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Show ok ple a i A i aa od ca sie li acre ate appointment A VISIT TO THE PARK by Peggy Niklason Sitting in her old rocking chair, Sadie hummed yearning for company. The light of the morning sun peered through the tiny oval window in her door and hung in the musty air. The heavy curtains in her living room blocked all sunlight; all the light she wanted came through that tiny window in the door. She wanted no one to know she lived there; after all this place was nothing to be proud of. The house had gone downhill ever since her husband had died five years ago. ‘But then,"’ she thought, ‘‘My daughter and her husband are coming next week. Maybe they'll brighten things up.” Sadie hadn't seen her daughter Elizabeth for so long, and she rarely heard from her although she only lives about a hundred miles away in Central City. ‘| wonder why she is coming," Sadie. ‘There's nothing in Maybe she just feels that Sadie painfully stood wondering where her cat “Come here Puff,'’ thought this little town. she has to." from her chair, was. she said in her soft but hoarse voice. She felt her way down the dim hallway grabbing on to all the objects she could. As she stepped into her dark bedroom, she felt a sharp pain penetrate her foot. She had stepped on the pin cushion that she forgot she had dropped yesterday. She had been just too tired to pick it up She was glad only one pin stayed in her foot. She sank down into an old floral chair and jerked the pin out and swore about her own stupidity. She put her face against the large square mirror by her chair and began crying softly. She saw with the little vision she had, her old wilted face. It was once radiant with beauty and now appeared hopelessly ugly to her. 'l feel like my tattered pink dress, hanging on by threads, threads of memories, she sobbed.” Puff came in and comforted her. His soft fur warmed her old bones, lifting her spirits. “Liz is coming next week," she said to Puff,"’ and here | am crying pitifully. What will she think of me!’’ That night when she went to bed she prayed that Liz would come for sure and that she would stay a long time this time. Sadie thought about Liz, getting more anxious day by day until finally the day came that Liz was supposed to arrive. She climbed out of her small steel-framed bed and felt excited inside for the first morning in.a long time. She moved over and sat down in front of her big mirror and took her old dirty brush from the dresser and began combing her sparce, gray hair. The brush left her wiry hair in a confused mess, but to her it was a great improvement. She put on an orange dress that she hadn't worn since her husband had died. She sometimes wished she had died right with him but not today, Liz was coming. Sadie walked faster than usual out to the living room and sat in her rocking chair. She noticed that the rays of the sun coming through the window in her door shone on her bare floor. She began to hum with the sound of the creaking rocking chair against the wooden floor, sounding out a rhythm. She sat there for hours losing more hope every minute. Finally late in the afternoon, Sadie heard a car drive up and two doors slam shut. Sadie walked to the door and opened it ready to embrace her daughter. Instead, her daughter gave her a quick hug and said, ‘This place looks so shabby! The grass hasn't been mowed in ages! You'd think it had been abandoned!’ ‘| know dear," Sadie said sadly. ‘And you're really beginning to show your age. You must be seventy-one now. You're letting your figure get out of control."' Sadie, holding back the tears of dis- said, ‘‘Well, | really crisp fall air stung her lungs. She slowly bent over and pnt her hand into the water and jerked it out at once feeling the harsh coldness. She gently put her hand back in and let the water glide through her have been trying.’ Sadie noticed her daughter's slim figure and that every hair on her head was neatly in place. “Liz certainly doesn't look forty-six years old and neither does her husband." Sadie thought noticing how neatly dressed he was but she suddenly felt uneasy when she caught sight of the scowl on his face. ‘Look at these curtains,’ Liz was fingers. ‘“Beantiful" is the word to describe everything today,’’ thought Sadie. A small boy ran past her and shouted Hey, ing, They're so badly torn and you should try to keep them cleaner." ‘| know dear,” Sadie said sadly. After listening to Liz complain for what must have been an hour, Sadie fin- ally said, ‘‘Why don't we go out for awhile. Let's go for a ride or something.” “Okay.,"’ Said Liz. ‘| can’t stand to look at this dirty place anymore. Get a sweater or something and come on." Sadie got a sweater and walked to the huge dark blue car and awkwardly sat down in the back seat, ‘| haven't been in a car for at least two years. Seems like | hardly even get out of the house anymore." thought Sadie. “This is beautiful,"’ she added aloud. it's just beautiful!’’ Sadie saw a small blond-headed girl in a pink dress and thought of how wonderful it was when Liz was that small. The setting ‘sun cast huge shadows from the ancient trees on the roadside. The sunlight and the shadows on the road seemed like an endless row of blinking lights to Sadie as the car sped down the road. They came to an old park and Sadie remembered the small bridge. get out, it's so crocodiles in getting cold out here." They hurried back to the car and climbed in. When they reached Sadie'’s house, Sadie told them they could sleep in her other bedroom. “Oh no," Liz replied. It wéuld be too much trouble to clean the sheets. We'll stay at a motel downtown. We may be going home tomorrow anyway." Her husband nodded in agreement and they went back out the door before Sadie “It's autumn and it’s so beautiful,” Sadie said, ‘Don't you think so Liz? Oh, let's there's “Let's go back to the car,” Liz said, ‘‘It's With her blurred vision she saw a conglomeration of reds, oranges, yellows, and greens. “Liz, grandma, there!" Sadie just smiled. She grabbed onto a tree trunk near her and stood up. She saw Liz and her jhusband at a nearby picnic table. ‘Too bad they can't enjoy it,”’ Sadie thought. Sadie walked over to their table where they were busily discussing what to do next weekend. “Oh, let's go to your cousin Dorthy’s,”’ Liz was saying, ‘‘She has that gorgeous house by the lake.” ‘ Sadie’s thoughts drifted, ‘‘No wonder she hates this place; she’s used to only the best now. If only she would at least try to like it.” say- could argue. “Oh well,'’ Sadie thought. ‘Maybe we can go downtown shopping or something tomorrow before they leave. No, who am | trying to fool. Liz hates it here and there is nothing | can do.” She fed Puff and decided to go to bed. She walked back to her drab room and peered into the mirror. ‘| don't look as bad as Liz says. She just looks for faults in people, never at their good points. | loved this day and nothing will change that, | only wish that Liz could share my joy.” beautiful.’ “Well, okay,"’ sighed Liz. ‘Her husband stopped the car and Sadie slowly got to her feet. The sun was blinding at first so Sadie had to cover her eyes with her hand. She walked slowly over to the tiny bridge and looked at the glittering water running swiftly under the bridge. She took a deep breath and the 27 a iii) |