The Gospel According to Minnie

Even though her life was ebbing painfully away with arthritis, Minnie was an emotionally contented one-hundred-year-old lady. Though she'd unwoven many avenues, she wasn't going to sit and groan about 'arthur' visiting, along with old age. "Seasons come and go," Minnie claimed. "When I was a youngin' I thought summer wouldn't come. It seemed far off. Now it gits here faster than I can finish makin' my moonshine." She'd add, "I've lived far more than dat dar Biblical three score and ten. I treasure evar bit of breath the Good Lord puts out thar for me to grab--pollution or not. I might bein' a hun-durd yearin' old, but I ain't dad yet. Look at 'em. The leaves ovah thar are still turnin' colors. The snow'll soon be a'fallin', buds'll blossom agin, and then'll come my hankerin' for dem deee-licious July hotdogs." God would decide when she'd depart this world, so Minnie worried not. She'd grin, sayin', "The Lord's close. Yep…He shore ain't far. That is, unless He's plannin' to park me in th' 'Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum.'" According to the gospel of Minnie, worrying about tomorrow was too close for comfort, and yesterday was too far away to dwell. The beginning and end of Minnie's plans was within a 24-hour timeframe. When asked what she attributed as the reason for her long-life span, Minnie answered, "Livin' today. If I ain't livin' today, then I ain't livin', period." Written November 19th, 2001 © on Nov 19 2001 05:15 AM PST   0 • 8