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1st Place goes to: Jane E. Johnson Olathe, Kansas Congratulations Jane! |
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Jane's Bio: Jane E. Johnson is originally from Philadelphia Pa, but now claims Olathe, KS as her home with husband and 6, 5 no it's down to 4 children now. One got married in November and another is off to College at Kansas State Univ. Jane just received her Bachelor's degree in English Literature 25 years after first setting foot on campus. She has always had a dream to write books for children. She has a 500 page middle-grade fantasy manuscript that is almost ready to send out and has started sending out magazine submissions again after about nine years. Her entry is loosely based on true events and is dedicated to her stepdad Mike, who is very ill and whom she'd love to take to Reno. |
Funding a Memory
By Jane E. Johnson
Three-hundred dollars a month and a paid off car might have been something to celebrate, if JB hadn't just driven that paid off mini-van 800 miles to help her mother bring her step-dad home from the hospital.
The final payment was made automatically and would have completely slipped JB's mind if her brothers hadn't started reminiscing about the famous 1974 trip.
"How many of us did we have in that broken down VW Pop-top camper?" Mark asked.
"I think there were twenty kids, two dogs and three cats," Mitch answered.
Sitting propped up in the hospital bed, their dad laughed, the slow hum of the oxygen machine almost smothering the quiet sounds of his once resounding voice.
As the others continued to share the story of the family vacation that had included all nine siblings, steps, halves and wholes, JB found herself staring at him. Her mind could not wrap itself around the idea that this man whom she had called father since she was six years old could possibly just not be there any more. Life had been all about making memories. Did the last memory of him have to be watching as he slowly wasted away?
"Dad?"
Everyone kept talking.
"Pappaw?"
He had been called that for twenty-two years now.
Everyone stopped and looked at JB.
"We're taking a trip."
"JB, you know his health isn't . . . "
"Let her talk Reb," he said, his raspy voice spoke his wife's pet name while he smiled at JB. "What do you have in mind?"
"Where do you want to go?"
He stopped and looked at the T.V., which was still reporting about the life going on all around them, though no one was watching. "I've never been to Reno."
"Reno is several hundred . . . "
"Reb. . . "
"We will wait and see if the pneumonia subsides and get an okay from the doctors, Mom."
"He has to take twenty medications, check his blood sugar, blood pressure . . ."
"You have to consider his comfort on such a long trip," Mark sent JB a 'have you gone mad' look.
"Where will the money come from?" Mitch asked.
"I will take care of everything," JB said, catching a look of hope and confidence in her dad's eye.
Three weeks later an old man walked slowly to his front door. His wife scurried around, quickly gathering up his medications, diabetic paraphernalia, blood pressure cuff, thermometer . . .
"I hope the two of you enjoy yourselves," she said.
As he opened the door the bright rays of the sun glistened off a shimmering recreational vehicle.
"JB, what have you gone and done now?" her mother exclaimed.
JB's smile glistened more brightly than the shimmering recreational vehicle.
"Well, Jitter Bug," he said, "it's not a VW pop-top camper, but it'll do."
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