As Granny Mae watched the elderly Sunshine Club members enter the room, one by one, she noticed most of them acted like they just couldn’t put one foot before the other.

She greeted each lady as she entered the room. “How are you tonight, Suzie?”

Suzie rolled her eyes in disgust as she replied. “I just ain’t worth the salt that goes into my bread. This old back’s hurt me since the last time we met. I guess I'm just going to wind up in the Nursing Home before it's over.”

“Hi, Mamie! It’s so good to see you tonight.” Granny Mae reached for Mamie’s frail hand to help her to her chair.

“I started not to come, what with my old knees grinding and hurting like they do”, groaned Mamie. "I just can't hardly make it anymore."

Granny Mae moved on to the next lady. “Why, Jessie Lou, you have a new hair-do.”

“I hate it! I told that beautician not to put any teasing in my hair, but you know how these young folks are. They think they know everything. My head ain’t quit hurting since she started yanking on it with that comb. She's probably given me some kind of brain tumor or something.”

As the group shuffled around trying to get comfortable, Granny Mae remembered why they had named the group The Sunshine Club. Not long ago, the ladies were energetic, jolly, and happy-go-lucky. It seemed the room lit up when they entered. But something had happened to change that. I have to think of something fast to help these ladies feel better. She knew most of them were bored and lonely. This left so much time on their hands to think of how badly they felt. Pain’s real, but sometimes we just need something to get our minds off our troubles for a while.

Freda hadn't arrived yet. "You know how Freda is", whined Suzie. "Her memory ain't as long as my little finger. She'll probably come dragging in about the time we get started."

They waited a few more minutes and sure enough, Freda came in explaining that she had completely forgotten about the meeting. "You know how my mind is. I can't remember past yesterday."

"You can't remember past lunch time", retorted Suzie.

Freda got this confused look on her face before replying. "Actually, I forgot to eat lunch today."

Granny Mae cleared her throat to get their attention and proceeded with her idea. “I’d like for all of you to close your eyes and imagine that you’re back in a time when you were young and had lots of energy. Put your imagination to work and try to take the rest of us with you.”

Suzie was the first to speak. “I’m sitting on a tropical island, feeling the soft gentle breeze blow through my hair. It seems I can smell the pineapple. I can feel the warm rays of the sun beating down on my back. The sound of the waves slapping against the shore is hypnotic. I’ve been here before with Sam on our honeymoon. This is where I first learned to surf.”

Mamie leaned her head on the back of her chair, and in a hushed voiced, proclaimed, “I just wish you could hear that waterfall. It sounds like a band of angels singing a lullaby.”

Suzie pretended to be pouting as she opened her eyes and stated, “Hold on there a minute, Mamie. This is my dream!”

“I know, Suzie, but you and I have been friends since first grade. We’ve always shared the same dreams and goals. You’ve told me that story so many times I know it like the back of my hand. I even remember the part where Sam showed up for the wedding wearing a white sock and a black sock.”

"You're right, Mamie. No one has ever known me as well as you do, except for Sam; rest his soul."

Jessie Lou moved to the edge of her chair. “My most favorite memories are of taking a break from the hustle and bustle of my family and riding my Schwinn bicycle. Not only was it relaxing, but it was the best exercise; other than swimming.”

Freda chuckled as she moved to the edge of her seat. “Jessie Lou, do you remember the day we went bike riding with John and Harry?”

“Do I ever! We rode uphill, downhill, through the woods, by the lake, and on country roads we had never seen before. We rode until we were all about to fall over from exhaustion. What was the name of that country store where we stopped, Freda?”

“The End of the Line Stop and Shop” laughed Freda. “Believe me, it was definitely the end of the line. Do you remember all those sodas we bought to see if there was any money in the bottle cap?”

“Oh my gosh! I haven't thought about that in years, Freda. I remember there was a piece of plastic in the cap and the soda company would place coins in some of them. The four of us drank about six sodas each, hoping to get the lucky one.”

“I remember the sales clerk standing there twisting his mustache as he pulled in all that money for the sodas that day. Actually, I think he had his eye on you, Jessie Lou.”

As all the ladies talked, laughed and shared memories, Granny Mae couldn't help but notice how pain free they each acted. Suzie didn't complain once with her back, Mamie's knees seemed to be working just fine, Jessie Lou never mentioned her headache again, and most amazingly of all, Freda was having absolutely no problem remembering. Granny Mae had been right. These wonderful ladies just needed something interesting to help get their minds off their problems.


Word Count 1005

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