The Old Lady

The old lady looked cheerful and contented.

She was a good granny and a good neighbor.

The old lady always smiled and loved to talk about old times.

She loved to giggle and to make others giggled with her.

The old lady looked beautiful with her toothless smiles.

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The old lady had problems seeing.

It took her so long to recognize a face.

The old lady had problems hearing.

She had a hard time listening to what people said.

The old lady was speaking louder with every passing day.

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The old lady grumbled.

She wanted to see clearly.

The old lady talked to her daughters.

And she grumbled and mumbled every day.

The daughter finally came together.

They agreed to have the cataract removed.

They told the old lady.

The old lady was against the idea.

The operation was not guaranteed.

The daughters soothed, explained and coaxed her.

The old lady eventually gave in.

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The old lady was away in the city for a month.

The place was lonely without her.

No one giggled, no one spoke.

The old lady reappeared, calling us from afar.

She could see. She could see clearly!

The old lady giggled; happily smiling and laughing away with her toothless mouth.

We could see the sparkling tears in her eyes.

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The old lady continued to tend her garden.

The place looked clean, tidy and beautiful again.

The old lady took good care of her grandchildren.

Shouting and yelling sometimes, to get their attention.

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The old lady’s hearing diminished.

Everyone had to speak louder to her.

But the old lady was contented.

She continued to show us her toothless smiles.

And called us from afar with her good eyesight.

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The old lady had weak knees and legs.

She walked rather slowly now.

But she continued to be a good granny.

And she continued to be a good neighbor.

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The old lady did gardening one morning.

She fainted and slipped into the drain.

No one knew….. no one missed her until half an hour later.

One of the grandchildren immediately called his mother through the phone.

The mother went home with a heavy heart.

The old lady was brought to the clinic.

She was okay except for a few bruises.

The old lady returned home.

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The old lady stayed inside the house most of the time now.

No more gardening, no more talking outside the gate of the house.

The old lady continued to look through the door grille.

Giggling, smiling, laughing, and greeting her neighbors.

Oh! My dear old lady……