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My Holiday Short Story
- Oct 21, 2008 at 8:46 AM
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- Comments (4) Total Views (266) Everyone can see this journal post.
I thought I would share with you my Holiday short Story that I entered into a contest with our local newspaper. The following words had to be included in each story and it couldn't be over 1,000 words.
The following words are : nog, wreath, mistletoe, blizzard, kazoo, gingerbread, family, Alabama, puppy, stocking, roller coaster and Kermit the Frog.
The prizes are:
1st: $300.
2nd: $200
3rd: $100.
Here it is:
Baby Girl
She was just sixteen years old and felt very alone in the big world. Her name was Teresa but her parents called her "Baby Girl". Her friends were caught up in fashion and boys but she just wanted to be loved by somebody. She went to school every weekday and made the honor roll. She wanted to make something of her life but her parents didn't have any money to invest in her future.
She believed in God and prayed to him often. She lived in war time and worried about her country and the soldiers that served. She was wise beyond her years.
One day she noticed an elderly lady placing a Christmas wreath on her front door. The lady waved to her as she passed by on her bike. The lady said "Merry Christmas young lady" and had an angelic smile. Her hair was silver and curley . So the young teen stopped her bike to talk to her. The elderly lady asked her to come join her on her porch for cookies and eggnog.
As they sat talking the elderly lady (her name was Ruth) reflected on her childhood. She grew up in Alabama but moved south later in her life. She spoke of falling in love, marrying and having a family. Her children were grown now with families of their own. They call her about once a month but were very involved in their own families now. The only company she had was her little puppy name Joe.
The young teen realized that this elderly lady was also very lonely. The holidays were fast approaching and decided that she wanted to do something nice for this lady. Her own family was small and Christmas was going to exist of baking cookies and making a gingerbread house. If she were fortunate and her parents could afford it she would have a stocking with small gifts in it. Maybe she'd get a new watch, some cheap perfume, a toy harmonica, a kazoo and a couple of CDs.
While other friends would be getting tons of gifts she realized that she and her neighbor would have a very meager holiday season. She decided that every day she would stop at the lady's house and visit with her.
One day she stopped in and Ruth came to door with tears in her eyes. Baby Girl asked her if she were alright. Ruth said she just wasn't in the mood for company this particular day. So, she hopped on her bike and went home. She went to her private place in the garage and got on her knees and asked God to help her new friend.
She asked God to help her find a way to help Ruth. She knew she was having a very bad day. Baby Girl went to her bedroom and sat on her bed. As she wrote about her new friend in her journal she remembered something that was very special to her. When she was a very small girl her grandmother gave her a special stuffed animal. It was a green stuffed frog she named Kermit the Frog. Her grandmother had long since gone to Heaven but she thought of her each she looked at this special gift.
She remembered how much fun her grandmother was. How she believed in Baby Girl and would tell her important things like always talk to God...He cared about her and loved to hear from her. She would take her to the local fairs and let her ride the rides. Once, her grandmother even rode the roller coaster with her. She sat at her grandmother's knee and listened to all her stories. But grandma was gone now and Baby Girl felt that God sent her Ruth because they needed each other.
The young teen decided that the next day she would stop at Ruth's house and give her the stuffed frog. It was her prized possession and she felt that Ruth needed Kermit more than she did. Before she fell asleep that night she asked God to bring a smile to Ruth's heart.
It was getting close to Christmas and school was out for the holiday season. As she passed through the living room she spoke to her mother but her mom was busy watching the weather showing scenes of blizzards. Baby Girl hugged her mother and told her she was going bike riding. Her mom asked her where she was going with Kermit the Frog. She explained to her mother that she was going to donate it for a good cause to someone who needed it more than she did.
Ruth opened the door and invited her in. Baby Girl handed the stuffed animal to Ruth and said Merry Christmas. Ruth took the animal and hugged it. She began to cry again. Baby Girl thought she had done something wrong and began to apologize. The elderly lady then sat down in her rocking chair and began to tell the teenager that it was the most precious gift she had received in years and years. She said that her children rarely sent her anything for Christmas although they would call her. She stated she had everything she could want or need but she just felt that she wasn't important enough to them for even a small token.
Baby Girl brought her some mistletoe the next day that she bought with some pocket change. Ruth put it on the top of the front door frame. Every time Baby Girl came over Ruth would kiss her cheek. Daily until Christmas the teen would bring pieces of candy, a poinsettia or some small token to Ruth.
Baby Girl grew up and had her own children. Long after Ruth went to Heaven Baby Girl would tell her own children about Ruth. She learned that it's the spirit in which gifts are given and not the size of them. The gift of caring is better than an expensive gift.
Comments:
What a great story! First prize in my book!
Very nice! I too enjoy writing. Be sure to keep a copy of this for your family! Hope you win.
I was looking thru older posts today and saw this story you did, wow, awesome, even brought a tear to my eyes. I write myself a bit as some of the others do, but this one was so good, put mine to shame.
I write or am trying to write a couple mystery novels, but put them up for a bit after my mom passed. She so wanted me to write and she gave me such inspriration every day but I seem to have lost it or put it on hold for now. BTW did you win? You should!
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I loved it! such an awesome job. i write, a little. and i have to say that this blows anything that i have wrote out of the water. you did such a good job. putting values and emotions, and all the seasons greetings. a great job. i greatly enjoyed reading it!
- crochet_mommy
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