Kendall is here

By kendallishere

Snubby

More heat, more take-out coffee, more staying in and making pictures. Today Margie drew a picture of her childhood dog Snubby and one of the trees in Crotona Park. A world from another time. 

“Crotona park was just across the street from where we lived. I got away from the yelling between my mother and my sister by taking Snubby for a walk. That was my happiest time. Peace. Sometimes my father went along, if he was home from work, or my brother. Bernie was my best friend. Most of the time it was just me and Snubby and the trees in Crotona Park. Snubby was all love. No opinions, no arguments. Just love. I’m like that now. I think I had arguments at one time, but I can’t remember what they were about. Now it’s only love.” 

I asked, What do you love, Margie? She tried to remember. After a time of silence, she answered,

“My children. I have three beautiful children, and they’re all different. I love trees.” A long pause. “I love my home. Don’t I have a beautiful home?”

Yes, I said. Yes, you do.

“It has a kitchen, a dining table, a living room.” She looked around. “There’s a bedroom and a bath. All for me. And it’s all lovely. It has a little bit of everything.”

Her eyes drifted around, appreciating the cut flowers (lillies, daisies) her daughter buys at Trader Joe's. Her son Andy's watercolors. Her own paintings. The wooden ox sculpture. “I’m so lucky.” 

She closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. After a few moments the drawing pencil slipped out of her hand, fell to the floor and woke her up. She opened her eyes, looked at me as if she’d forgotten I was there, then down at her picture. 

I watched her try to assemble herself, bring her eyes into focus, pull some words together. She bent over to retrieve the fallen pencil and had a dizzy spell. Then she took the red pencil out of the box. “Snubby liked to chase after a ball. Here’s his little red ball, you see?”

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