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WRITE 2 THE HEART
Stories that are aimed "Write 2 the Heart"
October 23, 2002
Cheryl Speir, Editor, moderator@write2theheart.com
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Welcome to your latest issue of "Write 2 the Heart"
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All new subscribers for the month of October will be
entered into a drawing for a 2003/2004 pocket
calendar. Tell all your friends. The winner will be
announced in the November 6 issue.
There will be a new author appreciation gift for
November, December, and January. I will be sending
a 2003/2004 pocket calendar to the authors who
contribute stories for those months.
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Mary-Ellen sounds like the type of person we would
all like for a friend, helpful and dedicated in
everything she does.
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Milly's Will
By Mary-Ellen Grisham
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As I trudged up the drive with my heavy bag of library
books, I could see Milly looking around the car port.
"Hi, Milly!" I greeted her. "What are you looking for?"
"I can't find Dede--that lummoux!" she huffed.
While the carport had no car, it was loaded with plants,
two wood cupboards, a wash tub, and miscellaneous
gardening tools. Milly continued to look behind
cupboards and out to the field beyond the fence, where
contented cows slowly munched grass.
"You go inside and search the back rooms," she ordered,
"I'll keep looking out here."
Putting my bag down in the kitchen, I started searching
the back bedrooms. As I went back down the hall, I
looked into the living room. There sat Dede in his usual
place calm as could be with the distant look about his
eyes of an oriental sage. Wise, all-knowing Dede-- that wily
cat had probably sneaked in the door while Milly was going
out. Milly was a bit deaf, and her eyes weren't as good as
they used to be.
I went to get Milly, and we settled ourselves comfortably
in the overstuffed living room chairs. Slowly Milly perused
the large print books, nodding her head and commenting
on the authors, her preferences, and her all time favorites.
Dede looked benignly on the proceedings, yawned, and
shut his eyes, opening them only occasionally to make
sure I wasn't up to anything suspicious.
After Milly made her selections, we went to the kitchen
where she routinely tried to give me cookies, candy, tea,
or other treats. I thanked her profusely but reminded her
of my diet, though I did not want to remind her that I had
other homebound patrons to visit. Just as I headed to the
door, politely exchanging bits of news, Dede came into
the kitchen, sidling up to Milly and rubbing her legs with
his soft gray fur.
"Look at those white tennis shoes!" Milly exclaimed as I
laughed with her at Adidas' white paws. "The lummoux,"
she'd say affectionately as she stooped to pet the rascally
cat. I smiled as I went out the screen door, knowing that
while Milly did not always get her complete will with the
creature, in the main, the cat respected her wishes.
When I finally got back to the library, I would carefully go
through Milly's return books for cards, notes, letters, diary
sheets, bookmarks, or other material she might leave in
the pockets or pages.
We went through a hectic six months together as Milly
and her relatives began to make plans for her to go into
a nursing home. She was stalling them at every turn of
the way until a bad fall made it necessary for her to go to
the clean, comfortable local nursing facility. I thought I
had seen the last of Milly, but about three months after
the transition, I got a phone call at the library. A familiar
sharp, gravelly voice told me, in no uncertain terms, that
she wanted books--"just a few," she cautioned.
I was pleased to see that while Milly missed her home
and Dede, she was settled into a cheerful room with good
care. She and I enjoyed our bi-monthly visits, and she
continued to read and exchange ideas. When the nursing
home shut down for flu season, we would discontinue until
spring. So again, while Milly did not get her complete will
in all these matters, she was fairly content and happy in her
own indomitable way.
In the weeks when she began to fail, she would mutter to me
about leaving her will in one of the library books. I assured
her that her lawyer would have a copy of her will and that all
would go as planned. She would shake her head no and insist
that this was a list of the way she wanted her personal
possessions to be distributed among the relatives. She
seemed to feel that these were stored at her house until it
could be sold.
I looked back through ranges of her favorite books, but I
could discover no handwritten will. However, shortly before
I attended Milly's funeral, one of my workers brought a thick
sheaf of pages to me that had been found in the middle of
an old book. I could see with only glance that it was "the will"
that Milly had mentioned. There was a personal possession
designated for each relative and friend, but I had no way to
reach the few of her relatives in the area.
When I went to the visitation at the near-by funeral home, I
met only a handful of people. Among these was her son, and
I mentioned Milly's handwritten will to him, explaining that she
had left it in an old library book. He laughed and assured me
that Milly had made her will about the possessions amply clear
over the years, and that he had handled them the best way he
could. Nodding and smiling, I hugged her few remaining friends
and went on my way.
Milly had knitted handmade potholders for me in a variety of
shades and had given one to me every so often when I visited.
I thought that she had probably done the same with her other
friends and her other "treasures." At any rate, I was sure that
while Milly may not have had her complete will in the distribution
of her beloved possessions, herrelatives had honored her
wishes as best they were able. Better still, each of them, as did
I, had unforgettable memories of Milly and an ample share of
her colorful loving kindness throughout the years.
©2002 Mary-Ellen Grisham
meginrose @ empowering.com
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Mary-Ellen is a teacher and writer living in Godfrey, Illinois,
with her husband and son. Widely published on the Internet,
Mary-Ellen enjoys the sharing at inspirational sites. She has
published in church papers and booklets and in various
anthologies.
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Letters From Our Readers
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Dear Pamela
Your old friend is a good friend indeed, and has
earned his retirement!
Paul Leadem
www.leadem.com
*****
Cheryl,
Those parties for Tyler and Mason sounded like
fun!
At 71, I see a couple of men, other than my hubby, on a
regular basis. My primary physician, and my Opthalmologist.
Once in awhile I even see a nice "specialist". Very exciting.
I hope you and David had a wonderful 29th wedding
anniversary. We celebrated our 52nd in September. Willie
went fishing, and I took a long afternoon nap. Ho hum! It
just happened he had promised to take a friend out in his
bass boat. We usually go out to dinner to celebrate.
Love, Pat
*****
Twenty-ninth wedding anniversary. Congrats are in order!
Fishing and shopping - sounds so romantic!
:o) :o) :o)
Wait till you been married for 45 years like
Bill & I ....you'll just go together and buyfish sandwiches! :o)
Have a good one!
I always enjoy Pamela's stories and Joe is one dog I'd like
the privilege of petting!
Betty King
*****
Hi Cheryl,
I just wanted to let you know that I received the mouse pad
last week and I absolutely love it. It is adorable with all the
hearts on it, and my mouse loves it too as it just glides over
it so effortlessly. Thank you so much for sending it to me.
It made my day and I am always reminded of your wonderful
website when I see the logo on it.
Maria
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Cheryl's Corner
We had a wonderful time! We hit every flea market
we could find, then headed to Dauphin Island to play
on the beach. David took a beautiful picture of the
sunset, the only flaw was me standing in front of it.
The house we rented was decorated in a Caribbean
theme. Funny murals were everywhere. Crossed
mannequin legs were hanging on the wall in front of the
bathroom. There were just the two of us and the place
easily slept twenty. We plan to go again and bring all
the sons, daughters and grandsons.
God Bless
Cheryl
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© 2002 Write 2 the Heart
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