Thursday, September 22, 2011

Family Portrait

Not long ago I attended a writer's faire, where I heard a speaker say, "If you write a page a day, at the end of a year you will have a novel."  No, I thought, in my case I would have 365 pages of disconnected drivel. 

This is a sampling of my disconnected drivel that came out of the 500 Words challenge.  It happens to be in line with this week's Topical Blogger's subject of "Family Portraits."  Enjoy!


Molly likes breakfast time.  Her whole family has breakfast together – Mommy, Daddy, and her brother Bobby.  Her favorite doll Pansy also sits at the breakfast table.  Molly usually has a bowl of Loopiloos with milk for breakfast.  But today was Saturday.  On Saturday, Mommy makes pancakes.  Daddy helps her cut the pancakes so she can eat them easier.  She likes to pour her own syrup, but sometimes needs Daddy to help her.  Molly eats two pancakes.  Pansy does not eat pancakes.  She does not like them.

This morning Daddy made an announcement.  “Today we are going to a studio to have a family picture taken, for a gift for Grammy and Grampa!” 

“YAAYYY!!!”  Bobby and Molly like to do things for Grammy and Grampa.  And going to a studio sounded like an adventure. 

“Can Pansy come too?”  Pansy and Molly went everywhere together. 

Mommy said, “We will be wearing white shirts and blue jeans for the picture.  Molly’s dress does not match our clothes, but she can come and watch us have our picture taken.”  Molly was glad Pansy would not have to be left alone at home.  Pansy smiled, too.

After the breakfast dishes were washed and put away, the family got dressed in their blue jeans and white shirts, and went to the studio.  The studio had many, many pictures on the walls.  There were pictures of babies, children, families, soccer teams, and more.  Molly’s favorites were the pictures of weddings.  “The bride is always very beautiful,” she told Pansy.  “Someday I will be a bride, and you will be in my wedding!”

Bobby heard what Molly said.  “Brides are stupid!” he said, and pulled her hair.

“OUCH!  THAT HURTS!”

Daddy gave Bobby a stern look.  The look that says “You’re in trouble!”  Bobby stepped away from Molly and Pansy.  Pansy was watching Bobby.  She did not want him to pull her hair too.

Next, a man brought Mommy, Daddy, Bobby, Molly and Pansy into a room with fancy lights and special places for them to sit. “My name is Robert.  I will be taking your pictures today.  Daddy told me your names when you arrived.  But, Molly, I do not know your friend’s name.”

“Oh!  Her name is Pansy.  But Mommy says her dress does not match us, so she can’t be in the picture.  Can she sit next to you and watch?”

“Of course she can.”  Robert carefully placed Pansy on a work chair.  Her lacy socks poked out from under her pink flowery dress.  That made Bobby giggle.

“Molly and Bobby, you sit on this special bench.  Keep your hands in your laps, OK?  And Daddy, you stand behind Bobby.  Mommy, you stand behind Molly.”

Robert told the family how to tilt their heads just-so, so that they had the perfect pose for Grammy and Grampa’s picture.  Pansy’s head was tilted just-so, too.

“Look straight at the camera and say Cheese!  One, Two, Three!"

"CHEEEEESE!"

**FLASH**  The light from the camera was very bright! 

Robert showed Daddy and Mommy the picture.  Molly and Bobby wanted to see it too.   Everybody thought it was a very nice picture.  Daddy ordered pictures for his desk, for the hallway at home, and a special one to give to Grammy and Grampa.

A few days later, Grammy and Grampa came to visit Molly’s house.  “Grammy!  Grampa!  We went to a studio and Robert took a picture of the whole family!”

Grammy admired the picture.  “I see you and Bobby and Mommy and Daddy, but where is Pansy?” 

“She could not be in the picture because Mommy said her clothes did not match ours,” Molly explained.  “But she came and watched.”

Mommy said to Grampa, “And look, everybody in the picture has their eyes open, and we’re all smiling!”

Grampa smiled, too.  “You must have all learned that from Pansy.”  He gave Molly a hug and said, “Pansy’s quite the friend you have there.”

Molly and Pansy both blushed.


1 comment:

oneworld said...

Nice post.