Granny
Copyright (c) 1995, Phyllis Smith
All Rights Reserved


                    Granny
                by Phyllis Smith


    Oh yes . . . Granny.  She sits in her chair, slowly rocking.
Rocking.  Rocking.  Her eyes betray her sadness as the loneliness creeps
in around her . She sits there all alone. Nobody comes to visit her
anymore.  She is old and forgotten.  Her hair has turned white with the
frost of many winters.  Her body will no longer do the things she tells
it to do; she yearns for the days of her youth when she was able to do
those things she loves.  A silent tear runs down her wrinkled cheek as
she remembers the great love she had shared with the one and only man in
her life. 

     She sits back in her chair, closing her eyes, allowing her mind to
carry her back in time to a happier time. 

     In her mind's eye, her white hair slowly begins to turn dark and
beautiful again; her wrinkled skin becomes smooth and lovely once more.
Her body no longer is racked with aches and pains.  She rises from her
chair and in wonder and awe walks out into the cool evening breeze.  She
closes her eyes and savors all the beauty of the early summer evening;
the birds chirping in the tree; a mosquito buzzing past her ear.  She
stands on her porch drinking in all the beauty of the evening.  She
looks off into the distance as she used to do while awaiting the arrival
of her true love. 

        As she watches and waits as she did all those many times before.
The anticipation builds higher and higher as she awaits his return. 
Forgotten are the days of pain and loneliness she had suffered through. 
Now she was young again.  It was as tho she had drank from a secret
fountain of youth. Oh yes . . . he would come to her.  He had promised
and he never lied to her. 

       In the distance she could see a figure approaching.  Even at this
distance, her heart began to pound with anticipation.  Was it him?  Had
he really come as he promised? 

       The figure slowly came nearer and nearer, until she could clearly
make out the form of the man coming towards her.  Her heart sank in her
breast as she seen him.  Yes, it was "him".  The one she loved more than
life itself.  But he was no more the Lover of her youth.  He was bent
over with age.  She could see the pain in his eyes as he struggled to
take each step.  His breathing was labored.  He was so old and frail. 

      He stopped, unable to walk any further.  He looked at her standing
there; so young, so beautiful.  His heart sank as he realized he was
dying.  She was so young, so alive.  He could feel the tears begin to
run down his cheeks and his body sagged in pain and despair.  His eyes
closed as he tried to fight the tears welling up from deep inside. 

      As he looked up at his love he saw that tears were falling from
her eyes too as she gently put her arms around him and pulled him close
to her.   Tears fell softly to the ground as their hearts cried out in
pain and anguish. 

      As their tears hit the ground brilliant colors begin to spiral up
from the ground and swirl all around them, turning into butterflies.  
Oh . . . they were so beautiful!  Red, orange, green, blue . . .  
Every color was represented as they flew around and around, above them,
around them . . . 

     Little sparks would radiate from their wings as they flew.  These
sparks would rush together until they formed a liquid nectar which then
coated the wings of one very large and gorgeous butterfly.  He slowly
reached out his hand and captured the butterfly in his hand.  He brought
it to his lips as it turned into a small goblet in his hand.  His trembling
fingers almost dropped the goblet but he managed to drink the precious
liquid inside.

     His body began to straighten; his hair regained it's original
youthful color as he felt life begin to flow through his veins once
more.  The butterflies of their youth had followed them to this new land
of love and beauty.  With love in his heart he slowly pulled her to him
once more.  In this land of Rainbows and Magical Butterflies they would
no more feel the pain of death.  Their love would live on forever and
ever. 

     Granny . . . how sad.  They say they found her body in her rocking
chair.  She died all alone.  Nobody there to help her walk through the
shadowy valley of death.  Nobody to hold her hand to give her strength
to face that ultimate demise.  They are still talking about the fact
that even though she died all alone, she had the smile of an angel on
her face.  And in her hair was one large beautiful butterfly. 

     Strange . . . these old people are just strange.