Barbara Blatz
Artist * Writer * Fairy Godmother
Sweet Talk and Cottage Cheese
He took my hand and looked in to my eyes and said "I love you". In days past, I had also heard I heard him say that he loved cottage cheese and my red nail polish.....and with much enthusiasm, I heard him say he adored football. I think we need some kind of definition to the words used both for the feelings toward one's sweetheart and cottage cheese. Where do I go to protest? I asked him which he loves most; me or cottage cheese. He just laughed, kissed my hand with the red nail polish and turned on the football game.
My mother owned a small shop on the outskirts of the city. It was a charming little shop that sold fancy baby clothes. The shop had and upstairs and a basement below ground. There was a back door and a scary cement stairwell that lead to the basement door.
One day while walking home from school, I could see a policeman with his gun drawn at the top of one of the cement stairs. I could see a growling dog at the bottom of the stairs showing his teeth to the policeman. "Don't shoot Buddy!" I screamed as I ran down the stairs and put my arms around the frightened, trembling dog. Holding his collar, I walked him up the steps to the ground level and the feet of the policeman. "Take your dog home, kid, and lock him up." As soon as the policeman was out of site, I looked at the dog tags. His name was Frank. I took him to his address and his mom gave me a kiss and a dollar. Some stories have happy endings.
Frank
Road Show
The maternity hall in the hospital was quiet. The labor room was busy but also respectfully quiet. I was awaiting the birth of my first child. My doctor had whispered "it won't be long now". Shortly after, a nurse appeared with three small red pills in the palm of her hand suggesting that I take them with a sip of water. Reassuringly she said, "These will make you feel better". It didn't! The tiny red pills turned me into President Harry Truman and made things a whole lot harder for them. The pills also added a bit of levity to the maternity ward. My delivery was a big hit!
Kindred Spirit
When I was fourteen years old, I was hit by a car in the rain. The driver did not stop. Because of the drama of a hit and run, the story got around the neighborhood quickly. I was not badly hurt but the doctor said to stay off my feet for a few days. The next day friends began to visit. Jimmy, a friend from school, brought a boy with him that I had not met before. That boy and I became best friends; no, more than friends, we agreed we were kindred spirits. Although our lives took separate paths, we remained friends for all of our lives. Some say that kindred spirits can see each other's soul. As one who has experienced that rare kind of love and friendship, I know it is a beautiful gift from God.