Tell Me a Story

Grandmother Remembers Aloud

“Tell me a story!” the little one says.

“OK, which one would you like to hear?” asked Grandmother.

“A new one!”

“Oh, okay.” said Grandmother. “You were a baby once. Did you know that?”

The little one nods vigorously.

“Of course, you knew that. Everybody alive had their beginning as a baby.” Grandmother proceeded.

“Even OLD people?” the little one looked incredulous.

“Oh, yes.” replied Grandmother, “Even old people.”

“Even old people OLDER than you?”

“Yes, dear, even old people older than myself. Now, let's get on with our story, shall we?” Grandmother said a bit wryly.

“Oh, okay.” the little one replied with a thoughtful expression.

“Once, when you were a little baby we lived in a really big place with lots and lots of people in lots and lots of houses that they didn't build for themselves. It was called a city.

It was so big you couldn't walk to places to get food. You had to drive your car or pay to ride on a big vehicle with room for lots of people that was called a bus. And when you got to the place to get food you had to pay money for it and it wasn't fresh.”

“What does fresh mean, Grandmother?”

“You know how you gather eggs and they are warm from the hens? And when we milk the cow, the milk is frothy in the bucket that we know is clean because we cleaned it ourselves? And, do you remember picking sun-warmed red tomatoes off the vines in the garden to have on our home made bread? That, my dear, is what fresh is.”

“Fresh, “ the little one responded, “is new and warm. And it smells good like tomatoes and baking bread?”

“That's exactly right.” said Grandmother.

“Did we have chickens in the city?”

“No, honey, we lived in an apartment in a building with many other families. Chickens weren't allowed. “

“I‘d miss chickens! the little one said forcefully.

“I would too, now. And our cows, and sheep, and the goats. I’d miss our worms, too! Did you know some little city kids would be afraid to touch a worm?”

“Why? They don't bite.” the little one said

“Because no one ever explained to them how important worms are. How they help us turn our carrot tops and apple cores into new soil to grow more good stuff to eat. Those poor kids probably haven't even seen a honey bee. I'll bet you they never got to transfer the queen bee from one hive to a new one like you did!”

“ Grandmother, I’m glad we don't live in the city now.”

“Me too, Honey, me too!”