RETIREMENT

by Danna Shirley
Writing assignment: Noisy Neighbors

            Retirement was here and I was looking forward to spending my time in an atmosphere of serenity and peace. I had thirty-four years with my wonderful husband but now, as a widow, all I had left were my memories. We had traveled the world as a Navy family and I had my journals, from childhood throughout all of our duty stations, to glean and put down on paper in story form. It was a big undertaking but I was looking forward to the project.

            It was a beautiful spring day. The flowers were fragrant, the birds sang, the temperature was light and airy. Everything around me was awakening including my own heart as I recalled my many years of life and love with my husband. The grieving period had long since subsided and I could now reminisce with fondness.

            I set my computer up on the patio with paper, pencils, and a glass of iced tea at my elbow. I even put the radio on soft and low instrumental music. Okay. I opened my first journal and read my childish scribble in third grade. “Mary Jane was my best friend and she walked right by me today. I’ll never talk to her again.”

            This wouldn’t do. I moved on to sixth grade. “Mary Jane and I went roller skating today. We had fun. She’s my best friend.”

            Okay, this sounded a little better. Onward to tenth grade. “Mary Jane stole Bill from me. I’ll hate her forever.” Whew, I didn’t even remember Bill. I’m glad I forgave her because she was my maid-of-honor and I was hers. I chuckled at my own flippant adolescence.

Okay, where to begin. I stared at the blank screen. All of a sudden, Whopp! My shoulders jumped up to my ears. Oh, no, that must be Gus next door.

Shortly after moving in I had met the Cruikshanks; Archie, Libby and their kids Gus and Clara. It was a nice friendship over the back fence but that’s all I wanted right now. Just a “Hi, how are ya,” and back to my writing. They were a nice family and all but this just wouldn’t do. “Gus,” I yelled, “what are you doing over there?”

“I’m practicing pitching for little league. Ya wanna come over and catch for me?”

“No, and I wish you would stop throwing at my fence.”

“But it’s the only fence I have and Mom won’t let us outta the yard ’til she gets home.”

“Don’t you have a friend you can play with . . . at his houses?” Whopp, my shoulders jumped up to my ears. Oh, no. I didn’t want to ruin a new friendship but how long could I take this before I had to say something? Whopp, there it was again.

“Hi, Ms Melanie,” Clara yelled over the fence.

I looked up to see her high in the sky, then down she went. I puzzled that thought until she was up again saying, “Look how high I can jump.”

What are you jumping on?” I yelled. Down she went.

“My trampoline,” she yelled as she touched the sky again.

Baseball and trampolines. Yes, spring had sprung. I gathered my computer, radio, iced tea, and went back inside. No problem. There’s always a solution to any predicament. I would just write before they got home from school . . . or maybe I could learn to play catch! J