Little chef makes pies,
Patiently sitting and stirs
-water, sticks, and rocks.
Cassie pours herself tea,
She painted the cup herself
-"papa, want some tea?"
Copyright 2008
Ricky and Melanie
By Edward S.Gault
Each morning I watched the way
Ricky’s mother brought him out to the bus.
She held his arm as he slowly
Descended the stairs, and walked in a sort of limp.
He wore a bike helmet in case he should fall.
He wore thick glasses and a hearing aid.
He couldn’t speak.
When they got him on the bus
He would sit by the window
Of the first seat with Melanie.
It was a long ride,
So the two had a lot of time
To get to know each other.
Through reading lips or hand gestures,
Melanie came to understand him.
Over the course of the year
She sat next to him, mastering his language
-discovering who he was.
One day his mother came out of the house
And down to the bus-alone.
She told the driver Ricky was in the hospital
For a little while.
From then on Melanie sat alone in the front seat
Looking out the window on the long ride
To and from school each day.
Until one morning his mother came out again,
Said something to the driver.
Melanie began to cry,
And we understood
That we would not be seeing Ricky again.
Copyright ©2007
One Single Impression: Childhood Memories
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9 comments:
A sad memory, but nicely told.
Ah, understatement, your sting is sharp. Well done, Edward.
Oh, how very sad, Edward. Ricky's brief stay on earth left quite an imprint.
Edward, the first are the kind of pleasant memories we all would like.
The second I liked so much. Melanie learned the lesson of life very soon, that life is fleeting and that a loss will be a grievous.
This was her first that we know with more to come. It makes me think of the loving lives who have left me as their survivor and now I experience aloneness in different ways.
To:
Von, my first dog
First grade friend and first love
Grandmother dear
First spouse (divorce)
My Mom
My Dad
Life goes on for us.
..
The haikus and sweet little moments - how creative/inventive we were as children. I think kids today would be that way too if they weren't bought everything first! Your long piece is very touching. Who knows what happiness the little bus friend added to Ricky's short difficult life. Angels come in all sizes!
Touching story. Nicely done post of memories...
Dear Edward--
Beautifully done.
The story of Ricky makes me remember all the times, as a child and adult, that I may have lost an opportunity to know the Other...
Thank you--
beautiful as always.... i use to make comet pies and when they dried hard we crash them up against the wall with laughter...
I never quite know where you will take me each week with your poetry. Ricky and Melanie is a winner.
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