A Summer Promise
"But mommy he told me we would do it. He made a summer promise," said the young girl.
It had been a long cold winter and like everyone else John was eager to get it over with so that he could begin planting his flower bed.
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Like an architect designing a building, John would spend hours each week studying the seed catalogs, researching on the internet and carefully laying out his plans on paper. It was the thing to do in those parts of the country, just to keep your spirits alive and your soul filled with hope for spring.
Retirement was a challenge for John. He didn't like being idle. He wasn't very artistic, so painting was out of the question. He tried reading more, but found sitting in one spot for hours difficult because of his arthritis.
His only daughter and grandchild lived on the other side of town. He often took the local bus to visit with them whenever he could. Cathy, his granddaughter, would sit in the bay window of their old home, eagerly awaiting the bus every Tuesday and Friday morning.
As granddad got off at the corner just across the street, Cathy would draw "I love You" notes in the breath fogged window where she sat. Like clock work John would approach the window and make a big fuss over her efforts. Then placing his hand on the glass, she would match hers on the inside and they would make a summer promise. "When the skies are blue and the robin sings, I'll still be loving you," they would say in unison.
John would take over for his daughter during these visits, permitting her to shop and run a few errands in town, He looked forward to this private time with his granddaughter as they made plans for the "most beautiful garden in the world."
It was late winter and the snow had been particularly heavy. The much anticipated get togethers often had to be canceled until the next week because the bus schedules were stopped whenever these huge storms hit.
I believe it was the inactivity that hastened John's retreat into the sad and painful world he tried desperately to endure.
Still, as the young child sat in the window each day expecting the bus to pull up "even if there was a bunch of snow," she would, in a final surrender to reality, place her hand upon the foggy window pain and say, "When the skies are blue and the robin sings, I'll still be loving you."
It now had been nearly a month since their last visit. Although the snows had dwindled down to minor flurries and the signs of spring began to show, John had finally given in to the inevitable. He could no longer walk without help. This would be the final blow for a man so full of life and love. Within a month after being confined to his home, John passed away.
His daughter rushed there after several attempts to reach him by phone. She found him at the kitchen table that morning. There spread out in front of him were dozens of seed packets, books and his garden design. He had been planning the flower garden he promised Cathy but would never get to see.
She was faced with the challenge of telling her child that Granddad was gone. When she arrived home, she found her sitting in the bay window waiting for the bus.
They sat on the window seat and carefully Mom shared the sad news. "But mommy he made a summer promise," said the young girl. "He kept it, my love," the mother said and handed her a huge rolled up paper.
The child jumped down off the seat and rolled the paper out on the floor. "Mommy, look at all the flowers. "What is it?" she asked.
Mom began to read,
"Dear Cathy, Here is everything you need to make the most beautiful garden. I promised God that if He gave me enough time to complete this, you would plant the most beautiful garden in the world. If you did, God then promised me he would send the robins."
Then choking back tears she pointed to the large print at the top of the page and read, "When the skies are blue and the robin sings, I'll still be loving you! Love, Granddad"
You can rest assured that in the spring the world indeed saw the most beautiful garden. The robins arrived early by the dozens. Granddad and God kept their "Summer Promise."
Author, Bob Perks
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Grafics From
The Garden Of~Eve
She Has Some Beautiful Flower Grafics
3-16-2002