So, the next day as Grandma was walking home from taking Rosebush to Grace's birthday party she noticed Mrs. Gymson planting a new little oak tree in her front yard. Mrs Gymson (the kids all called her 'Grumpy Old Mrs. Gymson' because, well, because she WAS usually grumpy and she was DEFINITELY old. Sometimes Lily and Danny, and even Rosebush said they were afraid of her. Once Danny called her a witch, but it got him is BIG trouble with Mommy and Daddy and Danny had to come RIGHT HOME from school for a WEEK without stopping at the playground!) A long, long time ago the Gymson fram covered this whole neighborhood. Where Grace's house now is, was the fruit orchard. There's still an old, gnarled peach tree back against Grace's fence. Lily, Danny, and Rosebush's house AND garage are build right where the barn had been. And the house between Grace's and Mrs. Gymson's had been a very large garden. The Gymson's raised sheep, but also had chickens. They say that, in those days, vegetables from that garden, and eggs from those chickens, earned almost enough money to feed the sheep all winter. The chicken house was still there, at the very way back edge of Mrs. Gymson's yard. There are no chickens, now, though. Mommy and Daddy sometimes talk about how hard it must have been for Mrs. Gymson to sell, first the sheep, then all that land. They think that's why Mrs. Gymson, even as old as she is, still works so hard in her yard. She is ALL WAYS planting something, usually trees or flowers.
Grandma was in no hurry so she decided to stop and say hello. "Good morning, Mrs Gymson!" Grandma called, waving as she walked up the stone path leading to the house. "umgh," came the reply, "at least it's good enough to get this tree in the earth," "Your yard is lovely," Grandma said, looking around. "Can I give you a hand with that?" "humph. Here. You hold her straight while I fill in the hole." As Grandma held the little tree, trying to keep it straight, she look around. "What's that bush, over there?" "Can't see what you're talking about," grumbled Mrs. Gymson, her face near the ground as she patted and scooped and patted loose earth around the roots of the tree. When she was finished, she stood up with MUCH difficulty, brushed her hands off on her jeans and said, "which bush?" "That one, the big, dark green one, back there." "Oh that," scowled Mrs. Gymson, "that one's a Box Elder. It's an old one. Was here when we cleared the place for the sheep. It never did too good back then. The sheep ate off all the leaves they could reach. Never could figure out why it even stayed alive. Been doing great since we sold off." They were quiet for a moment, looking at the Box Elder when Mrs. Gymson said, "Guess there's things in life you just can't figure." "I guess so, said Grandma.
Later that evening Grandma couldn't get Mrs. Gymson and her Box Elder bush out of her mind. How OLD that bush was ! How old Mrs. Gymson was ! Let's see, thought Grandma, Ellen (that's Rosebush's mom) and Steve (Rosebush's dad,) bought this house........when?.......maybe 10 years or so ago.........and they got it from the Henderson's who moved to town (yes! I remember!) in about 1982 or 1983 to start our library. Mrs. Gymson sold the sheep after Mr. Gymson was disabled in that horrible tractor accident, Then, I think, they just started selling off the place as they needed money to pay his medical expenses. Then, when he died Mrs Gymson sold everything except what she has now, her home, that old chicken house, and the yard. She did keep a nice piece of yard, maby an acre? Acre and a 1/2? Something like that, lots of room to plant her trees and flowers ! "Ah, well," thought Grandma as she got ready for bed, "I should visit her more. Maybe take her some soup. She is so very alone..........." and then Grandma was asleep.
Grandma saw Rosebush riding a horse, her chestnut brown hair flying loose behind her, was almost the same color as the horse itself. They were galloping through a field of flowers, with birds twittering in the trees, and butterflies landing on Rosebush's shoulder, even as she rode. Rosebush rode past an old peach tree, and without even slowing the horse, reached out a plucked a juice, ripe peach from the tree. Grandma felt so happy that she laughed out loud, and that laugh is what woke Grandma up!
She turned over and pulled the covers up around her shoulders. It was too early to get up. She lay there, remembering her dream and half awake and half sleeping got an idea.
1 comment:
we're gobbling up these stories
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