Once Upon A Puppet

ICE BREAKERS (part 1)

"Ah.. yes just the two of us." the smile turned bluer but before Anne resorted to change of topic the woman continued. "he is my grandson, my son, and daughter in law died in a car crash four years ago and my husband had died a year prior to this accident." Her eyes were watery but the tears never left.

"I am... sorry. ma'am." Anne now regretted making the talk in the first place.

"It's nothing we can control but I must say with benjamin I had the world at my feet. He is such a sweetheart taking care of this old hag. But once I am gone who will take care of him"

the boy instantly shifted his gaze towards her.

"don't dare shed a tear woman! you and I are gonna live a thousand years and if you don't well die in peace." and he made the peace sign.

"Aha... we will you little smart mouth devil."

Anne seeing all this drama was touched and she giggled to herself. She felt at ease. Like she was someplace safe. If Theodora trusts them and if they are so... uniquely bonded then it was okay. she trusted the atmosphere filled with the aroma of chocolate brownies and hot chocolate.

The weather outside slowly turned severe like a simple disease turning into a disorder. It was a blizzard and Anne was sure Theodora wasn't going to return tonight. Perhaps it was indeed in Theodora's best interest to resign.

they had lunch at two and Mrs. Woods went through all efforts to prepare a feast. She was a great cook. "for the occasion" she had said.

"so your aunt told me you are a vegan?" Mrs. Woods looked at her eager to be answered.

"I am not... I just have meat allergies." Anne said as she filled her plate with pasta-salad.

"OH... REALLY?" Mrs. Woods rolled her spaghetti

"what's the point of those senseless animals when ya can't eat em" Benji tore a piece right off the bone of chicken legs.

Anne wondered what a vegan (a passionate one at that) would have to say at Benji's come-at-me comment. The interaction would be mighty funny she affirmed.

As they finished eating Anne felt obliged to help Mrs. woods clean up the table and do the dishes. She did so as she did with Theodora completely silent. But Mrs. Woods was of chattering type and would ask her questions as to was she comfortable or not that she can do the dishes too but soon Mrs. woods too started at the very private questions such as

"What made you decide to live here in this small town in the first place?"

"I just find it safe to live in a small town." Anne stared at the spot on her plate.

"Something happened? In the big city... where you lived?" Mrs. Woods looked at her.

"oh... yes and no. I mean I believe something did happen but I don't remember it." Anne sighed. It was unusual for her to even talk about this subject but here she was calmly answering questions

"Oh dear," Mrs. Woods gave her a pitiful look.

They again walked into the living room. Mrs. Woods glanced out the window, the weather was worse.

"I think you should rather stay... its too bad and I don't think your aunt will make it tonight."

Anne had no doubts about it.

the room was filled with silence again. Mrs. Woods started to knit and Anne joined Benjamin in his game of scrabbles. He had pleaded her to join. The room was like a pot, it had silence brewing in it along with the ingredients of Anne's thought and Mrs. Woods' thought. They were alike and different in so many ways.

"Anne dear, you are a beautiful creature." Mrs. Woods said. She was, in fact, hinting Benjamin of a possible answer. Anne laughed at this. "thank you"

"But your wings have shrunk." The old lady was in her rhythm

"Pardon?" Anne looked up.

"I find you capable of flight but you are afraid like myself. I find you like myself in a lot of ways."

She was a history lesson Anne thought. She could see the dents and scratches time had left on Mrs. Woods as it passed through her. At that moment she wanted to do something for the weak old woman because what she saw in that woman were kindness and motherly love. Something time could not take out of her. A woman with a defeated voice and a girl with a defeated past. A strong bond it was, something truly unbreakable. The flightless birds.

In her thoughts and calculations, Anne concluded. In all the things she could do for that woman Anne thought she would listen. It was the most she could offer to herself and the woman. She'll repay the woman of kindness with attention. It was a sort of an effect Theodora had rubbed off on her in one year of living together. Sometimes people who encourage others to speak to voice their thoughts are the ones with the bottled up words inside them looking for the right person to open up to.

"Mrs. Woods?" Anne had her shy voice back.

"Call me gran."

"Gran... I was wondering if you could tell me about your life?"

"Sorry?"

"I am intrigued to know what was it like back in the era when you were my age?"

Anne 'wanted' to strike up a conversation. Anything at all. Anything that could lead to her main question. "how is Mrs. WOOds like herself..."

So Mrs. Woods went on remembering her days when she was young and bold. She named all her friends she could remember and all her teachers. How they'd walk in the streets cycle in the moors and laughed and played. Mrs. Woods was old she was very old. Time passed, the soft snow falling in the loud wind. The evening the colors of the late 60s, Mrs woods a girl of 17.