was a big shock – I also noticed that I did not need the walking stick to help with my walking so I threw it away and just enjoyed the experience.
After a long period, it started to go dark, so I was thinking of getting back home. After looking at my watch I headed for the smoke cloud and ended up on the bridge again.
It was not long after that I had made my way back home – but I held on tight to my lucky magnet!
Ken Smith
Mixed Blessings
Eighty year old Sam has just finished his breakfast, and today is his birthday. He reached down to pat his dog. “Another year older,” he said. Sam always kept a dice on the table and he threw it each day to see what location he’d take on his daily walk.
Sam lost his wife several years ago and he’d never re-married. His drinking friends always asked him why he chose not to get hitched again. He would reply, “Bugger that! I would never be as lucky the second time around. I’ve no patience to try and get used to another woman in my home.”
Sam looked up at the clock on the wall and went to get his walking stick.
The black Labrador is eager for his walk. Thump, thump, sounded loudly as his tail hit the wall in the passage, and he barked excitedly as the door opened.
The pair headed for the park and across to the bridge. Sam is glad that the dice indicated this walk today. It had been a magnet to him and Winnie his wife in their years together. It had been their most favourite daily walk. Today was quite windy and the river current flowed swiftly and sounded loud. Sam looked over the side of the bridge and in the sunlight he saw shoals of tiny fish. Taking a deep breath, he muttered,
“Aye, Winnie, my love, spring’s in the air. I do so miss you and the way you loved our garden. You always planted so many flowers for the bees and insects.”
Sam spotted the first bumble bee of the season, and he watched as it disappeared into a daffodil. He stood looking at it for a while. It always fascinated him, how they filled the pouches in their legs.
His sad face disappeared and he began to laugh out loud. People watched him, wondering what had caused him to go into a fit of rapturous laughter. The bumble bee had overfilled his pockets with nectar and tried to become airborne and fell onto his back, and it lay there kicking its legs.
The Lab wagged his tail as he watched the spectacle. The dog is just so pleased to see and hear his master laugh.
Sam helped the bee to get right side up.
The dog has always felt the sadness from his master. But now this feels different.
They sauntered in the park much longer today. Sam threw a stick for Jay to chase. (Oh this is good!) The pet now felt that he belonged. The dog has always felt uneasy and confused, but this was a new sense, a good one.
They arrived home late. Sam put his walking stick up on the hanger.
A quick walk across to the front room, and Sam put his finger on a globe he’d bought for Winnie.
He spun it, and when the world finally stopped turning, he stood in amazement, as it has stopped right where he and his late wife had met years ago. “Yes, my love, I know that you’re still here and you were with me today on our walk.”
Sam’s spirit has lifted and he stooped to pat his best friend.
“We’ll go that walk again tomorrow, boy. Be great to check if the trees are budding yet. Then we’ll see how many varieties of fish we can spot.”
Sam then brought the blue ball out of the cupboard ready to throw for Jay tomorrow.
Josephine Smith
No comments:
Post a Comment