Each week, a few of the Reston Friends play Wordzzle. A kind blogger who goes by Raven gives us words, and we do the rest! If you'd like to play along, go here for the instructions. If you'd like to play with the Reston Friends, send your submission to us here. If you'd like to play from your own blog, just participate and link to Raven's site through the Mr. Linky.
The words for this week's ten word challenge were:records, impulsive, really cool, bread crumbs, angels, Sponge Bob, magical moment, back and forth, suffering, good fences make good neighbors For the mini challenge: side effects are generally mild, clingy, rooster, samples, curiosity.
Kit and Charly have once again graced us with their creativity and the blogger adds another installment of the story of Dr. Hill and Laila.
Kit starts with the following comment:
I have to really give the dragons credit..it was all I could do to do 10 words and yet they manage the 15..duh..think I'll go back to my 5...have a great week..
It was a magical moment,
my impulsive - nature brought..
For I heard - the angels sing,
and, it was really cool - I thought..
Was my mind - playing tricks?,
or, did I hear - what I thought I heard..
The beauty of - celestial music.
came forth - without a spoken word.
But the impression - that I had,
was that man's - records of life..
Would often have moments - that,
flow back and forth - with joy and strife..
And, as ole Sponge Bob - might say,
there'll be suffering - once in a while..
Yet, you can grin - and bear it,
by giving the world - a smile.
For smiles are like - bread crumbs,
tossed - to birds upon the street..
They too, can be scattered - during your day,
to each person - you pass or greet..
And, like - good fences make good neighbors,
those smiles - coming from within,
Will still be seen lingering - as you sleep..
because you shared your joy - this day my friend.
Charly gives us another one straight from country upbringing:
The screen door slammed with a bang and breathless 5 year old Billy said, "that dang ROOSTER" almost got me. As his mother gave him a little squeeze, she reminded him that she had warned him that his CURIOSITY could land him in trouble. He wasn't suppose to be messing around the hen house. SIDE EFFECTS ARE GENERALLY MILD if you get pecked but it can make you become CLINGY to mom if it happens often. Billy explained that he was only wanting to collect SAMPLES of eggs to compare sizes. Dad sitting in his favorite chair, looked up from the book he was reading and smiled. Mom bent down and whispered in his ear. With a cocky little smile, Billy goes outside and standing on the porch, looks at the villain from afar and yells, 'just you wait' you old bird... You're gonna be gumbo tomorrow!!!
Blogger:
Dr. Hill was in a quandary. Laila’s IMPULSIVE decision to skip school had created more drama than he wanted to deal with. As a man who had been a boy impatient with formalized education, he was sympathetic to her frustration. But he was acting as her parent now and knew that even if she was SUFFERING boredom, she needed the RECORDS to show that she was in school. The little girl sat on a hassock in the living room, her tear-stained face a mask of misery.
Hill sat down on the sofa near her. “Laila,” he began softly. “I’m not angry at you for skipping school. I’m just grateful that your guardian ANGELS were watching over you as you went BACK AND FORTH between the Cajun cooking school and home each day. And you did learn some really great recipes. All that’s left of your paella from yesterday evening is BREAD CRUMBS! But you need to be in a school with children your own age.”
Laila fiercely pushed back her tears, gulped, and said, “they think things like Transformers and SPONGE BOB are REALLY COOL! They’re such . . . such . . . children!” she finished with indictment in her voice.
“Well, yes,” agreed Hill. “They are children. I know that much of what you have experienced has matured you, and you’re not the average child your age. But you are also a child. And as the person who loves you and takes care of you, I need to be able to go to the university to work and trust that you are in a safe place with people who will look out for you.”
The little girl just looked at him plaintively, tears welling up and spilling over. Hill stood up and walked over to the patio door. Like most Spanish residences, there was a wall around this one – high enough that no one could see in or out. If GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS, this should be the most neighborly city in Spain! He thought. But an 8 year old child was running around on her own and no one told me! His heart clutched at the thought of the many things that could have happened to her Laila. He suddenly felt very inadequate as a parent.
Turning to go back and continue the conversation Hill paused when he saw Laila, the phrase on his lips dying. She was looking at the small photo album that held images of her parents and her home in Iran. He could see her lips moving silently. He didn’t know if she was praying or having a conversation with them. The big man approached cautiously, not wanting to interrupt this MAGICAL MOMENT.
Laila looked up, put the album down, and held her arms up to him. Hill swept her up in a big embrace, wishing her could protect her from everything outside his arms. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’ll try harder to be a little girl.” “I’m sorry too,” he responded gruffly. “I won’t make you go back until next week, and we’ll spend the time together trying to find an alternative that works for both of us.” They snuggled together for a few minutes, enjoying the warmth of human contact.
The door buzzer rang surprising them both. Hill put Laila down and crossed the living room to the entry. As he opened the door his face broke into a big smile, slightly goofy, but very happy.
“Louisa!” shouted Laila, and launched across the room. “You got my telegram!”
Sure enough, Louisa stood there looking as bright and fresh as a daisy. “I’ve come to be a tutor to a little girl who needs one!” she announced.
Hill just stood there with his mouth open. He should have known that Laila would have the whole thing under control. She was a remarkable kid. But some part of him felt a little bit managed. Louisa saw that discomfort and gave him a blazing smile. He shrugged his shoulders, and borrowing a phrase from Laila said, “welcome! This is REALLY COOL!”
/kw
