Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Caution



I was stopped there.
Right there at that busy busy intersection.
Right there at the corner of Peachtree and Lake Avenue.
Right there at the triangular red and white yield sign.
Leaning hard on my horn, 
Yelling for the car in front of me to go...
Just go already!
Because I myself had somewhere to go.
Hair and nail appointments wait for no one, 
I had to get there soon.

And then I saw why we were all stopped.
There was a man walking across the busy street
A man walking slowly in the crosswalk, back bent, his wispy red hair blowing in the wind, his blue overalls in need of a good washing.
A makeshift sign hung around his neck, and it read "Caution: I have Crohns disease".
He looked to be coughing, but he was actually laughing.
And looking at me
Laughing at me
As if to say
"Melanie Thomas, you are blessed that you can move so fast and you have somewhere to be."
And he was laughing at me because he could see into my heart
And he could plainly see that I was taking my life for granted.



From August 3, 2012 Women of Color Writing Workshop. 7 minute timed prompt.
Writing prompts: traffic sign, blue, Crohns disease, laughing, Melanie Thomas

(Don't forget! This is 7th Bloggaversary Week! Comment to win that top prize - $77 gift card! See post for details)

11 comments:

  1. I love the writing prompt stories, all this from just 7 minutes. Amazing! The bonus is that I might win some cookies or a gift card.

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  2. Your writing skills really amaze me.I'd need an entire weekend to come up with something.LOL

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  3. Yelp! I think we all at one time or another get caught up and take at least some of our blessings for granted. Moments like this one are when we see how blessed we are.


    I need one of the prizes!! Just pass it over the cookies!! Me and Solomon will aprieciate it!!

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  4. For a minute when I was reading the post I thought this was a poem. Until I got to the end and realized that this actually happened.
    I hope to win the gift card or cookies...because I already have the Silver Sparrow ;)

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  5. Something almost identical happened to me not too long ago. I was trying to make a right turn on a green arrow when the car in front of me was not moving. As soon as I was about to blow my horn, I see an elderly woman walking across the street with a walker. I sat back and wondered where she was walking to/from and where was her family to give her a ride.

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  6. @all... Glad you liked... This has happened to me several times.

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  7. This story reminds me of an older lady that Ty and I see as we are going to my grandmother's house. She stand out there and waves whenever we pass by. In the beginning Ty would ask if I knew her. I told him no but maybe she just needs someone to care.

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  8. That right there ... that was ALL that.

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  9. Umm...I'm in agreeance w/ chele! Girl your way w/ words is AMAZING!

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  10. This post right her remind me of the lady in church.. One day the picture was preaching about thanking God for life and still be able to give him the praise despite your situations. This lil lady in her walker pushed herself all the way to the front of the church from the back and across the front to say " I may have to walk with a walker and it may take me some time, but I will still praise the lord".

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Slap the *crickets* out the way, kindly step up to the mike, and SAY something!!