Conveniences
Travel Through Time Unofficial Challenge Entry
The man next door always smiles.
Blue-collar life suits him?
"Gratitude," he explained. "Others have it harder."
Into my hand he pressed a pendant with a sun and moon on a cord.
"Wear it for one week, young lady. Then pass it on."
I shrugged and put the pendant over my head.
*
As I did, the world around me changed.
Gone were the houses.
Only pioneer cabins stood sentry.
Next door,
My mom was still my mom
But she had no cellphone in hand.
She wore an apron, kneading bread dough.
Gone were our appliances.
Gone were the grocery stores.
That week, I learned of toil.
My mom and I worked a large garden.
We harvested what we ate and traded for other items.
I helped make soap, cook, and clean.
I fed animals.
I milked cows.
*
After that week, I'm happy for modern conveniences.
I smile and nod knowingly at my neighbor.
I have yet to find someone with whom to share the experience.
*
Link to challenge:
About the Creator
Julie Lacksonen
Julie has been a music teacher at a public school in Arizona since 1987. She enjoys writing, reading, walking, swimming, and spending time with family.
Keep reading
More stories from Julie Lacksonen and writers in Poets and other communities.
The Cave Part 11
Darkness, and the countless points of light, as if the entire void beyond was filled with the fire of a million stars. I felt as if I was staring into the eternity of a night sky beyond those wooden doors, the place beyond the actual reality, while I stood behind a curtain of scenery, the mountain and sky a mere pretense. And in that void beyond of unfathomable space, there hung suspended a mighty shard of crystal floating in place, with hundreds of a far smaller chunks orbiting around it in balanced but intersecting circles, no two in the same path. These caught the light from the center, and sparkled with inner fire each.
By Jamye Sharpabout 24 hours ago in Chapters
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.