Mumbles … Theoretical

I am dealing with too much anxiety.  I have to make a phone call.  I don’t do well with strangers and dealing with conflict.  So, calling a person who left a note on my car after they backed into it has left me frazzled.  Theoretically it should be an easy call, I see if they have insurance and if they are going to pay for the damages… they already left the note saying they backed into me.  I just am dragging my feet.  Anxiety sucks!  And as it keeps getting later I think maybe I could just do it tomorrow.  Oh… I should just jump into this!  Wish me luck.

Have you ever had to deal with the aftermath of an accident where you got a note or left a note?

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – theoretical

Good Tunes

They were driving to the mall for some last-minute Christmas gifts.  Sam began to fumble with the CDs tucked into her visor holder.  Carol said, “You drive, I’ll put in the music.  What are you looking for?”

“I have a soundtrack up there I was looking for.”

“You just navigate this traffic; I will find some tunes.”

Carol found the soundtrack Sam had been looking for.  She was a big fan of the musical Wicked and had gotten the Broadway album about a year ago.  Carol put the disc into the stereo and pushed fast forward to track 3… her favorite song from the production, “Popular.”

They both sang along with the song and it finished right when they got to the mall.  They both laughed and then Sam asked, “Carol, how far do you want to walk?”

“I can handle a long walk; just find the first open spot and we’ll hike from there.”

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – Popular

The Unknown Package

She sat down at the table with sacks next to her on the floor.  She had boxes, scissors, tape and wrapping paper, all ready to wrap up this year’s Christmas gifts.  As she began to wrap there was Christmas music playing on the radio.  She began to sort gifts and box those that would be hard to wrap when there was a knock on the door.

As she went to the door, she heard someone going down the porch steps.  She opened the door just in time to see the UPS truck pulling away.  This was puzzling because she had all her gifts she had bought online already.  In spite of that there sat a box on her front porch.

She brought the package inside reading the label on it.  It was addressed to her and had an unknown address for the return label.  She was very puzzled and began to open the box.  When she got it open and realized what it was, she had tears in her eyes and a lump in her throat.  Her Uncle had sent pictures and home movies to a company that transferred them onto DVDs.  He had told her he wanted to do that, but she had forgotten about it.  What a great way to remember those in the family that had passed on before this Christmas.

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – tape

White

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Like icing on a cake

The frost clings to everything

Minuet spikes of white

Cover every branch

Pure white transforms

What is left of flowers

Even the signs are touched

With Jack Frost’s signature

Turning the morning into

A world of sparkling white

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – frost

A Moment Of Your Time Please

She was fraught with worry
She always was
Her mom had been that way too
If it could go wrong
She would have thought of it
And over analyzed it
For weeks before hand

He was wild and carefree
Never afraid it seemed
Confident to a fault
In an almost cocky way
A bad boy in trouble
Who needed a friend
And he looked her way

She didn’t know what hit her
She should have been warned
By her unwavering fear
That torment would be here soon
She loved him without end
Though he was just a friend
And he broke her heart again and again

There came a day
When she had so much to say
But he couldn’t be bothered
He brushed her off
Like an annoying fly
If only he had known
How deep her pain was inside

She was put to rest today
A quiet memorial with few there
But he stood in the back
No longer confident
Visibly shaken by the loss
If only she’d demanded his attention
Maybe he could have saved her in time

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – fraught

Going Down Memory Lane

“Go to bed…”

 

“Go do your homework…”

 

“Go to school…”

 

“Go do your chores…”

 

Words I long to hear again

From the days of my youth

But Mom can no longer laugh with me

And Dad can no longer play with me

I went and grew up and felt the pains

Of losing them both

I never thought at the time

There would be a day without them

I wish more than anything I could

 

Go back…

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – go

Mumbles … Settle

The holidays are here, and I hurt.  This is the first year without my Dad.  My mom has already been gone for more than 9 years.  I miss the old family Christmas’ so much.  This year it was really hard to put up the tree, it was usually Dad’s job.  It just didn’t seem right.

The depression is heavy, and I have tried to “fake it until you make it” but I feel like I am just settling for a half of a holiday.  Growing up he would always take his vacation around Christmas so he would be home with us while school was out.  He not only would decorate the tree, but he did most all of the Christmas decorations.  Decorating reminds me so much of him.

And he never just wrote our names on cards, he had a stylized printing he did that made the letters of our names appear 3D.  It is such a small thing, but I miss it so much.  I made the usual cookies and candies and know there were some he loved I used to make extra of… this year I didn’t and that hurt.

So, I settle for what I have and try to enjoy the festivities.  We have done two of our three celebrations; we will have our last one in January.  Then comes his birthday a week later, followed by the day he died a year ago.  It is going to be a rough start to the New Year.

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – settle

Rush Hour Traffic

She was afraid she would crash

And see her life go by in a flash

Her anxiety was so high

It would make her cry

And she would develop a terrible rash

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – rash

The Final Drink

He has become unhinged

After another all-night binge

He is consumed by the fire

Of alcohol’s desire

Yet wait for a while

He has now lost his smile

He will weep in the night

Over his current plight

He cannot control it

The pain has hit

Next his breath will slow

And he will somehow know

His life is not his to own

The sickness has grown

And it will take him tonight

His family seeing the light

That went out in him

The night turns grim

Sleep dear loved one

The pain is now done

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – unhinged

Superman Was Here

“Oh my god!  Do you see what is over there?”  Donna pointed to an old phone booth.  “I haven’t seen an actual phone booth in ages. Do you suppose it is active?”  Not waiting for an answer, she said, “Pull over and stop.  I will see if it actually has a dial tone.”

Tom pulled the car into what once was a gas station parking area.  Pumps long since removed and only memories inside the store front.  “I don’t know why you are so impressed.  It is just a phone booth.”

“Really think about it, Tom, when was the last time you saw anyone using a phone booth?  Everyone has cell phones now, so you don’t have to carry around all sorts of change to make calls.”  Donna got out of the car and walked over to the phone booth and pushed the door open.  She removed the handset and dropped the posted 25 cents for a call into the slot.  Her eyes lit up and she dialed Tom’s cell phone number.

Tom answered the phone not knowing who it was, “Hello?”

Donna laughed on the other end of the call, “It’s me silly.  Now I won’t get my quarter back.”

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – dial