Leigh's Companion

A lawnmower buzzed somewhere in the neighborhood. This was a sure sign that Spring had firmly arrived and everyone knows that no one should stay inside on a day such as this. At least she remembered hearing her parents say that once.

From her window, she had often watched the two little girls playing in their backyard. It was a nice backyard, or at least it appeared to be from a distance. Today she decided to accept the invitation of the one named Leigh to play on the Wonderful Swingset.

The Wonderful Swingset was new and shiny and had everything a girl could want: a slide, swings, glider, seesaw and, of course, a monkey bar.

There was also a tire strung from a limb of the large English walnut tree, which stood conveniently near the play area.

Though the tire was old and had hung there a very long time, it was the single most important entertaining device in the yard, since so many comfortable and enjoyable positions could be assumed on it.

You could almost feel like a bird in flight if you stood on the very top of the tire and held tightly, swaying to and fro.

"Come on!" Leigh called eagerly to her companion. "You can play with me. It will get be fun!"

Her dark eyes sparkled with the anticipation of the shared pleasure.

"Now first you sit on the tire and I'll play on this!" the girl commanded in her most authoritative voice.

Leigh was a bossy child but perhaps this was not unnatural for a child of only five years who had not yet experienced the wonders of the regimented day known as "school."

Nevertheless Leigh was a lovely young girl, full of wit and one who treasured life. She was nice to be around and a good companion if no other could be found.

Finally settled comfortably on the swaying tire, Leigh's companion leaned her head back and felt the wind tug at her long brown hair. She closed her eyes, listening to the birds chirp happily in the trees.

Such a day was too good to be true, a delightful and unexpected gift from God, she mused as the world moved gently from side to side. She felt the warm sun on her face as it streamed through the branches of the trees and the tiny brand new leaves.

She opened her eyes, looking up at the collage of sun, shade and colors that whirled around her head. "I have never been so happy as I am today," she thought.

But her thoughts were jarred by a small voice calling a name repeatedly from some place that was near and at the same time far.

"Mom, Mom, come over here now!" the voice demanded.

Who?

She swung back and forth and tried to remember.

"Mom, Mom, come on over to the glider now. I'll push you this time!" Leigh said in her most tantalizing voice.

"Oh, all right," Leigh's companion sighed as she dropped heavily off the single most important entertaining device in the yard and then squeezed dutifully into the glider.

"Out here, I suppose you're the boss," she said as they swung back and forth easily in the wind.

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Leigh's Companion Watercolor on paper Pilgrim Acrylics on board