THOUGHTS & WRITING

Curly blond hair, blue eyes afire with excitement, little muscled legs careening around chairs and tables, three-year-old Billy moved with obvious abandon, laughing at the chase, while Fiddles the calico whirred past and up and up to the top of the Grandfather Clock.  It was a wonderful game they had found and returned to it almost every day, sometimes twice.  Today seemed like it might be more.  Grandma was here and life was good.

Adele watched her grandson, enjoying his spontenaity as well as the ease with which Fiddles taunted him.

Adele was in charge, or that’s what Millie had said when she left for groceries.

“Now do what Grandma says – Grandma’s rules.”

“I wonder what those rules are,” thought Adele as she closed the door to the garage after Millie.  Billy wasn’t paying attention at all and as soon as Fiddles appeared, the game began.

Coming into late life, Adele admired the ease with which both child and fur-baby interacted, not seeming to care what the goal was nor the means for getting there.  Just play.  Disorganized, joyous fun.  And then the role reversal:  now Fiddles was chasing Billy, and Adele could have sworn the cat was smiling.

As the afternoon played on, and the game reinvented itself in various rooms, backed up by the giggles and chasing between Fiddles and Billy, Adele found herself clapping and singing, as she followed the two from room to room.

She found herself, midway into the chase, not knowing who she was chasing, nor who was after her.  She was clear that she was enjoying the romp also.

Adele heard the door from the garage open.

“Alright, guys, that’s enough.”

Adele plopped into her favorite chair, Billy popped up on her lap, and Fiddles headed for the back of the chair behind Adele’s head.

“I’m back.  What have you guys been doing?”, Millie smiled.

“Oh, nothing, Adele smiled back.  Six eyes looked serenely at Millie.

11/2/17

© Susan Alley

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