Page 29 - voices-2022-12

GLEANINGS FROM THE GROVE

were a little tougher. We had a huge
amount of snow dumped on us, and I
could hear the wonderful sliding noise
and resulting thump of snow vacating

ours and the neighbor’s pitched roof. I
inched my way carefully down the incline,
getting closer and closer to the edge and
the twelve-foot drop into the garden

below. I misjudged that edge, and found
myself falling, the shovel going one way,
me another and alas, I knew no more.
My mother tells me she heard me go off

the edge and ran out the back door of the
porch to see me upside down in a huge pile
of snow, my legs kicking back and forth
while trying to extract myself out of the

deep snow. She called for my father who replaced by kinder, gentler, and “ah” thoughts
wondered aloud what tom foolery I had gotten of Christmases past. Favorite foods. Splendid
myself into and why I was wasting time when and meaningful gifts both given and received.
he came around the corner and saw the same Those who have passed on. Christmas is indeed

sight. Both were concerned about me, right? Yes, the most wonderful time of the year if you and
in the perfect world, their older son was now I let it be so.
deep in a snow pile, maybe unable to breathe, Oh, I do have one final vision. Not mine,
and most definitely unable to dig himself out, unfortunately, but from my younger brother.

and required immediate assistance. But the You see once I left for college, there was no one
reality was laughter instead, and to me what for several years to shovel the roof. My father
felt like hours transpired in brief seconds and had to do it. And one fateful day, a loud bang,
I was lifted out alive but gasping. No questions ker-thump, and salty language was heard in the

about my well-being, or was I hurt, etc. Nope, house from the outside. My brother told me that
not a one, just laughter. Mad, still getting snow dad had fallen off the roof, and that he was stuck
off my face, eyelashes, and hair, I took off for in a snow pile, his legs flailing away. . .karma!
the house. I was done. Bah, humbug to fond Enjoy the holidays. May you make a few

Christmas memories! positive memories this year with you and
Yes, the off-key, pitchy, screechy, and just yours.
plain horrible warble of “Memories” continues
to go through my mind. Yet soon they are

VOICES! | DECEMBER 2022 29