Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Space (01/23/06)
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TITLE: HOME FOR SALE | Previous Challenge Entry
By
01/26/06 -
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ADD TO MY FAVORITES
"Glorious view of heavenly wide open spaces. Four large bedrooms with space for study or sitting rooms, spacious kitchen, three full baths and all the storage space you could ever want. Workshop and garage with space for three cars, plus an RV space. Don't let this one get away. Only $450,000."
I let out a sigh as I read the "Home For Sale" ad. Keep dreaming, I thought to myself. I laid the paper on the table as I rose and headed toward the door. The restaurant was crowded with more customers coming in than going out and I was caught in the crush. I was inching my way toward the door when the thought of "wide open spaces" came back to me. At least I'd be able to breathe.
Finally, I broke free from the hungry crowd and headed for my office. It was three minutes to one when I joined the crowd waiting for the UP elevator. The doors opened and everyone tried to cram in at once. I wedged in sideways for the ride up to the 17th floor, thinking of the "spacious kitchen." The unwritten, unspoken rule is that you don't look anyone in the eye while in an elevator and you certainly do not speak to anyone. But I was standing sideways in an elevator fuller than it should have been, facing the ear of an older, very short man. The whole idea of it struck me as terribly funny - and I began to giggle. The man turned and looked at me with a scowl on his face. Under the disapproving stares of the other elevator occupants, I struggled to regain my composure. Just in time, we reached my floor. I walked to my office, giggling again as I recalled the man's hairy ear.
I work for a large travel firm. We put together vacation packages as promotional giveaways. This afternoon, I was working on finding hotel rooms around our city. The Olympics were coming this summer and it was becoming increasingly difficult to find space. The city was full and getting fuller. My thoughts turned to the "Four large bedrooms with space for study or sitting rooms."
At 4:50 p.m., I gave up and took off my telephone headgear. I had only booked four hotel rooms all afternoon. Discouraged, I boarded a much emptier elevator for the ride down to the street. I'd had to park on the street that morning because there were no spaces left in the parking garage. It was almost dark and I was nervous as I hurried toward my car. Again, I thought of the ad I'd read earlier. "Workshop and garage with space for three cars, plus an RV space." I reached my car without incident and headed for home.
Fifteen minutes later I was walking in the door of my house. Before I could remove my coat, I'd tripped over my husband's briefcase, my son's backpack, my younger daughter's tote bag and my visiting college-student daughter's suitcase. I dumped my handbag on the floor with everyone else's bags. There was no space left in the hall closet for any of these items and - once again - I thought of the ad. "All the storage space you'll ever need." A sigh escaped as I walked into the kitchen to begin dinner. The family was gathered in our bright, not-particularly-spacious kitchen.
"Hi, Mom!"
"Hi, yourself!" It was good to be home. Everyone chose a chore and in no time, dinner was on the table and we were sharing our days over spaghetti with meat sauce.
After dinner, the kids went to do homework, my husband disappeared into our tiny TV room and I retired to our bedroom - that definitely did not have room for a sitting room. I sat on the bed and picked up my Bible. As I reflected back over my day, it seemed that everything, everywhere was crowded. There was no space anywhere, except in a newspaper ad. But here, with my Bible, in my bedroom, alone with God, there was all the space I would ever need or could ever want. I could stretch out, wiggle my toes, lean back against my Lord and look out over His "wide open spaces." Once more, my thoughts turned to real estate, but this time to the promise of a heavenly mansion with many rooms. And Christ had already paid the mortgage.
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