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December 23, 2005
The Smile
There’s an old lady who lives in our neighborhood.
She’s mean. Real mean. I saw her yell and swat a little kid with a broom the other day because he went to get his ball in her yard. The kid was petrified. You should have seen his eyes.
She deflates the tires of people who park their cars outside her house.
She’s mean. Real mean. She complains to the police if someone in the neighborhood has a party that continues after 8:30 at night.
She’s mean. Real mean. She probably has posters of Scrooge (in his pre-nice era), mean Mr. Mustard and the president of Iran hanging in her house.
I don’t think she has smiled since we won World War Two.
Not until today.
I saw her down at the park on Town Lake walking her mean dog this morning. (Her dog growls and snaps at everyone and everything in sight. Even unsuspecting bushes that vaguely resemble people.)
The mean old lady was scowling at some kids who were feeding the local gaggle of geese with breadcrumbs.
Suddenly one of the geese chased the group of kids who ran off giggling excitedly. One of the kids was rather slow and the goose managed to nip him on the backside. The kid shrieked and burst into the most delightful, hearty laugh as he ran into his mum’s arms.
It was so cute that everyone around found themselves smiling.
Even the mean old lady.
Granted, it was only a 1.7 second smile that was framed by a scowl that could probably crack open an oyster at twenty paces.
Never the less it was a smile.
And I saw it.
I hope and pray she finds a few more of those in the New Year.
Posted by trevor at December 23, 2005 11:01 AM
Comments
Thanks for the smile Trevor. This Christmas is going to be hard and smiles ...well they are hard to find sometimes. Losing Tylor in Sept. was so hard then I lost my husband in early Dec. I wonder if Tylor is teaching him to rollerblade in Heaven? That brings a smile too. Thanks for all you have done for Tylor and his family this last year. I am looking forward to the book too. Hope it will be out soon. Merry Christmas.
Cathy (Tylor's great aunt)
Posted by: Cathy at December 24, 2005 06:18 AM
Wow! I found you, and you are just the same. Not like you haven't been there all along, but I just wasn't looking.
I remembered you today as I reminisced with my daughter Heather about our visit to you in Austin, and a wonderful meal at a Thai restaurant nearby. We had come down to see you not too long after you had captivated the children at the little elementary school in Justin Texas where I worked.
Many years ago, and lots of changes since then, but I never forgot your sense of joy when surrounded by children. Still got it, don't you!
Many, many good wishes to you from a grateful friend.
Eileen
Posted by: Eileen Watters at December 24, 2005 04:27 PM
Sounds like she has a Cancer eating away at her too Trevor. Maybe some kindness sent her way would be just what she needs. Illness takes many forms. Perhaps her dog could be rehabilitated for Pet Therapy; wishful thinking perhaps.
I lost my daughter to Cancer in October. I read your Blog regulary. If you want to read about Paigee, http://poodlepaigee.blogspot.com
best wishes,
Chris
Posted by: Chris at December 25, 2005 01:32 PM
:) i second that. i hope more smiles find their way to the old lady's life. and for that matter, everyone's life.
God Bless.
Posted by: mylene at December 27, 2005 01:08 AM