With the rain drizzling down, I wait to be cued forward by the mechanical policeman with its successive lights of varying hues. As I wait, I catch my reflection in the window of a religious store. Among the articles in my reflection I see silver hands folded in prayer and setting on layers of blue and gold velvet. There were statues that are related to my faith and they carry me back to the 50’s and my Vacation Summer School at the Armah Parish Church.
During the early summer mornings the nuns would have the classes sit in the shade of massive old trees which stood around the grounds of the church. There I would try valiantly to concentrate on who made me and other Baltimore Catechism questions.
I remember sitting there in the soft grass as the breeze brought the sweet smell of newly mowed, Clover Hay. I watched a young man as he was cutting that hay in a near-by field. There is nothing on earth sweeter than the smell of newly mowed clover on a beautiful summer day. I remember wishing that he was here and it was me that was cutting that new hay.
With a warning from Sister, I was brought back into the catechism class. I stayed there until the wind demanded my attention. I could hear it as it blew through the tall trees and rattled the leaves. I could almost feel myself being carried along its path as it moved though the clear cool Iowa morning.
Then the clicking and clacking of the stop light brought me back to the present and as I waited for the next light I thought about my daughter Stacie Ann. She had just started kindergarten at the Seven Holy Founders grade school. I smiled at the realization that one of her tomorrows, was more exciting than all of my yesterdays put together. I could only pray that her life would meet all of her expectations.
The moving streams of people going by warned me back to the business at hand, for there were appointments to keep and people to see. Even with the rain drizzling down and a brisk fall breeze blowing in my face, I found that my soul had been warmed by a few precious memories of yesterday and a hope filled tomorrow, for Stacie Ann.
With a much lighter heart, I moved on to sell my wares in downtown St. Louis.
Mel Carney, 1978
Just
a few minutes of respite on the last day of the week for my sales pro
friends. I have attached a piece that I wrote many years ago about a day
of selling in downtown St. Louis. This is a reminder that it is
important to remember the past while enjoying today and looking forward to the
future.
News Flash!
Two
weeks ago I celebrated an event that only comes once in lifetime and that is I
published my first book. It is called Tomorrow’s
Road Home. Over the last 20 years I have been writing a story
at Christmas time to send to my family and friends. One of my friends
convinced me to put the stories into a book. Without knowing anything about
publishing I said I would. A lot of hours later a book that was already written
is on the E Pub list. For more information I have a website called
On
the web there is a sample chapter from the book under Memoirs,
along with some of my sales poetry and my first ever blog. I hope that
you enjoy the view.
Mel
