STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

June 22, 2005  

This second day of summer and it is beautiful here today in Montreal. 

Remember I have a call out for Canada Stories we celebrate confederation on July lst. We will be 138 years old.    

Now on to the good stuff..........

Animal awareness series endorsed by Shiloh and Hank our mascots; all stories must receive their approval.

Aimee the Bird Dog

Bob Shaw

    Aimee the Shih Tzu and Baby the Cockatoo are slowly becoming friends. At least they??™re starting to come to an understanding. Baby was wanting a little attention, and started hollering ???AIMEE!??? Aimee snapped her head around and trotted into the living room and sat down next to her cage, and stared up at her. Then she said Aimee??¦c??™mere. Aimee barked like she was saying What? I??™m right here. Then more Aimee??™s, more c??™meres??™, and more barking. Then Baby started barking. The two sounded like they were arguing. I don??™t know what they were saying??¦I??™m not sure I want to. It??™s like living in a Circus.

    Tonight, Baby got out of her cage and Aimee started barking. I guess Baby figured she was tattling. She was standing on top of her cage giving Aimee a dirty look, like she was saying ???bucket mouth???. She??™s not real happy with the outcome. Now she has two locks on her front door to try to pick. She probably will, sooner or later.

    We went on a trip this weekend and Aimee got to meet her Grandparents. Mom looked at her black and white markings and said she looked like a little skunk. I said well, she is a little stinker. Mom??™s Cocker Spaniel didn??™t take to her very well. First thing off, Cindy stole Aimee??™s little squeaky toy. She didn??™t have much to say about it, but when she took Aimee??™s doggie biscuit, she gave her a yip and a dirty look, like she was saying ???My Daddy??™ll whup your butt!??? She got another one and everything was alright.

    Cindy walked around the rest of the day with her squeaky toy in her mouth. I didn??™t have the heart to take it away from her. It was almost love at first site. Yeah, back to Wal Mart for another squeaky Hedge Hog. I don??™t think Aimee really knew the difference. Every time we go to the store, Aimee dives into the bags looking for a new toy. She usually finds one??¦or two or so. I told Mom I just hoped Cindy didn??™t start playing with that thing at Midnight. They??™d be ready to shoot me and her too.

    We plan on taking Aimee back out to Scopus for a visit, Aimee??™s home town. It??™s just a little bitty place. Everyone always asks about the mean little ankle bitter, and Laina and Vernadine keep her pictures by the register. I told Ronni to be sure to take the hand vac and the dust mop. She??™s all over the vacuum, fighting with it, and loves hanging on to the dust mop, and flinging all over the floor with it. Ronni showed me what she does, and asked me, ???NOW do you see why I??™m worn out from dusting???? Yep, she??™s a little mess.

Written by Bob Shaw

CapeRabbit@semo.net

Today's Queue Stories
~**~**~**~

Handicaps

Bill Walker

wildbill6807@yahoo.com

I think we all are born with a handicap. Me I think,
mine is a brick short of a load. Dollie is going to
say that is nor proper English. Well that is my
handicap maybe. I hated English and spelling in
school. I have to keep a good grip on Mr.Webster.

Other evening I took a look at a beauty of a young
girl. Now I have never talked to this beauty Princess.
But she is really a doll. I have seen her a few times.
I first thought she was just setting with one arm
pulled up her jacket sleeve.  Then one time it came to
me she was missing a part of one hand. I was
thinking maybe she had an accident of some kind. That
happens.

Last nite I seen her. She always seems to be having so
much fun, and I think she has a boy friend; lucky boy
friend.

Now as maybe you know I like to watch people. This
young thing is something to watch. She has no handicap
in her mind. you see I had to ask a lady who knows
her. The lady told that the girl was born this way. I
said something about the fact she was such a beauty.
So happy. Always with a giggle and a smile. The lady
said yes. And went on to say. "She was a beauty inside
too, had no bitterness about her problem. It was not a
problem at all."

I worked with a fellow on the ambulance for a while who had

such a handicap,  Beat me as to how he did
it, but he did have a hand with one arm was shorter than the other. And
it was plain to me he did not have a lot of strength
in that arm. But he made up for it by other means.
Guess he leaned to over come his handicap if it was
one; maybe like I learned to keep Mr.Webster handy for
my handicap.

And some times I like to mis spell a word to see how
many find it.. Maybe that makes the day for them.
Right Dollie?  Also put in lots of Buts, Ands, and a
few of them other jokers. Really not much of a
handicap for me. Oh I had to look up the right
spelling for handicap. I thought maybe it was spelled
handycap. Mr.Web said other wise.

Well I??™m a story teller, not a writer. Never learned the art of fancy English. I

happen to live in Nebraska, but I??™m still Missouri. Never married, all the Dollies I

ever took a second look at was too smart. Now at 74, just turned that other day, I

figure they all home safe. I love Doggies and Dollies in that order. Lost my two

true friends this year, that be Tinker and Poo. So I found me a new one. This

time a little girlie Peke. She is a normal female. Got a mouth, talks all the time.

She will never be a great writers of stories like Tinker and Poo. They have

about 50 stories on HWS. And now writing back from Rainbow Bridge.

I just try to write about people, places and things best I remember. Have something

over 250 stories on HWS. under three names.   

 ~**~**~

Granddad??™s Magic Pebbles

?© 2004 by Trish MacQueen - Rating: G

It was early when I woke Saturday morning and lay listening to the sound of the rickety old rocking chair creaking eerily across the front porch.  This could only mean one thing??¦that granddad was already up and out having his cup of morning coffee, while he watched the squirrels scurrying about.  Granddad had done this everyday, since the day after grandma died.

After dressing and rushing down to the kitchen to eat, I went outside and joined granddad on the veranda, but he had fallen asleep, so I took grandma??™s old shawl, which now hung over the back of the chair each day, and gently laid it over his lap.  I had watched him for a long time and I knew that the only thing that helped him sleep was this piece of soft wool grandma had knit for herself years ago.  After tucking in the corners, so it would not caught under the treads on the rocker, I wandered off the porch and down the path into the back yard.

As I wandered, I kicked the ground with my shoe.  It was a boring type day and I was in a rather sad mood as well.  It was one year ago this very day that my grandma had died and the thought brought slow tears to my eyes.  Unable to see any longer through the swimming water, I sat down on a huge rock that lined the back flowerbed between our home and the ravine below it.  This was a spot I walk to every time that I missed my grandma, as it had been her favourite place to sit and rest after helping out in the large vegetable garden, which everyone in my family shared, including my granddad and grandma, plus my aunt and uncle.  Lately though, it seemed as if nobody cared about the garden and it was slowly becoming overrun with tangling cling vine and weeds.  It made me sad to see grandma??™s special spot being neglected this way, but I supposed it was because it hurt everyone so much to come out here now.

Resigning myself to the fact that it was destine to ruin if someone didn??™t do something, I opened the small white picket gate and walked into the garden.  It hurt a lot at first, but as I walked further in, I felt grandma close by and I wanted to work to make her place, the place she remembered.

After quickly scooting out of the garden to the shed to grab some tools, I returned and began to work away.  I started by hoeing up the areas that needed the least work, figuring that at least it would make it look better, a little quicker.  As I worked, I pulled what seemed like miles and miles of cling vine, until my hands were beginning to ache from all the strain, but I kept pulling, determined to remove it all, before stopping for a break.

The sun over my head was beginning to beat down fiercely, when I finally decided it was time to stop and have a little break.  I sat back on my haunches and wiped my hand over my sweating brow, before slowly rising to my feet.  This was back breaking work and it hurt with each movement, until I was once again erect.  As I turned towards the gate, I saw granddad sitting in a lawn chair just the other side with what appeared to be a fresh picture of lemonade, and I was so thankful. 

After drinking what seemed like gallons of the refreshing liquid, I reached in my pocket and retrieved a small handful of colourful stones, which I had found wrapped in cloth and buried in a spot along the far fence line of the veggie garden.  I was sitting there examining them when granddad asked, ???What have you got there, pumpkin????

Pumpkin had been my granddad??™s special name for me, since I was a small girl, and I smiled.  Although my real name was Alexa, my family rarely used it, preferring instead to call me granddad??™s pet name, Pumpkin.  I smiled and held out my open palm to show him, before saying simply, ???I found these on the far wall of the garden, wrapped in a small piece of material, where grandma always sat.  They were in a small hole that I pulled a funny looking weed from.  When I unwrapped them, they seem so nice and shiny I just thought I would keep them.???

Granddad??™s eyes swelled with tears and I was sorry I mentioned grandma, but then suddenly he dried his tears with the back of his sleeve and said excitedly, ???Pumpkin, I do believe you have found grandma??™s magic pebbles.  I knew she had buried them out here somewhere for the right person to find, and I guess that right person must be you??¦???

Grinning, knowing grandpa liked nothing better than to tease us children with silly legends and stories, I just looked at him and then replied, ???Yeah sure granddad.  Here you go again telling one of your fancy stories about the good old days.  This one is probably going to sound like Jack and the Beanstalk??¦.well surprise gramps, they already told us that one in school.???

My granddad looked so taken aback, and hurt, that I instantly felt bad and looked down at my shoes, which were swinging nervously in the air, while I waited for granddad to say something to me.  Finally he did, ???Okidoki girlie, since you seem to know everything, don??™t let it be said I didn??™t try to tell you about grandma??™s magic pebbles??¦.I will just wait until one of your cousins comes over and tell them about it instead.???

I thought about it for a moment and realized I didn??™t want to share grandma??™s pebbles, magic or not, with my cousins, so I piped up in panic and squealed, ???No granddad, I am sorry if I hurt your feelings.  I do so truly want to know about grandma??™s pebbles.???

I could almost see the smirk on granddad??™s face, but it was gone so quickly that I could not be positive, and I was afraid to question him about it, so I just let it pass and listened to granddad as he began to recite this story to me??¦

???It was the summer of 1958 when your grandmother and I married on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, after running away from our families, who severely disapproved of our wedding, saying we were too young.  Your grandmother was expecting your father at the time we married, but it didn??™t matter that she was with child, as we had loved each other since we were in the lower grades in school.  The day we arrived at the boardwalk it was a bustle of activity with several vendors and people proclaiming to know magic spells that could bring one great wealth.  Well, your grandmother loved this type of stuff and after our wedding ceremony insisted that, we make our way along the boardwalk to see all the different things, so we did.  Your grandmother and I had never seen people like the people we saw that day, in their brightly coloured clothing and carrying around funny looking pieces of equipment that supposedly could predict the future.  Your grandmother was instantly captivated and figuring there was no harm in her having a little fun, I gave her the little bit of money we had to our name, and told her to buy whatever she wanted.  We walked almost the whole boardwalk before she made up her mind.  Your grandmother was not a woman to squander anything, so she had taken her time and considered each thing that she saw.  It was when we were almost back to our car that your grandmother stopped beside a ???magic pebble??? vendor and purchased six small specific rocks.  The vendor told her that the ones she had picked, if kept together and planted correctly in a garden would shower her with wealth beyond her wildest dreams.  Your grandmother and I had laughed at this outrageous story, but from that day until the day she died, your grandmother insisted that her magic pebbles be kept wrapped and buried in our garden, by her favourite spot.  In fact, I had forgotten all about them until this very moment??¦??? stated granddad softly as his voice trailed away and he seemed to drift for a bit.  Suddenly, he asked, ???Why don??™t you plant them??¦your grandmother would like that and then you can see for yourself, if the magic pebbles actually are magic or just a story.  That was something your grandmother never had the heart to do, but then to her they were more precious as a wedding gift, kept the way she had bought them??¦???

Looking at granddad, I answered, ???But what if grandmother would rather I didn??™t plant her precious pebbles??¦ I think I should give them back to you and you can look after them??¦is that okay, granddad????

Taking the pebbles from my open hand, granddad rose from his chair and entered the garden gate, something he had not done now for months, and I followed him.  When he reached grandmother??™s favourite spot, he knelt down and began to push back some dirt with his hands, before placing all six pebbles in the hole, and watering them like you would a flower seed.  I was sure his actions were just for show, but just in case I said nothing.  Then granddad covered the pebbles with garden soil and took his old pipe, which he had not smoked for years, from his pocket and planted the mouthpiece in the ground over the planting.

Satisfied with his efforts, he sat back before standing and said, in a matter of fact tone of voice, ???Now, we shall wait and see what happens with your grandmother??™s magic pebbles.???

I nodded and we both walked back, arm and arm, to the house to have some lunch, which my mother had prepared for us, before leaving for work earlier that morning.  As granddad and I munched away on our sandwiches, I could not help wonder how very disappointed granddad was going to be when those silly pebbles did nothing, but sit in the ground where he had planted them.  Unlike the other grandchildren, I was the eldest and rarely believed any of granddad??™s stories anymore. 

For the few weeks, granddad and I worked at restoring grandmother??™s garden and watching to see if her magic pebbles amounted to anything.  Granddad had not been this alive in months and I enjoyed each moment spent in his company, yet he seemed concerned that nothing was sprouting from grandmother??™s magic pebbles.  I was beginning to believe he needed something to happen to show him grandmother was still with him, and set out to put my plan into action.

After school, the next day, I stopped down at the local florists and bought a small group of daffodil bulbs, grandmother??™s favourite flower, and snuck them up to the my room when I arrived home, before going out to join granddad in the garden.  He was spending more and more time in the garden these days and I wanted him to be happy, so I spent more time there too.  Today, granddad seemed particularly sad, as he sat staring at the old pipe that poked out of the ground.  Nothing was even sprouting around it.

???Granddad, are you sure that old gypsy person said they were magic,??? I kidded granddad to get him out of his sad mood, but today nothing seemed to be able to do that, so I finally gave up and said I had to go in and do my homework.  Now, that at least caused granddad to look at me sceptically, but he said nothing and I left.

Later that night, when everyone had long been in bed and asleep, I took the daffodil bulbs, slipped out to the garden, and planned to plant them in place of the magic pebbles.  The moon on this night was so bright; I had to stop and peer up at it.  It was a full moon, not unusual really, but it had a pinkish tinge to it, which was indeed unusual.  Making my way across the garden to grandmother??™s spot, I stopped dead and stared unbelievingly.  There was a flower blooming before my eyes.  The largest bearded Iris I had seen in my life, and I was stunned.

Dumping the daffodils into the planting shed, I raced to the house and roused granddad, ???Granddad, come on.  You have to see this??¦granddad, get up??¦it has happened.???

Finally, granddad got up, pulled on his housecoat and followed me out to the garden, mutter, ???Silly darn youngsters...pull an old man from his bed at the wee hours of the morning.  This had better be good, Pumpkin??¦???

Beside the pipe granddad stopped and stared, and then tears streamed down his face, as he reached down and stroked the flower head saying, ???Awe, the lovely bearded Iris, always your grandmother??™s very favourite flowers.???

???But, I thought Daffodils were her favourite flowers, granddad??¦??? I stammered, surprised, as I spoke.

???No, pumpkin??¦Irises were always her favourite, but they were the most expensive and your grandmother knew you grandchildren would have to save almost a month??™s allowance to buy her just one, so she always told you that Daffodils were her favourites,??? answered granddad simply, still admiring the beautiful flower in front of him.  Then, almost under his breath, granddad said, ???Now, it feels like home again??¦grandma is here with us where she belongs.???

It was not until years later, long after granddad had gone to join grandma, that I learned my mother had been responsible for planting the beautiful Iris, which still blooms today in our garden, after overhearing granddad telling me another of his tales through the open kitchen window that morning, while she was preparing our lunch.