Story from Random Words~”Vitamins for the Heart”

My good friend grandmalin from her blog called: Breathing Space alerted me to a  creative website.

http://www.grandmalin.wordpress.com

Random words generated at www.creativitygames.net.

After signing up, I asked for 5 words at random then composed a story from them.

fireplace…vitamins…submarine…porridge…spade

Here is my story:

Great-grandmother had funny words for everything. She asked me if I had enjoyed my porridge after my usual instant oatmeal with extra brown sugar. Staying with her was like visiting a time long ago lost.

At this moment, she sat by her fireplace and calmly rocked to the rhythm of her heartbeat and dosed. The hand-carved oak rocker seemed to swallow her. My great-grandfather’s hands had lovingly crafted that” work of art” in order to  forever hold his wife in loving arms . Inscribed on the headrest was , “To Anna Maria from your faithful, James.”

What my great-grandfather was to woodworking, his beloved , Anna Maria was to gardening. Just put a spade in her hand and watch as she orchestrated flowers in a symphony of colors. Her gardens the likes of which God envied. At least, that is what my mom says about them. Jefferson Marks, the ancient butcher at the corner market, talks of Anna’s  gardens in the same way.

In fact, I never saw a man’s eyes sparkle so as Mr. Marks’ did when great-grandma walked to his counter. He giggled like a kid between awkward sentences. Only when reminiscing of the naval days when he and great-grandaddy James, spent 7 months on a submarine, did his speech become deliberate and proud.

Just yesterday, after an unusually long journey through naval history, a distant look in his eyes dissolved and he took great-grandma’s hand in his.  He brushed the back of her hand with his lips and there came a twinkle to his bloodshot eyes.

“It was so very good to see you again Anna Maria. James was a good man alright, with mighty fine taste in women too.”

Then he gave great-grandma a wink.

All the way home , I noticed an energy in her step and a shimmer in her eyes.

” Granny? You been taken vitamins that are giving you a jolt?”

“Well, you could say that dear. The kind I get every time that I visit the grocery. Special vitamins, there, for my heart.”