your boat, gently down the stream … ”
Aaron started to run, but changed his mind and continued to listen to the shopkeeper. “ Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream … ”
“Is this a clue?” Aaron thought out loud as he watched the shopkeeper go back inside his store. “What sorta clue could it be?”
Aaron headed back to the library and decided to go around to the side of the building just to make sure the opening was gone. Once he saw that it was, he turned and headed back to the front of the building when someone near the building next door, caught his attention.
He watched an elderly woman, who walked with a distinct limp, try to balance several shopping bags, a box, and a rug as she approached a busy intersection. She stopped before she reached the crosswalk and dropped the box and shopping bags. The woman then draped the rolled-up carpet across her left shoulder, around the back of her neck, and down her right shoulder. The thick carpet rose up high around her until Aaron could only see the top of her hat sticking out the top. She readjusted the bags on her arm, picked up the box, and walked toward the street, squeezing between two parked cars before stepping directly into oncoming traffic from the right.
“Hey!” Aaron screamed. He ran as fast as he could toward her as he noticed an approaching semi-truck.
The truck driver blew his horn several times as he approached the woman. She did not stop. The truck driver slammed on his brakes and laid on his horn, causing the woman to jump and drop the items in her arms. The driver stopped the truck mere inches from the woman.
By the time Aaron had reached the woman, the truck driver had gotten out of the cab and was kneeling down beside her.
“Lady, are you okay?” the trucker driver asked.
“Oh, yes. I’m quite all right,” she said. “Run along now, and finish what you were doing. I’m a little tougher than the average grandma.”
Aaron assisted the truck driver in getting the woman back on her feet. They helped her gather the scattered items. Afterward, the driver returned to his truck.
The woman straightened her clothing and brushed off the debris. Her gray hair was gathered sloppily into a ponytail and covered with a brown fedora hat. A shabby crocheted poncho covered her black wool dress. On her feet, she wore combat boots over bright yellow leggings, and a large man’s watch on her wrist finished off the ensemble.
“That was a pretty close call, aye?” she said as she grabbed the carpet, shook it out, and re-rolled it before placing it back around her shoulders like a shawl.
“Why don’t you let me help you with that?” Aaron said as he reached for the rug. “Where are you headed?”
The woman smiled at Aaron. “Well, now. Tell me your name and maybe I’ll tell you where I’m headed.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” He blushed. “My name is Aaron.” He quickly scanned her eyes for anything unusual. He noticed they were the palest shade of gray and so clear they were almost translucent.
“All righty then.” She handed Aaron the rolled carpet. “My name is Zion. I’m not going far. I live just over at that building across the street.”
Aaron took the carpet, slung it over his shoulder, and helped Zion gather her worn and tattered Christmas gift bags and a box marked “ do not open” .
Zion headed back to the center of the street.
“Miss Zion,” Aaron began, “why don’t we go up a little farther and use the crosswalk this time?”
Zion chuckled. “Do you doubt my street-crossing ability?”
“No, ma’am,” replied Aaron. “I just think we’ve had enough excitement for the day.”
“Very well,” said Zion. “We will do it your way.”
They made their way up to the corner and waited for the light to change. Aaron gently held Zion by her elbow as they stepped down from the curb and crossed the street.”
“What a polite young man you are,” Zion said. “How’s your mother
Aaron started to run, but changed his mind and continued to listen to the shopkeeper. “ Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream … ”
“Is this a clue?” Aaron thought out loud as he watched the shopkeeper go back inside his store. “What sorta clue could it be?”
Aaron headed back to the library and decided to go around to the side of the building just to make sure the opening was gone. Once he saw that it was, he turned and headed back to the front of the building when someone near the building next door, caught his attention.
He watched an elderly woman, who walked with a distinct limp, try to balance several shopping bags, a box, and a rug as she approached a busy intersection. She stopped before she reached the crosswalk and dropped the box and shopping bags. The woman then draped the rolled-up carpet across her left shoulder, around the back of her neck, and down her right shoulder. The thick carpet rose up high around her until Aaron could only see the top of her hat sticking out the top. She readjusted the bags on her arm, picked up the box, and walked toward the street, squeezing between two parked cars before stepping directly into oncoming traffic from the right.
“Hey!” Aaron screamed. He ran as fast as he could toward her as he noticed an approaching semi-truck.
The truck driver blew his horn several times as he approached the woman. She did not stop. The truck driver slammed on his brakes and laid on his horn, causing the woman to jump and drop the items in her arms. The driver stopped the truck mere inches from the woman.
By the time Aaron had reached the woman, the truck driver had gotten out of the cab and was kneeling down beside her.
“Lady, are you okay?” the trucker driver asked.
“Oh, yes. I’m quite all right,” she said. “Run along now, and finish what you were doing. I’m a little tougher than the average grandma.”
Aaron assisted the truck driver in getting the woman back on her feet. They helped her gather the scattered items. Afterward, the driver returned to his truck.
The woman straightened her clothing and brushed off the debris. Her gray hair was gathered sloppily into a ponytail and covered with a brown fedora hat. A shabby crocheted poncho covered her black wool dress. On her feet, she wore combat boots over bright yellow leggings, and a large man’s watch on her wrist finished off the ensemble.
“That was a pretty close call, aye?” she said as she grabbed the carpet, shook it out, and re-rolled it before placing it back around her shoulders like a shawl.
“Why don’t you let me help you with that?” Aaron said as he reached for the rug. “Where are you headed?”
The woman smiled at Aaron. “Well, now. Tell me your name and maybe I’ll tell you where I’m headed.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” He blushed. “My name is Aaron.” He quickly scanned her eyes for anything unusual. He noticed they were the palest shade of gray and so clear they were almost translucent.
“All righty then.” She handed Aaron the rolled carpet. “My name is Zion. I’m not going far. I live just over at that building across the street.”
Aaron took the carpet, slung it over his shoulder, and helped Zion gather her worn and tattered Christmas gift bags and a box marked “ do not open” .
Zion headed back to the center of the street.
“Miss Zion,” Aaron began, “why don’t we go up a little farther and use the crosswalk this time?”
Zion chuckled. “Do you doubt my street-crossing ability?”
“No, ma’am,” replied Aaron. “I just think we’ve had enough excitement for the day.”
“Very well,” said Zion. “We will do it your way.”
They made their way up to the corner and waited for the light to change. Aaron gently held Zion by her elbow as they stepped down from the curb and crossed the street.”
“What a polite young man you are,” Zion said. “How’s your mother
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