Wednesday's Words on a Friday

 

The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles. Sadly, Delores has now closed her blog forever due to other problems.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.

If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along to read it and add a few encouraging words.

This month the words/prompts are supplied by  David M Gascoigne and can be found here

This week's words/prompts are: 

1. aghast 

2. snivel 

3. beautiful 

4. magnanimous 

5. frogmarch 

6. spoonfeed 

and/or: 

1. shoulder 

2. knot 

3. frenzy 

4. wicket 

5. wriggle 

6. visible 

Here is my story: 

I stared aghast at the small creature quivering before me. My desire to appear magnanimous, might have backfired. Taking in the youngest of my brother’s children hadn’t really been my idea. I had thought instead of supplying my brother with wads of cash, but my wife had pooh-poohed that decision. “Money doesn’t solve everything,” she’d said. “The man would just drink and gamble it away and what was left, his wife would drink away.” The older children, both girls, had been taken by the wife’s relatives and now the boy, cheeks wet with tears and nose running like a hose, looked up at me as if frightened that I might eat him or something. Of course I couldn’t send him back, the parents were now in rehabilitation centres as ordered by the judge. Putting the child in foster care didn’t seem right either.

I handed him a large white handkerchief with orders to wipe his face and “please don’t snivel anymore.” He did so and my wife smiled at him.  “There now, isn’t that better? You’ll soon get used to us, and we will get used to you. I am sorry that we have never met before, your parents did seem to move around a lot, we were never quite sure where you would be from one month to the next.” “Living like gypsies,” I said, “always running from one creditor or another. I suppose instead I could pay the money to the creditors and give the children a clean slate for a fresh start.”

"I suppose I should show you where you will sleep,” I said. “What is your name again?” “Jake, sir,” he replied in a quiet voice. “Come this way, Jake,” I said and led him across the room to the stairs. We have a room that should be suitable, not too big, but not tiny either. Do you have clothes or toys with you?” “Only this little bag sir,” he replied. “Now young man, this sir business will have to stop. You can call me Uncle John,” I said, “and this lovely lady is your Auntie Toni.” “Tony is a boy’s name,” said Jake with surprise and Toni said “it is short for Antonia, would you like to call me that instead?” Jake shook his head and dragged his small pack of belongings behind him as we climbed the stairs.

I opened the door to a room painted in a dusky blue shade and Jake’s eyes grew wide. “It’s beautiful,” he said, “blue is my favourite colour, how did you know?” “I didn’t know, but I’m glad you like it. Do you think the bed is big enough? You are quite small.” “I’m five,” he said, standing as straight and tall as he could.  “I’ll get bigger, I promise.” He turned to look at the bed. “Is it really just for me? I never had a bed all for myself before.” “it is just for you,” said Toni, “and our room is just across the hall, so we are never far away if you need us in the night. You don’t have nightmares or anything like that do you?” “No,” said Jake. “I just sleep.”

“Right then,” I said. “Unpack your things and put them in the drawers and then we’ll go down to the kitchen. Toni has cooked a few things that we think small boys like, it’s been a long time since I was a boy, I was quite grown up when your father was born." The unpacking of a pitifully small amount of grungy looking clothing was accomplished in just a few minutes and we made our way to the kitchen where Toni had set out several dishes.

 I said. “Do we have to spoonfeed you like a baby or can you manage a knife and fork?” A cheeky grin appeared on his face as he said, “You really don’t remember about being five do you Uncle John?” In that moment he looked so much like his father, Ray, I felt a knot in my chest. How had Ray turned out so badly? What had gone so wrong in his life? Placing my hand on Jake’s shoulder I guided him to a chair then we watched in amazement as he undertook such a frenzy of eating we thought he might choke. He did soon enough slow down though and after gulping down a glass of milk said,” it’s all so good. I’ve never seen this much food all at once.”

 A huge yawn followed and we decided he should go to bed early. Tomorrow would be soon enough to show him the rest of the house, including the bathroom. He did rather look as if he didn’t get a decent wash very often, but tonight we’d skip it and let him sleep. Later, as we were taking ourselves to bed, we peeked in and discovered he had wriggled so far under the comforter only a small tuft of his curly dark hair was visible.