the cousins ran willy-nilly
around the
living room-kitchen-family room-foyer
circle
They shrieked and then laughed
shrieked and then laughed
Grant's little steps took him
just a smidgeon right of the loop and
he met the kitchen desk's
bossy corner
POW
I saw the head-on collision
yet I could barely focus in for a closer look
at my shocked little guy
quiet on the kitchen floor
The top point had bullied his eye brow
the bottom edge had pressed into his
supple cheek
two instant purplish signatures
and a growing goose-egg
YOOOOOOOWWWWW
he started crying after what seemed like an eternity
"Mommy, kiss it. Kiss it."
Today, at home,
the little rode the play firetruck
with reckless abandon
and when that grew old
he transitioned into
pushing the Fisher-Price school bus
like a cheetah chasing prey
He powered down the foyer hallway
(its wood floor is fast)
and then hung a right into the carpeted dining room
What he didn't plan for was the new roadblock
-- me --
kneeling beside the buffet
reading
BANG
He saw the head-on collision
this time before I did
the bus, my tender right knee
{an imagined YOOOOOOOWWWWWW, followed by a gasp}
"Grant, the bus hurt my knee. Can you tell Mommy 'sorry'?"
"Mommy, I kiss it. I make it all better. The bus make it better. See?"
{Be still, my heart.}
The power of a kiss...
Write on,
b
Post-script: Today marks the end of 2015's March Slice of Life Story Challenge...and while some stories have been big, and some stories have been silly, your comments have kissed their words and made them better. I appreciate the way you've invested in my writing life this month, dear Reader. From you I've learned, I've laughed, and I've grown. May we meet back on Tuesdays, maybe even Saturdays, but definitely every March. Until then...
The mirror episodes fit together like a hand and glove. You pluck the most perfect sequence of words out of the world and lay them side by side to create some of my most favorite writing. Today it was "pushing the Fisher-Price school bus like a cheetah chasing prey." Never in one hundred thousand years would I have ever considered school bus as a cheetah. You have a gift! Thank you for allowing me to read it every day in March and some Tuesdays too.
ReplyDeleteHe is learning compassion. Such a sweetie
ReplyDeleteYou had me from the first line: ran willy-nilly
ReplyDeletearound the
living room-kitchen-family room-foyer
circle
I have a "race track" in my childhood home that my own daughter and now niece run around and your specific details made me long for their company.
Thanks for sharing even just a slice of your life. It's been a pleasure.
Your word choice is so extraordinary because it takes me right into your story! "...he met the kitchen desk's bossy corner...", for example. You are a gifted storyteller and how lucky are we that you write on!
ReplyDeleteDear writer, I'm always happy when I see the familiar "b" on the blog roll. Please keep writing, your words always enchant me, and I love staying up with your life through the stories of your boys. Until next week!
ReplyDelete