Of parties, and primping, and phone calls?

So on Monday August 4th my friend Grace-Marie Talbert (Joey’s mom for those keeping track) passed away.

I had been fortunate enough to spend the Tuesday before with her. We had talked (she was ready to go) we had laughed (Grace Marie had made it her personal goal to teach me a sense of humor) and she had taken her meds. I was happy for the chance to take care of her. I truly love taking care of people. I had chosen to spend the evening with GM rather than go see my friend Kevin (who needs a blog BTW – it would be an amazing blog because Kevin is an amazing person) tell at Blue’s. This was a hard choice for me but I felt then that I had made the right decision. And less than a week later that choice was confirmed to me.

Tuesday August 5th was Grace-Marie’s 76th birthday (actually I was planning on going to see her Monday night with 76 cards – hey go big or go home) and I wanted to give her something, and it was important to Joey that she get to celebrate one more birthday with her Mom so she asked that people sing happy birthday to her. I decided to go to Blue’s this week and tell a story for and to Grace-Marie so Monday night Jim and I went on a long walk and I wrote the following tale. And last night I told it… (randomly my phone called Joey so she heard the whole thing - Laura did you do this? Actually nevermind please don't answer that. Joey and I believe that Grace Marie called) This may not be impressive to tellers or even to non-tellers BUT let me give you a little back story

3 (soon to be 4) 3 Apples storytelling festivals ago I took a workshop (really I was just tired and needed to sit and all my friends were in that room so…) on how to tell a story last minute (I guess tellers need this?) and I had a wonderful time Tony is a great coach AND AND AND I got a good thing coin (Tony gives out coins when you have done something brave or special in his eyes – I got one for my wedding day (it’s in my album), I got one this day, I got one playing telephone on stage, and I got one at my mom’s funeral – I can tell where each is, they are MY Olympic golds) at the workshop Tony and sadly blogless Kevin said I would be a teller in no time. And I swore up and down that *I* would NEVER get up and tell a story in front of anyone, being us we put a bet on it and last night I lost the bet (What kind of beer do you guys want?) but I got to say goodbye to Grace-Marie.

Well here’s the story – it is simple and childish and just what I wanted, enjoy!

The witch was an evil woman. Candice the witch was the worst kind of witch, she had no conscience. She would make up her mind and there was no changing it… On this particular day Candice declare that there would be no parties. Simply no parties at all… Not in her village, or her town or anyplace on Earth as the case may be. No big parties, no little parties, just no parties at all! The witch’s word was law and nobody dared defy her decrees.

BUT the witch hadn’t counted on one thing, Grace Marie’s birthday was coming up. And Grace Marie wanted a party for her birthday, a party filled with friends new and old. Actually the witch hadn’t counted on two things. Grace Marie wanted a party and Grace Marie was a force to be reckoned with. There would be a party, there would be friends new and old and Grace Marie would enjoy every moment of it.

As her birthday approached Grace Marie spent hours and hours figuring out how to have a party since the witch’s curse wouldn’t let her have a party just anywhere. She thought and thought and finally realized that Candice’s powers stopped the moment you stepped off of her Earth. And so she decided that she would have the best party of them all, she would invite friends and family she hadn’t seen in a long time and was missing terribly and together they would all dance among the clouds.

The menu was planned, the invitations were sent, everything was ready, most of all Grace Marie was ready. Grace Marie jumped into her chariot (a basket lifted by balloons of many colors) and set off on her way. As she stepped out on the clouds she greeted her loved ones, fixed her beautiful hair, and prepared for a meal of all her favorite foods and a cake as tall as she was.

As the cake was pushed out to her, all her friends and family started to sing (and could you all join me in singing this one) “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Grace Marie, happy birthday to you”.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Grace Marie had friends who wanted to give her presents. One friend in particular was adamant that she would give a good gift. Laura thought of all the gifts she could give the best would be to give the present of parties back… Laura thought back to when she was a very little child in her mother’s arms and how her mother would tell her the best way to get rid of a monster (and Candice certainly was a monster) was to kiss it. So Laura went searching for Witch Candice – searching out the very evilness that most people were hiding from.

All the day Laura searched across the miles, getting weary and tired yet never stopping her quest. As the day drew to its close Laura closed in on the witch and as the clock struck 11:59 Laura’s hand clasped onto Candice’s bony shoulder and pulled her down and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Candice shrieked and began to fade to nothingness and as she did Laura looked on and said “Thank you Candice for what you have taught us – even if you taught it in evil, we still learned the lesson.

Thank you and happy birthday Grace Marie!

And I really feel the need to send you all to a happy place after this so I am giving you one of my FAVORITE places on the internet... A happy place indeed
http://whoelsa.blogspot.com/