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Dear Reader,
Lately, interesting stories have shown up at my front door.
One electrode was stuck to the right side of my forehead, the other was stuck just a little bit below my right shoulder, and the machine that was sending out the signals was attached to a pink belt around my waist. The belt wasn't a necessary accessory--part of my outfit--rather I needed some place to hang the Tens machine, so I strapped a belt around my waist.
Knock, knock.
Someone was knocking on my front door and while I was walking to answer the door, I decided to pull off the sticky electrode attached to my forehead, so I wouldn't look stupid. First impressions can mean a lot. (When I'm all hooked up, the 'Tens machine look' resembles something from a Sci-Fi movie.)
He was a big guy, the man standing on my door stoop. Not an overweight guy, just someone who looked like he could win any arm wrestling match, hands down. Before I even said hello, the man asked, "Hey, I've got two of those machines. Does that work good for your pain?"
"Yes it does." I was surprised that he knew what the machine was, and he made me feel so right at home that I warned him, "Well, since you know what this machine is, I'm going to hook up again here while we're talking." I reattached the electrode to my forehead and we continued our conversation.
"I have bad back pain issues," he said. This doctor, that doctor, all they want to do is cut. The pain pills, they don't really help, so I quit using them. Anyway, my wife said no more pills, because they made me sleep all the time when I wasn't working. I'm a tree trimmer with a bad back," he rolled his eyes, "go figure!"
The man and his crew were trimming trees next door and he wanted to know if the branches from the neighbor's tree, that were hanging down, touching our roof--did I want him to go ahead and trim them--no charge?
I sure did. What a nice gift from my neighbor and it was a delightful conversation with a fellow Tens machine user.
The chimes of the doorbell grabbed my attention.
I was lucky to hear them, because there was a party going on. I host family parties and we were celebrating two birthdays: Hadley, my granddaughter had six candles on her cake, and my daughter-in-law, I didn't ask, I just put four long, colorful candles on her birthday cheesecake.
As I was walking to the door, I could see a man I didn't recognize waving a package and then he set it down on the doormat. Instantly, I knew it must be an Amazon delivery. I opened the door, and in a festive, smiling, party frame of mind I said, "Hello, thanks for the package. We're having a party. Do you want to join us? Spaghetti and meatballs."
"Really?" He started walking back to the door. "Yes, I'd love to."
I could see he was really serious, and my mind was quickly racing through possibilities. Should I invite him in and introduce everyone? Is that too weird? Well, I do a lot of things that seem a bit strange, but they turn out to be lovely experiences. Wait, I can't just invite a complete stranger in (unfortunately times have changed), but I could easily share a plate of food. "Would you like me to fix a plate of food you can take to go? And we have soda. What kind do you drink?"
"I would love it," he was smiling, thanked me three times for the lunch to-go, and off he went.
I have a habit of replaying conversations and situations, so I've thought about that young man a lot over the past few days. I wish I would have invited him in, because it feels now, like it was one of those magical, unexplainable moments in life. My husband reminds me that I was still very welcoming to a stranger at my door.
There are lovely stories everywhere, maybe even at your front door. If you haven't entered this year's 14th Annual Write a DearReader Writing Contest, do it now. For rules, deadlines, and prizes, and to read last year's winning entries, click here.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
I'm waiting to read your story,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
This month's Penguin Classics book is THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF JOAQUIN MURIETA, by John Rollin Ridge. I have a Penguin totebag to share with a lucky reader. Read this month's Penguin Classics book and enter-to-win for your chance to win the adorable totebag.
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