WALKING AWAY

She simply walked away ….

It was something she saw her dad do too …

simply walk away. Not a big deal….

When things get testy, just walk away.

Her mom would be criticizing her dad ….

When it became too much, he just 

walked away. So when her mom started

on her … she too simply  - walked away.

Their dog, now alone, seeing dad

and daughter gone -  knew it was

his turn to deal with a screaming mom,

so he started scratching the tile floor and

and then the back door - till she opened it

and he walked and wandered away.

Finally her mom - the yeller - figured

it out. Nobody was left to yell at.

So that day she took off her apron

and her scowl, opened the front door

and she too simply - walked away.

Surprise that night - all were back home -

including their dog.  Mom apologized for how

she was treating them lately. First time dad

or daughter ever heard that. Then mom

began laughing - first time they saw that too.

She told them that after they left she was

standing there with nobody left to yell at

but herself. Not wanting to hear herself yelling,

so she too walked away. Then three streets

away from herself, she saw how ridiculous

she could be so she walked back home to be

her old self again. And all hugged each other

and laughed. Then dad said with a smile,

“Anybody want to go for a walk…?”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2012