Sunday, May 4, 2014

Ruth Long Week 97: Beachy Keen

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Picture 2


Ruth Long’s Picture Choice: One

Title: Beachy Keen

She’d never been one of those women who looked forward to retirement and grandchildren. The idea of sedentary life terrified her. Seemed like preparation for that final long sleep.

Besides, she’d been single since the divorce, fifteen years ago, and who would help her lug the picnic basket and mind the children, and sneak kisses under the sun umbrella, if she agreed to the afternoon on the beach the little darlings were squawking for.

But then, during a mid-week grocery store run, in the canned vegetable row of all places, she’d met someone. Not someone necessarily suitable, mind you. Not when measured against her social or financial status. But someone on whom, for some unfathomable reason, she took a chance.

He’d said, “For the same price as that canned corn, you could buy four fresh ears in the produce aisle."

She’d regarded the brown eyes and grey beard for a moment. “I appreciate the advice but this is better suited to my busy life.”

He grinned. “Sure but you miss out on the little things when you're in a hurry. The sound of the husk peeling back. The feel of the silks on your fingertips. The scent of fresh corn on your skin.”

She tried not to return the grin but failed. “Perhaps, but I’m only cooking for one so what would I do with the other three ears?”

He winked at her, the cheeky devil. “Dinner for two would take care of half the ears and cooking up the rest to make a nice corn salsa for an afternoon at the beach would take care of the other two.”

And that’s how she found herself, a few short days later, sitting on the beach, legs decorated by shells her grandchildren had collected, and back protected from the sun by the sunscreen the produce aficionado had skillfully applied, serving lunch out of the picnic basket and realizing the world of possibility the slow sweet sedentary life offered.

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A reader by birth, paper-pusher by trade and novelist by design, story-telling in my passion. If you enjoyed reading today's story, please consider checking out my blog bullishink.com, joining my creative community sweetbananaink.com or participating in the madcap twitter fun @bullishink.

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4 comments:

  1. Love the pic. Glad you chose that one. Such a cute story too! xx

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  2. A sweet little excerpt from what I'm sure was a growing happy romance.

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  3. This is so cute. Totally made me smile. What better excuse/reason to slow down and enjoy a more "sedentary" life than the sweet start of a new romance.

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  4. Nice little slice of life story...

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