An Old Woman alone with Nature's Fury

Patrice was moving as quickly as her seventy year old bones would allow. She had stuffed precious pictures, letters, a few clothes, and the family Bible in a pillow case.

Her memories didn't need a container. She looked around at generations of lovely things.

'Surely, the Good Lord has blessed me.'

She was born on this rich black land that fed her family. She married a strong and gentle man, raised five children and nursed her ailing parents right here. They had been surrounded by family until they met the Lord.

Her handsome husband, Ephraim, had been laid on the very oak sideboard he had built for his wake. She had dressed him lovingly in his wedding coat with a bright red peony in a buttonhole. He was such a good Christian man but he never saw his first grandchild. He was so loved, people stood in line for an hour to say good-bye.

She had been without family for ten years. Tear-stained letters that had been read many times came from her children. Traveling was too hard on her bones and there was no money.
Her neighbors, the Beauregard family, were waiting for her. No time for tears; the "monster", the "Big One" was coming.

Outside, sheets of rain felt like glass tearing her fragile skin. She walked as fast as she could. Her hips were on fire.

Too late! She arrived just in time to see red tail lights retreating, their Lincoln leaving Patrice and Bojangles, the Irish setter Patrice had been looking after for them.

Her mind couldn’t conceive this.

Why?
Her children thought she had a ride, now the phone lines were down. They would be so upset.
Lord, what was she going to do?'

The wind pulled the pillowcase loose. The dog whined and put its cold wet nose in her hand.
She watched her Bible become part of the carnage in the wind. She knew her Bible by heart, God was still here.
She hung on to whatever she could. Branches were breaking as she tried desperately to get back to her house.
The sky was oily black.

She grabbed for the doorway, found herself in Momma’s broken rocker. Water was crawling up to her knees.
Bojangles jumped up into her lap.

She felt Ephraim’s strong arms giving her strength.
“Baby, I sure miss you”.
Floating by her in the debris, a full bottle of nitroglycerin pills beckoned.


By Kathie Stehr
Edited 1/9/11