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In Other Context:

In the Before Time

by Mary Greten

 

 

In Other Context: In the Before Time

by Mary Greten

 

loc's appreciated, attended to, and answered.

mgreten@xtalwind.net

 

SUMMARY: Grandmother Mulder tells a "story" to her grandchildren.

 

VIGNETTE G

 

 

The children liked to visit their Grandmother Mulder. Granted she

was frail and not always well enough for them to stay for very long,

but that did not deter her from telling her grandchildren fairy tales

and Mother Goose rhymes and stories of her girlhood.

 

One day, when the grandchildren begged her to tell them a story,

the grandmother remained silent as if she were looking at an

internal clock. Were they ready? Should she relate to them, now,

the events that took place.....

 

".....In the Before Time, there was a young woman, who because

of her beauty and mental acuity, was sought after by two stalwart

young soldiers who happened to be best friends.

 

"Not wishing to become the source of discord between her two

young suitors, the young lady requested a promise from both of

them that her betrothed and she would consider the other friend as

"brother" to them and part of their family. Both men agreed and so

she chose one of them to be her husband.

 

"In timely fashion, the young woman brought forth her first born.

Their friend and "brother" became godfather to him. The men,

comrade-at-arms, were assigned or volunteered for assignments

together. Soon however, the young woman's husband

distinguished himself to his superiors and was given solitary

assignments that took far and long from home.

 

"Always, when not on assignment himself, the young woman's

friend and "brother" visited his adopted family. One day, the young

woman's husband was called on another mission. He confided to

his friend that this mission was dangerous to the extreme and

extracted a solemn oath that his friend would care

for his family should the not unexpected occur.

"The young mother's husband's best man, stood well in her

husband's stead playing with his godchild, and pacing the hospital

floor when the woman, with great difficulty, delivered his friend's

daughter, his "niece".

 

"Then came a day, the young mother, by now quite acquainted with

her friend's visage, did not need him to say the words. She knew

her husband would not be returning home from this mission.

 

"A year passed, her husband declared dead, the young mother

allowed herself to be wooed by her husband's best man and

"uncle" to her children. She did love him. He, in the largess of his

heart not only loved her, but adopted her children and loved them

as his own. The discovery of his wife's barrenness was devastating;

but the two youngsters now bearing his name and love took

the pain away with their increasing devotion to him as their father.

 

"....His daughter was four years old when he returned to a home

not his and found himself "uncle" to his own children.....".

 

After the grandmother did not continue for some time, the

grandchildren noticed the stillness of her eyes, and tiptoed

out of the room. When they were informed that their

grandmother had "gone to a better place" the grandchildren

wondered if she had went to the world...

 

In The Before Time.

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