A Small Wonder

While raking the leaves from the lawn this afternoon, I saw from the corner of my eye a little boy carrying empty garbage bags, headed towards me. "Hello, I'd like to help you rake your lawn!" He bubbled and glowed like nothing I've seen before. "Grandpa lives a few houses down, and I'm collecting leaves to fill in a hole," he explained. Of course I accepted his help, because after all, he had a hole to fill. He held the black bags open as I tossed in the piles of leaves I collected. As a bonus, I learned all about the adventures and misadventures of the nieghborhood children. Who's hanging out with who, and why so and so isn't his friend anymore, and which street has the best hill for biking, and his plans to become a "Tech Nerd" and DEFINATELY not an illustrator because he really doesn't like drawing.

Here's a picture of little Malcom showing his strength!

He'll probably never understand how he warmed my heart today.

Thank heaven for little boys :)
Think he'll be this much of a gentleman when he's grown a bit? ;)

Poem

Hi :)

Calculus

Dear Calculus Teacher of Asian descent,

When you said the "quotients rule" and scrawled long on the board,
I thought you had said the "coffin rule" and, mildly amused, had listened a little more intently.
Thank you for making Calculus interesting.
If even for a fleeting moment.

Your student,
Laura

Something About September

September came to me when...
That CIDER crossed the border from the land of theirs to mine
as the scanner beeped like a tiny trumpet of welcome victory!!!!!!!!!

Last weekend, I saw my Aunt stretching down to collect some leaves
To save them for her grandchildren who forget what colors look like when we're all knee deep in the white-washed snow lows of Winter.
When she picked it up and exclaimed at its beauty,  that was the precise moment when September smacked my eye with Red, Yellow, Orange, Brown and left Green behind!!!

September hid behind the big concrete wall of the college library and spooked me out of reading the book I'd just borrowed. September made me put it back!

September's the bully that forces me into becoming another year older, whether I want to or not.

September is where you land after the August rush is over, and just like my boyfriend Robin's flying dream, find that you more often than not land on your FACE and need to learn to fall more gracefully.You need to take a lesson from the leaves.

(grumble)
Someone pass the cider.
Because I love it.

Content by Laura Gabriele