Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Entry #48

Movies on the Wall
by L.I. Brarian


The photograph faded after many years of hanging in just the wrong spot in Grandma’s living room, but when Barbie gripped the frame to lift it from the hook, the trees reclaimed their definition and the sunbeam broke through the leafy canopy as brightly as it had the day the photo was captured. “This is wrong”, Barbie sighed, “it belongs here”. Her eyes drifted around the room, outlines of old furniture newly removed scarring the floor, vestiges of Grandma slowly being swept out the front door.

The television had rarely been watched in this bungalow. Grandma watched Mass and the news, but not much else. Chores came first, done early, and the rest of the day was hers to bake, visit, or play cards with friends. “Keep your brain and body busy, it is good for you”, she would say, usually just before finding a task to help a lounging grandchild experience the wisdom of her mantra. But she always gave herself time to get lost in this picture, a birthday gift given years ago to brighten her warm but Spartan home. “The trees tell stories if you let them”, she would say. If you were lucky, Grandma would tell you the story she saw growing from the picture, always something different, no two stories the same.

Barbie lifted the photo from the hook, blew the dust from the frame and smiled. TV is overrated, she thought. Time to start writing. The trees tell stories if you let them.

10 comments:

Word said...

Oh I just loved this one. Lovely, sad, and hopeful all wrapped up tightly.

Makes me think of good ol' home cookin' too. Pass the pot roast and mashed potatoes please....must be dinner time!

Dee

Jeff said...

I like this. Good job.

Chris Eldin said...

I like this too. Smooth, easy read.

JRVogt said...

Nicely touching. Not a word too many.

Unknown said...

Absolutely beautiful. Well done.

Anonymous said...

Ah, nicely nostalgic. The trees do tell stories. Makes me wish I'd had a Grandma (one I could remember)

Sarah Hina said...

This could have just been a lovely lament, but you took it someplace new and different at the end. Very inspiring.

SzélsőFa said...

I like how easily it flows. Telling a bit about this, a bit about that. The end was like making all of us look into a mirror:)

Anonymous said...

I'm with Word - this is a really great piece. Grandma is very much alive in this work.

Anonymous said...

The notion of stories growing from the picture was brilliant! Clearly, I agree.