Stories

Cornstalk Solitude

Jeanna GLeave a comment

We’d been in a drought, and then we were inundated with storms. Ain’t that the way?!

The grass wasn’t growing and then, all of a sudden, it was up to mid-shin. 

So I finally got “a round tuit,” and mowed. 

And when I was done, I stood with my hands on my hips, sweating, and admiring my work, when I noticed one single, footlong blade of grass, proud as the day is long, standing straight up in the middle of my yard. It survived. 

My childhood church had a corn field next to it. I went to youth group one night in high school, and our youth pastor said we would finish our night with devotions outside. Unphased, we followed him to the middle of the field where we found one single cornstalk still standing after the harvest. We sat in a circle around the stalk and stared at it for a bit before chatting about it. 

What could this single remaining cornstalk tell us about life? 

Someone said it was the corn’s attempt at controlling its own destiny; it didn’t want to be like all the other corn by leaving home and becoming something else. 

Then someone countered, “It’s sad that it got left behind, never to see the world and reach its full potential. It actually wanted to live in community and contribute to society.”

The questions abounded: Did it see itself as a survivor? Did it beat the farmer only to find the success didn’t really matter? Or was it a symbol of resilience? Or of faith that all would be okay? Would it see itself as a wise old soul, there to oversee the next generation?

And then I raised my hand and offered, “Maybe it’s just happy to finally have some peace and quiet, and to be alone… as a uni-corn.” 

Proof of Love

Jeanna GLeave a comment

When we were kids, we became blood brothers or blood sisters to prove our love and dedication to one another. We would pinprick our fingers, and then touch and press our blood droplets together. This was in the 80s, so the CDC promptly called for an end to that practice.

Luckily, embroidery thread was cheap and I had time to make as many friendship bracelets as I had friends. We’d wear them until they fell off.

It was then that we realized we needed something more permanent. So we spray painted our initials and a heart inside the giant cement sewer pipes that were actually our playground structures.

We came, we hiked, we carved

We somehow made it to middle school, so we needed a new canvas. How about carving our initials and a heart into a tree trunk? We thought it would last forever. But then the tree was chopped down to put up a parking lot. Joni warned us of this. We’d stick it to the man and draw our initials and a heart into the wet cement.

High school was next, so we stuck cups in the shape of a heart and our initials into the chain link fence around the football field.

College brought love notes on mirrors.

Now, me and my besties decided on matching tattoos. (We used different needles. )

Love will persist, and it’s our job to prove it.

How will you prove your love this Valentine’s Day?

Old Town Home

Jeanna G1 Comment

If my memory serves me correctly, there used to be a Country Time Lemonade commercial that had Benny Goodman‘s “How Am I To Know” playing in the background while a boy rode his bike down a dusty country road in summer. Every time I hear that song, I picture myself as a child, riding my bike around my old town home.

Sun peeks through the curtains, time to get up and go.

Grab my pack and jump on my 10-speed.

Cruise down past the hardware store and the spinning pole of the barber shop to the town center, where my friend is waiting for a match on the lone tennis court.

Lose track of the score and decide we both earned a cone from the local ice cream shop.

Smile at the Maytag Man, who is sitting alone in front of his shop with nothing to do, of course.

Wave goodbye to my friend, and roll over to the park.

Down goes the kickstand while I pick a handful of blackberries along the entrance.

On to the tee ball field where the Blue Jays and the Pirates are in the bottom of the 3rd.

Bleachers are full, so I ride over to the playground.

A few flips over the parallel bars and then I take my chances on the steep metal slide.

Seat scorcher!

Once is enough.

What’s next?

Pedal down to the toy store to see what’s new in stock and add to my wish list for Santa.

Across to the aquarium shop to decide how I’ll spend my allowance.

Only a dollar left in my pocket.

Penny candy it is!

Spin back up to the center, up past the historic homes, tobacco barns, and churches, up past the video and package stores, to the one convenience store.

I count out 10 sticks of Fortune Bubble, 5 Pixy Stix, 5 Bit O’ Honey, 5 root beer barrels, a pack of Pop Rocks and a box of Nerds. I’ve still got a quarter to spare!

Take my bounty over to the pond to share with who’s fishing.

They say they threw them all back, so they had nothing to show. Same as last time!

Time to check on my 4-H calf. We take a stroll through the barn together.

Take the long way home, past the cemetery, library, and print shop.

Friends have a lemonade stand set up on the front walk. There goes my last coin.

Whiz past the market where I see mom pushing her cart to the suburban. One hour ‘til dinner.

Rush over to the neighbor’s to check on our tree forts.

Go karts are out, time for a race!

There’s the dinner bell,

right on time.

Wash up!

Bless the food.

What’d you do today, Li’l Bean?

Oh…not much.