A neighbor, a hefty woman with floppy arms, lived alone and liked children. Whenever I stopped in for a visit, she’d have a treat to offer me. She handed me a large chocolate Easter bunny once and then asked what I wanted for breakfast.
“French toast!” I sang, bouncing up and down. The neighbor put on an apron and shooed me out of her kitchen with her jiggling arms.
In the dining room, I sat on a chair with my legs swinging. I got up to stretch. I walked around and traced my hand over a flower arrangement, almost knocking the vase over. My eye caught a candy dish that sat in the center . . .
“Don’t you touch anything,” the neighbor called from the kitchen.
“I’m not,” I replied and returned the purple jellybean that I had licked.
A black cat-shaped clock hung on the wall. I followed the big, moving eyes and long, swinging tail—back and forth, back and forth, tick-tock, tick-tock. I gazed across dusty photo frames that filled the shelves and windowsills and wondered if any pictures were of her as a child. I wanted to thumb through her assortment of worn-out picture books and Life magazines stacked on bookshelves and the floor. But I didn’t dare.
The aroma coming from the kitchen made my stomach rumble. I heard her pounding footsteps and raced to sit back down. The neighbor put a plate in front of me stacked with golden-brown French toast. She poured warm maple syrup over the fluffy slices of sweet bread. I knew I never smelled or tasted anything so delicious. My one regret: eating too fast and becoming full too quick. Then I watched, horrified, as she collected my plate and tossed the rest into the trash. I would have brought the rest home to share with Mama and eat later.
(An excerpt from Running in Heels – A Memoir of Grit and Grace)
© M.A. Perez 2014, All Rights Reserved
Reflections From the Heart 
“Don’t you touch anything,” the neighbor called from the kitchen.
“I’m not,” I replied and returned the purple jellybean that I had licked.
This tickled me silly 🙂 … so like a child.
LOL She was none the wiser! This is our secret 😉
Boy I can taste that French toast! Another great article. So glad you have someone looking at your manuscript. First step towards PRINTING and No. 1 best seller! I pray the good Lord will open her eyes and heart to the message in your writing and the feeling throughout the stories that touches each heart.
Nice style.
Hey, thanks for stopping by and for the comment.
Ok – teaser much? I’m on the edge of my seat. When is the book out? Found you on bloppy bloggers, too.
LOL I’m working on that, I really am. You all are great encouragers 🙂
Keep up the writing!
When is the book coming out, Mary? I want MORE!!! 🙂
Awwww I so appreciate fans like you, Rebeca! Update: I now have an editor looking over everything! She will give her expertise on my manuscript, polish my synopsis and will even do a Book Proposal. Yay! Also the title “A Mary Heart” will go bye-bye (meaning it has not been a title set in stone). Still brain storming over that as well. So, Lord willing, the next thing will be to find the perfect fit – an agent who believes in my work. I covet everyone’s prayers, too 🙂
What a great piece. I love your writing style!
Stopping by from Bloppy Bloggers, FB.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting!!!