The Breaking of Waters at Troublesome

and finally said, "That was awful nice of Mickey to get himself all wet to save my rain bonnet." "Mickey is a well-brought up boy," I answered, "except for his bad habit of playing Rook with his grandma." She let that go right on by her. She did open her mouth, but closed it real quick and twisted her hands some more. "I was thinking," she said, "maybe we could get together this afternoon and work on our Sunday School lesson like we used to." "Fine," I said. "You come over." So, she did. And we worked on our lesson. But it wasn't the same as it used to be, even though we were both nice and polite. When she got ready to leave, she almost apologized, but she never really said the words. She just said, "I'd like us to be friends again." "I'd like that too," I said. And I guess I would. And I guess we will be, maybe. But, the Lord may still have to do a little more mending. You see, I don't believe for a minute that Lettie's rain bonnet few offjust by accident . And I feel that there was a reason my grandson, Mickey, was the one who savea it. The Lord works in mysterious ways, and I think He had a plan. But I don't think His plan has worked just yet. You see, I found out some things while Lettie wasn't talking to me. I found out I could get to church and back, without Lettie. I found out I could get my groceries home, without Lettie. I found out life went on for Velma Jackson, without Lettie. And I managed just fine. And I like it just fine. And now, I think I'm finding out it takes a lot of rebuilding to mend a friendship, once it has been broken. So, we 11 just wait and see what the Lord wants to do about it. The Breaking of Waters at Troublesome She trails the hills like a bitch hound at season's end nosing into crusted pockets of snow hidden still on the north sides. She will be mother of melting ice hearing its first words praising its fluted voice as it trills its tales of frozen feet. She will be mother of rivers as they gather snow-fed rivulets ripple small stones strewn by earlier thaws. As blackbirds ripen hatch and rise to catch north-current she stares upward, and in her swollen belly feels the first glad tightening. -Mary E. O'Dell 20 ...