Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: NOISE (05/03/18)
- TITLE: A Ring for an Old Goat
By Tracy Nunes
05/09/18 -
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“Shhhhhh!” They simultaneously whispered.
Abby warned, “Mom hears us, we’re in trouble.”
Tina frowned at her older sister and nodded.
Abby reached up to the doorknob and slowly turned. So far so good. Pushing in, she crept forward with Tina holding on to the back of her shirt.
From where she sat Granny couldn’t see the door, but the squeak of the hinges made her turn toward the kitchen.
“You heard that, Papa?”
Papa pretended to be asleep. Granny hit his arm. “Eh! You heard that?!”
Batting back at her hand, “What?!” Not waiting to hear an answer, he closed his eyes again.
Hearing nothing more, Granny went back to her folding, distracted by Wheel of Fortune on TV.
When they got to the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room, Abby waved her sister on while she peeked around the corner to keep an eye on Granny. Tina crept left, clutching an important tool for the mission. Abby waited until her sister crawled behind the couch and positioned herself near the telephone.
When Tina was in place, Abby snuck under the dining room table and slid back near the wall. Just as she settled in, Papa passed gas.
Granny gasped as she waved the air, “You old bag of wind!” Papa smiled but kept his eyes closed. From their hiding places, the little girls held their breath. Papa’s wind was notorious.
When the danger had passed, Tina took her hand away from her nose and pressed the button of the toy telephone in her hand.
Riiiing, Riiiing.
Granny put aside her folding and stood up. In her bare feet, she walked across the worn grey carpet and reached for the phone.
“Hello?” “Hello?” Hearing nothing, she put it back in the cradle and waddled back to the couch.
Riiiing, Riiiing.
This time, she muted Pat and Vanna and made her way back to the phone.
Riiiing, Riiiing.
“Hello?” A dial tone answered back.
“Darn phone!”
This time, she brought the wireless phone with her and put it next to her on the couch. Unmuting her show, she sat back down and resumed her folding.
Riiiing, Riiiing.
“Well, that’s crazy!”
Poking her husband of 55 years in the ribs, “Something’s wrong with the phone. It keeps ringing but there’s nobody there.”
Grudgingly, Papa opened his eyes, sat up and grabbed the phone from her hand. Looking it over, he handed it back to her, “I don’t know. Maybe you’re hearing things!” Just then, it rang again.
Riiiing, Riiiing.
“Ha! Are you hearing things too old man?!”
Passing gas again, Papa tossed the phone on the laundry pile and got up to go to the kitchen. He wasn’t at all interested in solving this mystery.
“Hmmmph, you talk too much anyway. Probably broke it.”
Just then, a tiny dust particle from the never swept underbelly of the table floated up Abby’s nose. Uh oh, …she was going to sneeze. Covering her nose and mouth she anxiously sealed up her face, willing the sneeze to pass.
“Achoo!”
From behind the couch, Tina snickered. There was only one thing to do. Laughing, she yelled out, “God bless you!” And the two girls dissolved into giggles. The gig was up.
“You two little turkey’s! I should’ve known it was you!” Papa glared at them from behind his fat, bushy eyebrows. “I’m going to tell your daddy!” They only laughed harder. Papa walked away shaking his head.
“Come here, girls.”
Breathless and still sneezing, Abby came out first, followed by Tina. They stood before their grandmother waiting for their punishment.
“Shame on you two girls for being so naugh-ty!” She emphasized the T for good measure.
They put out their hands and closed their eyes, ready for the customary slap for bad behavior. Instead, Granny reached out and took the phone, putting one finger to her lips,
“Shhhhhh!”
With a twinkle in her eyes, she whispered, “You leave this with me. Granny’s going to get that old goat!”
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A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22 NIV
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Nicely done.
Blessings~
Well done
Linda
Blessings~