The Rope Swing

A Story by Erin Langley

A short story written from an unusual perspective.

I may seem so little to you but before you mark me off as unimportant, listen to my story. At first glance I look like a simple rope swing. I look like a simple piece of board tied to a ragged rope. Some people might call me a burden to the rugged oak tree. Some might venture that I am never used and that I am abandoned. I, however, have an untold story that would change everyone’s view of me.

I was built and tied to an old oak tree by a young man who had just become a father to an adorable little girl. This new father proudly showed me to his wife and new baby. While the mother watched tenderly and anxiously, the father gently sat on me with his little bundle of joy. As they swayed happily back and forth, I felt for the first time the pure excitement of holding the weight of a human.

As the days wore on and melted into years, the little girl grew into a bubbly toddler. I became her favorite place to romp and run. She spent hours swinging back and forth on me, sometimes singing, sometimes sitting quietly and thoughtfully. Her father came on many days to swing her so high that she thought she was flying. Her contagious laughter would ring out across the countryside, fading into the crisp fall air.

The little girl continued to grow and was soon a fun loving ten year old. Although she began to think she was too old for many of her toys, she never seemed to outgrow the thought of swinging on me. She came and visited me almost every day, giggling as she soared through the air. She spent hours singing, dancing, and playing under the old oak until her mother called for her to come for dinner.

As the cute little girl began to grow into a beautiful young twelve year old, she often brought her book to read as she soared through the days on me. I watched her learn all there was to learn about life. She eagerly embraced every challenge and every option that life had to throw at her. She often sang happily and loudly, her young voice ringing clearly through the air. Many times her father came to visit her while she swung and I watched as the two developed a deep relationship filled with laughter, joy, learning, and sometimes tears.

As time wore on the girl became a teenage girl and her life started to get harder. She still faithfully came and visited me as she worked on homework or read. Sometimes her father came to talk about her day, but sometimes it was just me and her, flying through the air. Many times she talked aloud about struggles she was facing or joys she had uncovered. I listened. I heard every secret she had to tell and I never breathed a word of it to any other being.

One day it was just like any other day except that when she came to swing she was dressed in a long black dress and her makeup was smeared down her face. She ran to me and sobbed loudly for a long time. Then she kicked her legs and we were off once again. As we glided through the air memories soared through her mind. The same ones went through mine. Her father, always there and always with a smile and encouraging word. Her father, there to explain to her even the most difficult struggle she was going through. Her father, sending her flying through the air as they both laughed loudly. As her tangled hair tumbled behind her she whispered, “I can’t believe he is actually gone.”

I supported her as she dealt with the loss of her father. Even though she was now seventeen she still swung and swung for hours after school. She had never told any of her friends about me until one day she came running up to me with someone I had never seen before. I knew immediately that he must be very special. I watched smilingly as she told this new person all about me and how her father had built me as soon as she was born. He smiled and laughed as she sat down on me and began to ascend up into the air. Many days after that, both of them came and swung on me and sat under the old oak to talk about their day. They often discussed their dreams and plans for the future. I watched as they became fast friends and even more.

One day they both walked down the same familiar path to me as normal, except this time they were both dressed in fancy clothes. She was wearing a gorgeous white gown and they were both smiling brightly as they beckoned to a wary photographer. They posed and laughed as the photographer snapped picture after picture. Unexpectedly, he gave me a shove and she was off the ground as we soared through the air just like old times. Caught off guard she let out a small shriek as she grabbed tight onto me. It was a wonderful day that I got to spend with the two for one of the last times.

Today, they strolled down the path once again, this time with a small bundle in their arms. As he sat down on me while holding this precious new bundle, I knew I now had a new partner to help get through life. I glanced over to the new mother as I gently glided into the air. Her eyes glistened with tears of joy.

So, although I may seem like nothing to most people, to some I am so much more.

© 2017 Erin Langley

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Reviews

CBH

I love the perspective and the venture through time that this story takes the reader through. It is applicable to really any sentimental object, and shows the importance of such 'things' to people and families.