Wednesday, June 12, 2013

A Practical Token of Love







The soft overhead light helps make the basement corner warm and cozy as I sift through boxes of memories. Opening a shoebox I find a couple of letters addressed to me from a young Henry, a postcard, an old flashlight and some batteries. The 1941 postcard is unused with a picture of a lake and a large rustic cabin. On the back of the card is a cheerful description of summer living and golf at the Bonnie Oaks Resort in Vermont. 

I settle down in the old faded brown easy chair  and thought  back to the summer of 1941. That summer  I was  one of the  student nurses at the Vermont  summer camp.  It was to be a reward, a treat, to get out of the humid, stifling city and make some money while using our newly trained nursing skills. 

I open the letter from Henry. In the letter he explains how he sent me a flashlight because he was worried about me in the dark. He then in great detail wrote down how to change the battery and even taped a spare light bulb inside the box it came in. 

Tears sprung to my eyes. I remember when I got this package and how badly I acted. The other girls had already received care packages filled with Cadbury milk chocolate, red and white striped packages of Beechnut gum and packets of Planters peanuts all of which the girls shared. Now it was my turn. I had gotten a package from Henry and the girls gathered around to watch me open it. I was excited to share my treats with them. I tried to hide my embarrassment and disappointment  when I opened the package and found the flashlight. The girls had tried to be polite but the wisecracks were sitting on their lips waiting to be sprung loose. Yet this was my Henry to send me a flashlight. A practical and no nonsense token of love to his city girl in the woods. 


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Todays story is inspired by a prompt given by the folks at www.trifectawritingchallenge.com! Stop by to read some amazing talent!
Todays word is....

LIGHT (noun)




11 comments:

  1. I love the wistful, vintage feel of this! It's exactly the type of writing that I love the most! Gorgeously written!

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    1. That's what I was hoping for ... a vintage feel! Thank you!

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  2. I like Henry's thinking! All of that chocolate would only attract bugs anyway ;)

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    1. I might have braved the bugs for chocolate! Thanks for reading!

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  3. This is so touching. Henry must have been quite the friend. Thank you for linking up. Please remember to return for the voting!

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  4. And when she got older, she realized the wisdom and love behind his gift. Very nice entry.

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  5. i love the characters. so heartwarming ^_^

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  6. Nothing like the passage of time to give things a new perspective. Lovely story.

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  7. I liked this. I wish you were able to use more words as I would have loved to have read more. Lovely.

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  8. I love that he sent her a flashligh, and that she didn't appreciate this gift until much later. Nicely crafted piece.

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  9. The tenderness in this brought tears to my eyes. Beautifully crafted.

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