The Grocery Store

By Gammy

Gigi’s father owned a neighborhood grocery store. He sold meat, vegetables, fruit, and other items like soap and toilet paper that people needed. But the best part of Dad’s store was the big glass display of candy. Lollipops, pieces of chocolate with sprinkles on them. Caramel, gum drops. 

Gigi was in charge of selecting what kind of candy was put in the case. And she got to taste everything. Sometimes on her way to school she would slide open the glass case, grab a handful of candy, to be sure everything was still fresh. Dad didn’t mind.  Still there were many customers who couldn’t pay for their food. Some had lost their jobs or didn’t earn enough money. Dad would give them the food and say, “Pay me when you can”.  

Usually he would receive the money a few weeks later. But some people still couldn’t pay. So Dad started making some pretty creative deals. “Dad, I don’t have any cash right now, but I do have this beautiful lamp. Could I give you this instead?” One person’s bill was so large he gave Dad his piano. 

Sometimes his customers never paid him, and that was alright too. Eventually Dad become too old to run the store. Now he had time to sit on his front porch and watch the people walk by. 

One day a lady with two children stopped and said “Dad, do you remember me?” 

“Of course I do, how are you Annie?”

“Fine sir, this is Patty and Thomas.” 

Her children were a bit shy around strangers. They buried their heads behind their mother’s dress. 

“I wish I could offer them a piece of candy or an apple. Oh if I still had the store,” Dad said. 

“About the store,” Annie said. I want to thank you for giving me food long ago when you knew I couldn’t pay for it. I am older now and have a good job. Here is the 100 dollars I owe you.”

Dad smiled and thanked her. He felt so lucky to have had a store that helped the people he cared about. 

Stuck on the Tracks

by Gammy

When Minnie was a young girl, she walked to school every day, but not alone.  She was in charge of getting Sara and Mollie, her younger nieces, to school as well.  Every morning Minnie helped the girls put on their high boats under their long dresses.  The boots were buckled from the ankle all the way up to the knee, so it took awhile to fasten them. 

The walk was quite long too.  Sometimes the little ones would get tired, grumpy or hungry.  Minnie would entertain them by pointing out interesting parts of the trip.  But the best was crossing the railroad track.  Minnie would try to make a game of it. 

“Let’s look up and down the track, do you see any trains Sara?” 

Sara’s head would move back and forth, “No Minnie, nothing.” 

“Okay now Mollie do you hear any train sounds like chug’a’chug’a…woowoo? 

“No, Minnie, nothing.”

They would carefully cross the railroad tracks.  But one day as the girls crossed the tracks, Sara cried “my boot, my boot is stuck on the track!  Help me!”  Minnie looked down to see why the boot was not moving.  She pulled and pulled on Sara’s foot, but it was still stuck.  Just then Mollie tucked Minnie’s arm, “I hear something, chug’a’chug’a, a train is coming!” 

Sara started to cry.  Minnie began to unbuckle the boot.  If she couldn’t get the boot off the track, she would have to get Sara out of the boot.  There were 12 buckles.  Minnie would have to hurry!  She released the first two buckles.  Ten buckles to go.  Chug’a’chug’a, woowoo!  The sound was getting louder!  Eight buckles left.  Chug’a’chug’a, woowoo!  Really loud now. 

“Hurry Minnie,” Mollie yelled!  Six buckles.  The girls could hear the rumble of the wheels.  Chug’a’chug’a, woowoo!  Four buckles left.  The steam from the engine filled the sky!  Chug’a’chug’a woowoo!  Two buckles left.  Minnie could see the train coming now.  Sara was frozen in fear! 

It was time for Minnie to pull the boot again with all her strength.  Waaah!  This time it worked.  Her foot was free!  The girls ran off the track just in time! 

Sara was still worried, “My boot just got run over by a train, now what?”  Minnie walked back on the track to pull out the boot.  The leather was easier to push and pull once Sara’s foot was not in it.  The boot popped off the track.  Hmm it looked fine.  Minnie buckled the boot back on Sara’s foot from the safety of the grass.  They headed off to school.  The end.