Ivy looked long and hard into the mirror, was going to a Graduation Party with Della Manspeak. It had been a long time since Ivy bought any new cloths, in fact since Will had died she couldn't remember buying anything new. To her surprise her favorite slacks were much roomier than she remembered, and the blazer buttoned much better, she chose a necklace with a smiling. shimmering moonface, a gift on her last birthday with Will. "Not bad for an old farmwife."
Though Ivy would have much preferred to wear her gardening clogs, she choose her most comfy flats. This was her first trip out into the social world, and it took everything she had not to turn and run back into the safety of her home. Wes had been her paperboy for years until his younger brother took over. She had watched those boys grow up., and no matter how nervous she got she was going to the party.
"Can't forget to lock the back door, can I, Mr. Chips!" she said as she covered his cage. Then walking into the kitchen she paused to look out the window at the creek. and her thoughts drifted back to when the boys would congregate down by the creek, build a fire and cook, more like burn, hot dogs. One of them hung a rope in an oak tree and one by one the swung across the creek, then they all realized that they couldn't swing back across. Roused from her revelries by Della's knock at the kitchen door, Ivy waved her in forgetting that she had already locked the door. By the time Ivy had unlocked the door both women were laughing to hard to talk.
It was very late when Della pulled into the driveway, both women were still laughing. Della said "I gotta get home, have something very important to do." Ivy thanked her for the ride. And once inside the house she thought just may-be she should climb the stair and see if there was anyone to wave to. She kicked off her shoes and stared up to the attic. She settled into her chair and looked out over the town, and it seemed very different. Ivy didn't expect to see many lights on. but she waved anyway. One light came on, and Della was waving and Ivy waved back.
