Adventures with John in his Red Ford Truck, Part 5A Story by Shelley WarnerIt is December 2019 and John is taking my grandkids
and me to a Christmas celebration with his extended family. He points out the passenger window of his red
ford truck and says, “You will see Mt. Rainier in just a minute.” And then it
comes into view. It rises above the Washington woods, spectacular to see,
spotlighted by sunshine that shines upon the white snow covering it. Across the
front, stretches a long thin cloud. “Look at that cloud,” I exclaim, “it’s like
a ribbon going across the mountain.” Later, at the party, I sit with John’s sister Nora, who was my friend when I was fourteen. I am glad that we reconnected with each
other on Facebook after more than fifty years. I am glad that she brought John
(my first boyfriend) into my life. I tell her about the mountain and the cloud.
“That’s called a lenticular cloud,” she tells me. She pulls out her phone and
looks it up on the internet. Yes, that is just what I’d seen. “That is so
cool,” I tell her. Later, I look up the formations. Often they look like UFO’s,
but they can stretch like a long ribbon. It’s a good party. Lots of food. Lots of people in
John’s life. Lots of kids. At one point, I sit and
talk with John’s daughter. We admire a photo of her as a small child with her mom. She tells me they were best friends. “I’m glad you’re in my dad’s life,” she says. “I don’t
want him to be alone.” “Wow, that means a lot. I know how much you loved
your mom.” (It had been two years since she died of pancreatic cancer.) Whenever I think of that day, my heart is happy that John took us to meet his family. I
remember the beautiful mountain on the way there. I remember the lenticular clouds
gift wrapping Mt. Rainier and I remember the gift wrapping around that
day. © 2021 Shelley WarnerAuthor's Note
Reviews
|
Stats
65 Views
3 Reviews Added on July 22, 2021 Last Updated on July 22, 2021 AuthorShelley WarnerCamas, WAAboutI like to write about my life. Sounds a little narcissistic, right? But it's the challenges, the griefs, the joys, the faith struggles, and the enjoyment of nature that inspires me. I have published t.. more..Writing
Related WritingPeople who liked this story also liked..
|