Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Childhood (09/03/09)
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TITLE: The Kingdom of Prince | Previous Challenge Entry
By Dianne Janak
09/10/09 -
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But that is where this story begins. I loved my Dad, when he was sober. No one loved him drunk. When he was sober, he loved to give me stuff if I was cryin about anything. So I cried a lot and it got me all kinds of things. I guess it was his guilt, but hey, who cares, let him be guilty. He sure was no innocent.
Actually, this sounds cold. I was cold for a while until I got hot for livin, lovin, and learnin. My dog had died and I was sad and cryin a lot. My guilty Dad thought he’d try to fix my grief, so he bought me a parakeet and named him Prince. He didn’t even let me name a bird I didn’t want. Prince had a small cage, a few toys, and I was supposed to feed him, water him, and change the newspaper now and then. I just wanted my dog back.
Come on now. I may have been eight years old, but I knew no bird was gonna replace a dog that sits on my lap, licks my face, and protects me from mean people. So let’s say I was a spoiled sulkin little brat, if you are kind, and I didn’t like having a stupid bird. That is until…
One day as I was entering my room, my safe place away from Dad yellin at Mom, and Prince started to chatter-chirp. He was quiet until I entered the room, and then got all excited to see me. I mean that bird lit up, like he’d spotted a worm after fastin for a year. He’d scoot on his perch from one side to another lookin for me, and I mean it made me laugh. He seemed to live for my presence. That was weird, since in real life I felt invisible. Prince could see me, and it made him happy?
Another odd thing he would do, when I loosened up a bit, was tilt his little blue and white feathered head in my direction when I whistled or spoke human to him. Like he was listenin? Are you serious? I was just a kid, spoilt at that, and he seemed to WANT to hear me? No one does that. I swear that little bird was gettin to me. He was actin like I actually had somethin to say. In his world, I was important.
Then one day I goofed. Nothin new of course, but this was monumental. I forgot to close his cage properly. He got out and had free reign of the house, since no one was there that day. Except my cat Garfield, who always looked at Prince like he was hungry. I looked all over for my bird, scared to death, I’d lost him, and in walks Garfield with Prince sitting right on the top of his head. Chatter chirping away. A digital camera woulda been nice but this was the 50’s.
I’m sharin this for a reason. Don’t worry. I’m not gonna be one of those old ladies who has no point. I swore when I turned 60, I’d always have a point.
My bird had long been gone, when I discovered I had a Master. I knew something about Him already, because Prince had taught me about Him. I didn’t know it then, but I know it now. That’s how God is. Teachin even before we meet Him, so we recognize who He is.
When I enter His presence, He is beside Himself with glee as if I were the only one He meets. He always listens to me, even when I talk human and pitiful. He awaits my words and listens before responding. He reminds me I can follow His lead, and do as He says, and all will be well. Even my enemies will be my footstool if I’m focused. If I believe. My bird Prince is chirp-chatterin in bird heaven, but my Prince awaits me with a mansion.
Now I’m His princess.
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