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Short Stories Miscellaneous Stories Inspiration
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Inspiration |
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| Written by David Neve | |
| Tuesday, 25 March 2008 | |
| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 March 2008 ) |
Annie sat with her back against the giant oak tree and watched the group at the swing sets. Visiting here always brought her comfort, perhaps because of the feeling of being near family; perhaps it's because of the anonymity. Life had been a roller coaster for the last few years, and here time just seemed to stop, and she was a regular person once again.
"Hello, may I join you?"
Annie looked up to see an older gentleman standing beside her.
"Certainly"
The gentleman took a seat next to her and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly, "It's a beautiful day isn't it? The sun is shining, everyone's out in the yard playing." He stopped speaking for a moment, looking at her, "Say, do I know you?"
"Well, maybe you've seen me before, my name is..."
"Maria Cantu! Maria Cantu... Well, this is an unexpected pleasure. I somehow never pictured you in a place like this."
"Annie Silva, actually. Maria is my screen name." She smiled and extending her hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, you are?"
"Oh, I'm so very sorry. Donald Christian, Don if you wish. My goodness, I can't believe I'm sitting next to you."
"Oh Don, please stop; you're embarrassing me! I'm an actress; really, it's just a job not unlike any other. If you must find somebody to admire, admire that wonderful woman over there with that group at the swings. Now there is a heroine."
"Ah yes, there truly stands a heroine. In fact, she is the very person that I have come to visit."
"You know her?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, she's my daughter. She is my inspiration, my Connie. She changed my life that sweet little angel did. I had lived through fifty seven years and two marriages and I had no idea what life was about until she showed me."
"You are very proud of her."
"Very. She did something for me that nobody and nothing had been able to. She taught me true love, compassion. Look at this place. Before my little angel, I would never have been able to visit a place like this."
The admiration and pride in his eyes was evident as he spoke, "Look. There is my daughter pushing a grown man on a swing. I remember when she was very young; she would sit on my lap and tell me that she wanted to help people. She didn't know how, but she knew she wanted to help. Annie, I was raised to believe that the people that live in places like this, people that needed this kind of help, were hopeless. I believed they were not worth the effort of keeping them healthy. People like this were hidden away, shunned by everyone in the village, their families ashamed.
I see my little girl out there with them and I see the joy in her eyes, the laughter in their voices; I feel so ashamed of myself, so ashamed for my people. She showed me what love truly is. Not just love for a person, but love for humanity.
And you, Miss ‘I'm just an actress'? How do you make seven movies that nobody can resist going to see and stay ‘just an actress'? Everybody adores you. I don't know... If I were in your shoes they'd have to make all of the doors in my house twice as wide to make room for my head. Where does you inspiration come from?"
Annie smiled, "My father is my inspiration, Don. He taught me so much about life, people, and feelings... No matter what he came up against, he always went directly at his target with a smile on his face. Obstacles were just minor inconveniences to him. He always believed that he would succeed. Maybe not in business, but in life - the real challenge.
And friends? You know Don; I cannot remember a time when my father didn't have a crowd around him. Laughing, giggling, talking. Oh, he ran into his fair share of unkind self-centered people, we all do, but somehow he loved them too.
I think that the most important thing that my father taught me is that I am just another person in a world full of persons. He didn't mean that I wasn't special when he told me that; he meant that everyone is special - and must be treated accordingly. I do what I do to make a living, but my living does not make me. That is how I manage to be ‘just an actress', and so much my father's daughter."
Donald smiled as he looked at the fierce pride on Annie's face, "He sounds like an amazing man, Annie. I would love to meet him. Does he work here with my Connie?"
Annie stood up and offered a hand to Donald, "Come on, I'll introduce you. He's right over there. He's easy to find, he's always the one in the center of the crowd. I don't think Connie will mind if we kidnap him, if we can get him off of that swing."
Comments (5) |
 03-25-2008 17:33, You are what you are, no who you want to be. You write amazingly well mister Neve! » Reply to this comment...  03-25-2008 18:59, That was truly the best Squishy I have read in months. Mr. Tarnoggin' what a beautiful and heart-warming story. Such musings rarely move me, but yer got me. Hey, thanks fer makin' me cry. Aye, but believe me heart feels lighter, and me eyes shine brighter. Err, wasn't really tryin' to do the rhymin' thing there, it's just one of them occupational hazards us Poets have to contend with in a world where so many words sound the same. Yeah, the was a most excellent story, written in yer usual creative manner I have grown a liking to, and I see once again yer've added yer purpose with intent as to not let yer reader go until yer've dismissed 'em. And that is the end. Be well me friend, 'Anna » Reply to this comment... » See all 1 replie(s)  03-25-2008 23:06, Yeah, it was a sweet mushy story, I expected something a bit weird to happen but youre tree story is my favourite and it was a simple sweet story about life.Ah nevermind, lovely, David you a very talented writer. » Reply to this comment...  03-27-2008 06:24, have nothing to say, but VERY NICE. » Reply to this comment...  03-28-2008 07:40, Good one, David. » Reply to this comment... |
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