Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Charade (08/14/08)
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TITLE: A Simple Game of Charades | Previous Challenge Entry
By Mildred Sheldon
08/21/08 -
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Maggie needed a break from her usual routine and she looked forward to an evening spent with her first-born. Frank Jr. had followed in his fathers footsteps and he had taken over when his dad retired after 45 years of preaching the gospel. Frank Jr. loved the old country church and everybody knew and loved Frank Jr. and his family. They had all grown up together in that small community and each family was more like brothers and sisters then neighbors.
Maggie lovingly looked over at her husband who was staring out the big window with a blank look upon his face. The car accident Frank Sr. had been in did a great deal of damage to his brain. The doctors had told the family that it was possible for Frank to recover completely but only time would tell. Oh how it pained Maggie to watch her precious husband. True he could walk but the blank expression tore at Maggie’s heart. If only he could speak. If only he said her name. That is one thing Maggie missed most of all.
That evening Frank Jr. and all of his friends sat in the big family room enjoying such camaraderie. Of course, Frank Sr. sat in his big easy chair staring out into space with a blank look upon his face. Oh, how it pained all of the people sitting in his big family room. They all prayed for his healing and it seemed as if he would never return to his once vibrant joyous self.
Time came for the game of charades to begin. Frank Jr. went first. He chose a book and began acting out all the clues. The title of the book had four words. Everybody sat intently following every clue. Finally, Frank’s wife yelled out “He Still Moves Stones.” Frank Jr. said to Suzy his beloved wife oh you know me so well. Everybody laughed and Suzy took over. She chose a song title and the fun began. She was all set to stump everybody but Maggie looked at her daughter-in-law and quietly said, “Rock of Ages.” Suzy laughed and said Maggie’s mind was still as sharp as a tack. At that, the room exploded with laughter. Maggie gracefully rose from her big chair and went to the center of the room.
Maggie gazed out into space trying to come up with something that these young people would not be able to guess. She lovingly glanced at her husband and a big smile came across her face. She would do a movie that her and Frank enjoyed immensely so long ago. She acted out the movie and the fun began. She told them how many words were in the title and began her pantomime. Every eye was upon Maggie and she was truly enjoying herself. She had them stumped and if she could only make it until the timer sounded, she would be the winner. All of a sudden, Frank Sr. yelled at the top of his lungs “The Bridge on the River Kwai.” The silence was so profound you could feel the stillness. Everybody looked at Frank Sr. in utter amazement. Maggie almost fainted and the joy in that big room was explosive. Everybody whooped and hollered praising God for what seemed to be a miracle.
Yes, it had been nearly a year since the accident but Maggie had never wavered in her faith. She had believed the doctors when they said Frank could possibly recover completely. Who would have guessed a simple game of charades would unlock Franks mind. When the room returned to some semblance of normalcy, Maggie looked at her precious husband and quoted one of her favorite verses Matthew 19:26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
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A few edits in punctuation--especially commas and apostrophes--might help this out a bit.
It was great to read about this affectionate family.