Mairi

Here's a little bit that I wanted to share. It's a true story.

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He wanted to take me out to eat, to someplace really special. We ended up at Shoney's, where we could share one of their strawberry pies. It wasn't the best pie in the world, but we thought it was. We had been coming here every Sunday after church for as long as I could remember.

My mother never would have approved of us eating an entire pie by ourselves.

He escorted me proudly through the door, me on his arm like a proper lady. After the waitress came to show us to our table, we followed her.

"I'll be there in a minute. Go ahead without me."

I looked back at him, and saw that he was struggling.

"It's okay, Dad. We'll wait for you."

The waitress sighed and looked impatient.

By the time we got halfway to our table, he was wheezing. When he fell down, several people started to get up to help him. Everybody was staring. My dad raised his head defiantly and got up by himself. His face was gray.

I hoped that he couldn't see the tears in my eyes. I had to look away.

When we finally sat down, his hands were shaking so badly that he knocked over his water glass. The waitress offered to call for help. We declined. Nothing would spoil this last bit of borrowed time that we had together.

I have never tasted strawberry pie that was sweeter. I can still taste it today, fifteen years later.

I think that we see the most beauty in the world when we have experienced the greatest pain.

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Mairi

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"Logic will get you from A to B, Imagination will take you everywhere." ~Albert Einstein

Azmakna

very good! this is good writing. i would apply this simpler style to your other stories. i know this means a lot to you and it shows with elequence the quality of the writer.

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Funwriter

Brilliant, and totally painful. Man, this is what I love to read!

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FW

Mairi

Thanks, guys! This tiny little piece was an incredible challenge to write. It is hard to be objective and do a decent job with something that is so close to your heart.

This is a crystal-clear memory that I have carried around with me for years, and I am glad that I was able to do it justice. The pain portrayed here has never faded, and never will. It is the yardstick by which I measure all other experiences in my life.

I will try applying some of that passion to my other work and see where that takes me.

Thanks for the catch on the edit, Az. I missed that one.

Mairi

__________________
"Logic will get you from A to B, Imagination will take you everywhere." ~Albert Einstein

bunnybadass

mmm...i got that truly achey in the chest feeling when reading this. very good