[stylist] Revised: The Christmas Bazaar Monologue

Thu Dec 22 18:28:08 UTC 2011

Hi Brenda,
Thanks, I'm currently thinking about ending with one more sentence like:
Oh, goodness, there's the tea kettle. Cream and sugar ... isn't it?
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Brenda
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 12:27 PM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Revised: The Christmas Bazaar Monologue

Hi donna
I liked this.  I missed the ending the first time, didn't put 2 and 2 
together.  I do agree it ends abruptly.  Maybe somewhere in between the 
original ending and the current one.  In this one it ends with the 
person telling the story about Susan even though the narrator is in her 
living room several years (?) later telling the story.  Maybe just one 
little sentence to put us back in the living room again.  I like how it 
shows "don't pet the guide dog."  It would be nice to see this published 
in mainstream media somewhere.  B redna

On 12/21/2011 3:25 PM, Donna Hill wrote:
> Hi Friends,
>
> I've copied the new version below and attached it as well. I incorporated
> some of Chris's ideas. I hope the setting of the old woman's living room
is
> more obvious, that it's clearer about whom she is speaking and that the
end
> has more of a punch. Some thought it wasn't clear where this conversation
> was taking place. I had originally included a reference to Grandma's
china,
> but it wasn't enough. So, I added a few other things to drive home the
> point, so to speak. Thanks for your suggestions and feedback. Let me know
if
> I've gone forward or backward. *grin*
>
> Donna
>
> The Christmas Bazaar Monologue
>
>
>
> I saw Diane this morning -- Snyder, I think her name is now.  We had
coffee
> at Molly's.  It still bothers her, even after all these years.  Of course
> I've never told her that I saw the whole thing; she feels bad enough as it
> is.
>
> No, sweetie, not Grandma's china. Come over here and sit on the sofa.
>
> This won't last. She has so much energy, but we can hope. Where was I?
Yes,
> well, it happened years ago, when I was the director of the interfaith
> ministries and thrift shop.  It was a good job -- not much money but lots
of
> nice people, and Jim's practice was thriving, so it's not like I really
had
> to work.
>
> Anyway, every December, we would have our Christmas Bazaar for families in
> need.  People donated toys, mostly store-bought, but we received some
> hand-made things too. The Tyler's gave us adorable doll cradles - he made
> them in his shop and then she'd paint them.
>
> I had another lady who made rag dolls with beautiful peasant dresses.
That's
> one of hers over there on the window seat. She gave it to me when I
retired,
> said we'd probably be having a granddaughter one of these days.
>
> One old guy - I can't believe I don't remember his name!  But, he made
> wagons and other toys, yoyos and puzzles, that sort of thing. And of
course,
> we had Susan.  She liked to knit and she brought in beautiful afghans all
> year round - lap warmers, she called them - for our ladies in assisted
care.
>
> To tell you the truth, I was a bit skeptical when I first took over.  I
> didn't know, but Susan had been doing it for years.  I was confused about
> what to do with them.  What price could I put on them that wouldn't be an
> insult to her or too high for our patrons!
>
> So, I mentioned something, and Susan set me straight, said they were to be
> given away, either to old people or new mothers.  She told me that would
be
> worth more than any money we could get, and she was right.
>
> The first one that fall -- I'll never forget it -- it was pale blue and so
> soft!  There was a ruffle on top, and the sides and bottom were scalloped.
> It looked like a picture frame, borders of different patterns one inside
the
> next with a leafy vine in the middle.
>
> I went along with Joan - she had the elder ministry in those days -- to
> Jenny's place.  She really makes it nice for them, so homey, you know?  I
> remember that day; she had Indian corn on the mantle.Isn't it strange how
> some things stick with you?
>
> My goodness, was I nervous going there the first time!  But, I suppose
we're
> all a bit uncomfortable with that sort of thing, seeing how frail they are
> and the oxygen tubes and such.  I shouldn't talk; I'll be there soon
enough
> myself.
>
> Sweetie, hold still.you're going to trip over your laces!  Someday, you'll
> be able to do this all by yourself.There you go.She's such a blessing!
> Anyway, the lap warmer.   I didn't know who to give it to.  I looked
around
> for quite a while.  There was this one little old lady in a rocking chair
by
> the fireplace; she didn't have anyone, and she was so sweet.  Still had a
> twinkle in her eye, you know?  She was thrilled to have something
hand-made,
> said that shade of blue was her favorite color.  I felt great about it!  I
> still can't help smiling to myself whenever I think of it.
>
>
>
> That Christmas Susan made the cutest little pillow and afghan sets for
dolls
> and brought them in for the bazaar.  The pillows had a multi-colored
design
> on the front.  I don't know a thing about knitting myself, but they were
> like miniature decorator pillows, fringed and -- I can still remember
> touching them -- the backs felt like wide wale corduroy.
>
>
>
> Diane was one of the young mothers that year.  She had it rough; the
father
> of those children never lifted a finger to help.  Anyway, she came in and
> picked out some things for the kids.  I had seen her before. She had been
in
> a few times with the little girl while the other two were in school.  I
> always tried to talk to the customers.remember their names.make them feel
> like there was some connection.  Anyhow, I noticed Diane looking at the
sets
> and went over to talk to her a bit.  She seemed so down, wouldn't even
look
> at me.  She rummaged through them for quite a while and then asked if she
> could take a lilac one.  She said the little girl was crazy about anything
> purple. Naturally, I told her she could.that's what they were there for.
> She actually smiled at me.  It's the little things like that, that make
you
> think you're really helping.
>
>
>
> I didn't think anymore of it.  Then, one evening - it was just after
> Christmas -- I stopped at the market after work for a few things.
>
>
>
> I saw Diane up ahead. She looked exhausted. I don't think she noticed me.
> The older two were fussing with each other and the little girl was
prancing
> around.  She was such a beautiful child!  About three years old at the
time,
> I'd imagine.  I could see her looking across the store.you know how they
do
> at that age with their eyes wide and their mouths hanging open?  I heard
> Diane tell her to go pet the puppy.  When I looked up, I saw the Wilson's.
> She was with the shopping cart.  I guess she was waiting for her husband
to
> get something down the aisle.  Her guide dog was just standing there as
> proud as you please.  Oh, he was a beauty, shiny black coat and huge brown
> eyes! Murphy, that was his name.
>
>
>
> I guess Diane didn't know that you're not supposed to pet them.  I started
> toward them, but I was too far away to say anything. It all happened so
> fast.
>
>
>
> So, the little girl went running over to them as happy as all get out.  I
> guess she had heard Diane and then the little one running toward them,
> because she bent down and touched  her dog's head and said something like,
> "No, no, sweetie, this is a working dog, we don't pet dogs when they're
> working."
>
>
>
> The child was disappointed, of course and ran back to her mother.  Diane
was
> just about there anyway. I guess she had heard Diane coming because she
> turned right to her and explained it to her, about how you can't pet them
> when the harness is on and to teach her children to always ask.
>
>
>
> She wasn't unkind about it, I didn't think, but Diane . Well, I can't
repeat
> it all, but she went away grumbling, "What?  You can't even pet the
bleeping
> dog?  Who the bleep does she think she is anyway?"
>
>
>
> I couldn't believe my ears!  I didn't want Diane to see me, to know that
I'd
> heard her, so I ducked down an aisle.  It bothered me, you know?  I didn't
> know how to deal with it.  I thought I should say something.  I mean, I
> wanted to slap her mouth for one thing, and what kind of attitude is that
> anyway?  We're all human, aren't we?
>
>
>
> I said to myself, "Just let it go, it's none of your business."  When I
got
> up front with my cart though, there was Diane.  It was pretty crowded and
we
> were in different lines but next to each other.
>
>
>
> She said hello, and we chatted about the holidays.  She thanked me for the
> bazaar and went on about the kids all liking their presents.  The little
one
> was skipping up and down the aisle.  Diane said she particularly liked the
> doll pillow and blanket, couldn't be separated from them.
>
>
>
> So I say, "I'll have to tell Susan - she'll be tickled."  Then, I
mentioned
> that I had just seen her earlier.
>
>
>
> I should have stopped right there, but for some reason I looked around
just
> then, and there they were, the Wilson's, headed out - her husband pushing
> the cart, with her and the dog following.
>
>
>
> "There's Susan," I said - it just came out so naturally, "Just going out
the
> door with the black guide dog."
>
>
>
> Well, Diane lost all of her color.  I still couldn't stop myself, but I
> thought she should know, and I think it was as tactful as it could have
> been.  I said, "I want to pet him so badly, but you aren't supposed to,
not
> when they're wearing that harness."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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