Saturday, April 1, 2017

Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore #AtoZChallenge

Blogging from A to Z Challenge
April 2017
This month I will be participating in the “Blogging from A-Z Challenge” 
What is it?
Blogging every day.  It starts on April First with a topic themed on something beginning with the letter A, then every day in April, (with the exception of Sundays)  another topic continuing through the alphabet ending with, of course the letter Z.
I really don’t have a theme.  Some will be fiction.   Mostly whatever strikes my fancy. 



Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore

Alice stood motionless at the now bare window.  Puzzled, she wondered why the curtains were not on the window.    That’s right, she remembered now.  It was spring cleaning time.  She always hand washed her kitchen curtains. They must be soaking in the tub, she thought.
She remembered how she had walked up and down aisles of bolts of cotton and linen, stopping now and then to pull one out.   She must have walked around the fabric store for thirty minutes.   She covered her mouth and giggled.
“No, Alice, it was more like 4 hours.”
David Sr. would always correct her whenever she would tell the story of the curtains.  

She knew exactly what she had been looking for, though.  Crisp white linen with bunches of cherries all over.
“I’ll take seven yards, please,” she told the lady behind the cutting table.
Hypnotized by the back and forth movement of the rusty blue bird feeder as it moved in time with the light breeze of new spring, she quietly watched, hoping for a glimpse of twittering red feathers hoping between the tree branches.  Her mouth curled into a weak smile as she recalled the rush of excitement she would feel whenever she was lucky enough to spot the cardinal among the brooding fingers of mossy green pine needles.
“Mom?  Mom.  Mom!”
Startled, Alice turned towards the voice which had broken her out of her reverie.
“Do you remember where I put the bird seed?”  she asked.
Sadly, David shook his head and gently put his arm around his mothers frail shoulders, leading her towards the door.
“Mom, come on now it’s time to go.”

21 comments:

  1. Corresponds I think a bit with A for Alzheimer's too. Looking forward to reading your A/Z this year as I can :) Good luck with it!

    betty

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    1. Thanks!
      Yes, you are right, Betty, perhaps Alzheimer’s. Or maybe just a little senior moment :)

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  2. Awww. I'm Alice. Poor Alice. Her inner world and her outer world don't connect very well. I want to hug her.

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  3. A great start to what will almost certainly be an intresting month on your site. See you Monday!

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  4. This reminds me of my own sweet mother ... how I wish I'd recognized the 'signs' earlier.

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  5. I enjoyed your short story. All the best with the rest of the challenge. :)

    Ros at Fangirl Stitches

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  6. I was wondering if it was no longer her home. Apparently not. (Just remembered the title.)

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  7. It is so hard for anyone to leave a house that has so many happy memories - I so felt for Alice and wondered where she was going next? I hope it is to somewhere she will grow to love and be well cared for as she gets older. So glad you are taking part again in this year's challenge :) Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

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    1. Hi, nice to “see” you. It is probably one of the hardest thing a person might have to face.

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  8. Good to read this short story! I am not participating this year! Just too many things going on right now. I will joyfully follow along with you!

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    1. I am going to hang in there for as long as possible. Thanks for following along.

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  9. I've always wondered where the imagination came from for those writers who lived such a sheltered life. Especially before TV and the Internet! Loved the picture

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