Dear Diary...An Entry

January 23, 2002

Dear Diary,

It's me, Dawna.  I met someone today; someone special.  Karen introduced me to her cousin Josh who was visiting from Monroe City.  We took him around to see the sites, if there are any sites to see in Chippewa Falls. 

First we went to the Super Value Grocery to see Karen's boyfriend; Bob works as a boxboy.  When we moved here we thought the Super Value Grocery was so cool.  When you check out the bagger puts all of your groceries into bags and puts the bags into a large cardboard bin with a bright number tag.  The customer is given the matching number tag so that when their bin arrives on the conveyor outside of the store, they can pull up, open their trunk, and the boxboy can load their groceries for them.

Bob had to work until 2pm so we made arrangements to meet him at the library then.

A quick waltz through town didn't scare up any friends so we walked six blocks to the high school to play ice hockey on the parking lot.  Winter in Wisconsin is very cold, but if you dress right, you can endure it for the sake of something to do.

Several others were playing on the lot when we arrived.  Josh was an excellent hockey player but once the wind picked up we all decided we'd had enough. "How about getting some hot cocoa?" Karen suggested, her warm breath condensing to steam as it impacted the frozen air.

I blew into my hands to warm them; my mittens had gotten wet and now my fingers were cold and numb.  "Sounds great," I shivered. 

Josh looked at me and removed his gloves.  "Here, use these."

I smiled my thanks as I pulled them on.  They were still warm from his body heat.  "Won't you be cold?" I asked.

"I'll be fine," he replied, pulling his hands up into his sleeves and then pushing them into his coat pockets.  We briskly walked the few blocks to Maninno's Café and Market to enjoy hot cocoa and pie.

"What are you youngsters doing out?  You'll catch your death out there!" Mrs. Maninno cried as we entered in a burst of blowing snow, bowling her over with the blast of cold air.

We chose a booth by the window so we could watch the passing cars and people.  Mrs. Maninno hung our coats over the radiator and laid our wet hats and mittens over a vent in the kitchen.  While we were talking Josh jumped up and ran to the door. 

"What's in the world," Karen began, watching him.  Josh opened the door just in time to catch the milkman as he slid on the patchy ice.  The glass bottles rattled in the metal carrier but not a drop was lost.  Josh blushed and returned to the table as the other customers cheered.

"Thank you, young man," the milkman said.  "I didn't think I was going to make it this time!"

Josh just smiled his gorgeous smile and shook his hand.  When Mrs. Maninno brought our coats she told us our check had already been paid.  "Mr. Oleson took care of it and said to thank you again, Josh."  She returned a moment later with our hats, gloves, and a tray of hot cocoas in styrofoam cups.  "This will help you stay warm as you walk back to town," she explained.

"Stay warm out there," she cautioned, giving each of us a grandmotherly hug and sending us on our way.

We arrived at the library with thirty minutes to spare.  Sitting by the window we were surprised by a light rapping sound.  Down in the corner we saw a squirrel.  "How did you get in here, little guy?" I asked. 

The squirrel looked at me, chattered wildly and climbed to the top of the bookshelf!  That's when things went a little crazy.  Leaping from shelf to shelf the squirrel caused mayhem and upheaval.  Screaming children, frightened readers, and frantic librarians trying to catch the squirrel while they shushed noisy patrons...it's quite funny now that I recall it, but at the time it was a little scary. 

Everyone rushed to the front door and poured out on to the street.  The squirrel circled the library and finally ran through the front door, down the street, and around the corner.

Bob drove up just then and we piled into the car and drove to Irvine Park.  The bear cages were empty in the winter, the bears taken somewhere warm to wait for spring.  We strolled along past the cages anyhow.  Bob and Karen walked hand in hand.  Josh and I followed, talking about everything from school to our favorite food.  Do you know he eats his pizza from the crust edge first, too?  I asked him why and he said, "Because the rest of it tastes better than the crust, so I eat the crust first and save the best for last."  Does that sound like anything you've heard before?  Go back and read my December 2, 2000 entry!

Well, dear diary, my hand is starting to cramp up and I need to get to bed.  Karen, Bob, and Josh are coming to pick me up in the morning so we can go shopping at the mall in Eau Claire.  I'll write again tomorrow night and let you know what happens!

Good night, diary.

Love,
Me

897 words

Written for the "The Writer's Cramp"  Contest, January 26-27 prompt:  In 24 hours write a story of 1000 words or less.  It must start with the date, January 23, 2002 followed by "Dear Diary," and contain the following six words in bold somewhere in the story:  six, squirrel, waltz, cramp, milkman, bowling.