"The Empty Swing"

It was just an ordinary day, in an ordinary park. But this day was special because it was the day that my moms had chosen to take me, and my friend Puff to the park.
There was something mysterious about the sky that made me keep looking up. The clouds looked like circus animals. They were white and fluffy against the blue sky. The shadows on the ground were playing hide and seek with me. I would dart into the green fluffy bushes and then race as fast as I could.
The shadows behind me, were chasing me.
The shadows beside me, raced along side me.
The shadows in front of me, I chased.
The shadows seemed to grow long, and run as fast as me.
I could never catch them!

What FUN it was- feeling free in the park. I was running with my special purple rope in my mouth. My imagination ran wild like moutian lions, as I pretended to be a wild pony and no one could catch me.
I would zip this way and zip that way!

I had just sat myself down for a moment to catch my breath, when my eyes caught a glimse of some little birds in the pond chirping, splashing and bathing.
That was when I also happened to notice the Little Old Woman. She was sitting on the park bench. She was alone and sat staring at the empty swings. Her hair was curly, soft looking and white as snow. She was barefoot, just like me.
Curiously, I waundered over and sat down right in front of her. She did not look at me. Couldn't she see me? She just starred at the empty swing. She seemed to be DAYDREAMING. " Pssst", I whispered to her. She looked down at me for just a second, as I wagged my little pug tail.
Once again, her eyes drifted back to the empty swing. With a swift jump, I stood on my hind legs and touched her knee. TAP, TAP.
I wasn't expecting words to come from her mouth, but then she whispered softly, "If only I could,,,,- just once more, if only I could,,,,, just once more."
With a big leap, I jumped up onto the park bench and plopped myself down, right beside her. I gently licked her wrinkled hand. Her hands reminded me of a dried up leaf in the autumn.
Her sky blue eyes gazed down at me, and our eyes met. Our eyes locked. I did not blink. I did not look away.
I starred intently into the tear filled eyes of the old woman. And then suddenly, I saw what she felt.
I knew what she was feeling.
I saw where she had been many years ago.
I saw her journey now.
I saw the dusty road she traveled.
I could feel what her eyes were saying.
Some how, I just knew.
I stood on my hind legs and licked her face. Her hand slowly raised and gently, she patted my head.

"Come with me", I said to the old woman. "Grab hold of my purple rope, and let me help you get up". With trembling hands, and shakey knees the old woman grabbed hold of the rope.
I jumped to the ground and pulled, and tugged. Again, I pulled and tugged her with all my might. As the old woman rose to her feet, I led her to the swing. Her frail hands grabbed ahold of the thick ropes , and she sat herself down - right in the swing. Her feet lifted off the ground.

The old woman was still holding onto the purple rope. She had one end of the rope, and I had the other. I started pulling and tugging on the rope, and the swing began to move- very slowly, back and forth. The old woman leaned back, I pulled more, I pulled harder. Soon the old woman was swinging high. "Push me higher "she said. "Higher" . Her curly white hair was being tossled by the summer breeze.
Higher and higher the old woman and the swing went into the sky. Once again I heard the old woman's voice saying "Just once more". I pushed and pulled again. Higher the swing went into the air.
Shadows were casting on the ground, they were back and forth shadows. Shadows of the old woman in the swing.
As the swing slowed down, I caught a glimpse of her eyes. This time her eyes sparkled and she was smiling. She whispered, " I just needed to do it once more, you understand, don't you little puggy.
As the swing stopped, the old woman and I slowly walked back to the park bench. We watched the circus animals in the clouds. I taught her how to play High 5, and shake hands. I heard her giggle.
Suddenly, I heard voices. I turned to look over my shoulder. The old womans family had come to take her home. Litttle kids came running to her, kissing her cheeks, they grabbed her hands. They seemed so happy to see her. As the old woman walked away, she turned and looked back at me. She was smiling.
I stood with the purple rope in my mouth. Long shadows followed them as they walked away. I waved and said " Come back and we will do it again, as often as you want to.
When I was alone, I sat for a moment and looked at the empty swing.
Then I knew all the treasures the old woman had stored in her memory. The memorys she stored in her heart- she wanted them to last forever. I believe memorys can last forever. I am very positive.
By now my tummy told me it was lunch time, and moms were calling my name. I ran to my moms picnic blanket , purple rope flying in the wind.
This ordinary day, in an ordinary park, turned out to be very unordinary.
Tonight before I go to bed, I will whisper to my moms, "just once more- kiss me again- just once more."
Nitey nite my friends
love
Tweedles