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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of “A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush” (without using the actual phrase or literal example). (01/10/08)
“Can I play, Grandma?” John stood up from among the scattered toys and held out a toddler’s treasure: an aged ping-pong ball.
Several responses flashed through my mind as I gazed into those sky-blue eyes that could cloud over and turn stormy in an instant. Typical thoughts for me: “You’re not old enough. Let’s wait until you get bigger. Why don’t you help Grandma fix lunch?”
I surprised myself by saying, “Let’s do!”
“ I’ll have to get a chair for you to stand on,” I added, planning how we could make the ping-pong table toddler-accessible.
Instantly, little brother Nate popped up from playing with blocks and pleadingly asked if he too could play. So we got two chairs, and took no little time in choosing our paddles and deciding whether we should use the found ping-pong ball or a shiny new yellow one.
We decided to suspend the rules and concentrate on the basics. I served, they swung and missed; I ran around and picked up the ball. Occasionally, one of them would hit the ball, in which case I ran around and picked up the ball. We occupied ourselves in this way for about forty minutes, and I was amazed at how much fun I was having.
Our joyful clatter filtered up to my daughter-in-law, who was upstairs nursing the baby. “What are you doing?” she called down, her voice heavy with curiosity.
“Playing ping-pong!” I yelled back up.
She paused, and I could hear the question in her voice as she answered, “Okay!”
We were worn out by lunch time, and ready to snuggle down afterwards with a good book.
I decided later that it was a good thing I had not waited until they were teenagers to play ping-pong with them. By then, they may not have the patience to play with an old lady!
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Member Comments
Member
Date
James Clem
01/18/08
A great life lesson. It helps to add blank lines between paragraphs for readability. Fun story!
Yvonne Blake 
01/21/08
I like your title.
(smile) I could picture a grandmother playing pingpong with some toddlers.
It will help the reader to leave a space between paragraphs.
Good job...keep writing.
LINDA GERMAIN 
01/22/08
Good lesson here about not waiting until they're too old. You already know about the 'white space' thing, so I won't belabor the point. Nice story, and certainly on topic. :0)