Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Telephone (07/17/08)
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TITLE: Awaiting the Call | Previous Challenge Entry
By Karen Shell
07/23/08 -
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Lucy busied herself with housework that had been neglected the last few days. The washing, the ironing; they weren’t enough to keep her distracted. She picked up the telephone. Yes, it was working. She put it down and moved on to the next chore. When she went to make the beds in the spare room, she found an empty plate, with only a few cookie crumbs left from two nights ago. There were toys scattered over the floor that she usually kept displayed on top of the old toy box. She slowly picked them up, one by one, carefully touching each, then went back to work.
By the end of the day, the windows sparkled, the dishes were put away, the floors were still damp from the mopping. Lucy glanced at the telephone, still silent. She couldn’t help but wonder, was anything wrong, had they arrived safely?
The only thing left to be done is the vacuuming, she thought. At her age, she considered it a gift to be able to accomplish this much work in only two days, if at all. But the need to stay busy kept pushing her.
When she finished and put away the vacuum, Lucy checked her answering machine. Disappointment spread across her face as she realized there were no messages.
Lucy finally gave in to exhaustion, settling on her couch with a book that she had been meaning to read, but hadn’t found the time this summer. She began to doze when it happened. The phone rang. Lucy jumped up and answered.
“Hello?’
“Grandma,” both kids chimed together.
They each had stories to share and so much to tell. They were all three laughing by the end of the call. When the kids said good-bye, Lucy gently laid the phone down, her hand still touching the receiver. As a tear rolled down her cheek, she smiled, looked up, and whispered, “thank you.”
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