Unnamed Manuscript- Ms. V

  I looked up from my position in front of the flower bed.  That damn dog was barking again.  Would they do something about it this time or will I, again, spend my afternoon fighting down the feeling of annoyance? This is not the county! Animals should not be left outside all day barking and carrying on.  He's losing "Good Neighbor" points by the dozen!  I grab my hand hoe and scrape a little harder at the ground in front of me.  Why do I allow this to get to me?  I wonder.  Cause I have a dog and HE isn't outside being a pain to the entire neighborhood!  So what if I'm the only neighbor home! He should be more respectful!

Oh damn! I just dug out the entire petunia having been so wrapped up in my self-righteous mantra!  A little chuckle escaped me, "see V, that'll teach you to be so high and mighty and not pay attention!" I scolded myself.  Argg! Ok, ok, three deep breaths, let the feeling pass. I sat back on my heels, breathed in deeply, (damn dog is STILL barking!...) out with the bad thoughts...breath in..."My God that Jasmine smells wonderful"...I feel myself starting to relax...Out goes the bad...("Inconsiderate boob--leaves an animal out all day...")...Breathe in...and ....there...I feel better, can't even hear the bloody dog anymore! I open my eyes at the same time I hear him call out,

"Jack, NO!"

I spin on my heel, thinking I'm about to be accosted by a large, black lab, but no. There he is, taking a shit on my lawn, right before my eyes!

"Adam!" I yell. "Get your dog AND his shit off my lawn! I can't believe this!"

Adam rushes over.  He looks afraid of what I might do to his dog, with the wild look of shock and rage so evident on my red face and my arms flayling wildly in Jack's direction.

"This is NOT OK, Adam.  I've had enough of your animal using my yard as his toilet! I've had it!"  I stammer.

" I know, Ms. V. I'm so sorry.  Jack got away from me when I was in the backyard. I guess I left the gate open." he said as he bent to pick up the dog mess with a baggie.

" Adam, its not just THAT! Although THAT is certainly enough," I said pointing to the evidence, "Its all of it!  Leaving that animal outside all day to bark and bark incessantly,  to let him run loose in the cul-de-sac while you and Lacy are inside the house and he uses everyone's front yard as his bathroom! Look at those Boxwoods, Adam," I pointed to the bushes between Adam and Randy's yard.  " Those Boxwoods are dying because of the urine left by Jack.  They were healthy and lovely before and now Randy has to have all of them torn out and replaced.  Is that an OK thing, Adam?  Does Randy deserve that expense because you can't be bothered to control your animal or have enough respect to keep him on a leash so he CAN'T defile other people's yards?  Its just not what good neighbors do, Adam! And you're a policeman for heaven sakes! You should know better." 

Adam was angry, I could tell.  Maybe I went too far, but I had to say my peace.

" You're right Ms. V.  It isn't what a good neighbor would do.  I will talk to Randy about the bushes and will do my best to keep Jack off the lawns.  But he likes being outside, and I'd feel bad keeping him locked up inside all day."

" Then make some arrangements for a dog sitter or take him to one of those doggie daycare things, or something.  I don't know. I just know that 10 hours of barking incessantly every day is inhumane...for the neighbors! Fix it Adam!"

With that I turned to get back to my flowers.  There--I'd said my peace and lived through it! 

Now to replant the petunia.  Ahhh, what pleasure I get from my flower gardens!  Pulling weeds, dead heading and cleaning up spent growth, watching a seed or bulb become something beautiful...it calms and delights me.  And right now I need some calm and delight!  I planted the two jasmine plants on each side of my porch earlier this spring.  Now, in mid-May, they are letting off a heady fragrance that gets thicker as the air warms up.  The small white blossoms burst forth spreading their gloriously sweet scent onto the wind like violins playing a solo.  Sometimes soft and light, sometimes strong and thick, but always a pleasant surprise.  I'd found some beautifully unusual pansies this spring as well.  One set, a jewelled tone purple with wrinkled petals and a yellow center.  Another set has faint lavender petals with deep violet centers and sunshine yellow edges.  My favorite is a burgundy velvet with slight white along the edges and a vibrant yellow center. " Ahhh, the beauty that is nature!"  I thought with a smile.

So lost in my admiration was I, that I didn't hear the car drive up. The slamming of the car door startled me so much that I lost my balance and pitched forward, nose first into the azalea bush. 

"Gram! Are you OK?" Enquired my granddaughter, as she ran towards me. 

" Yes, dear.  I'm fine." I sputtered. " Just needed a closer look at the flower dear, that's all!"

I stood up and pulled her close and squeezed.  She smelled clean and fresh, just like her name...Rayne.  My pride and joy!  What possessed my daughter to pick the names she did for my granddaughter, I'll never know, but it has been both a source of pride for its originality and embarrassment for its quirkiness throughout her life.  Try introducing yourself in grade school as Rayne Bo Brighten!  Even some of the teachers got a chuckle out of it...poor girl!

"How are you, Gram?"

" I'm fine my darling.  Just fine.  Come, sit up on the porch and tell me all about school and such."

We linked arms and walked up to the porch.  We sat opposite each other and I poured her a glass of sun tea.

" So your mom tells me you've made a decision about school.  That you decided to go local.  Which works out very well for me, I'll have you know!"  I smiled at her. 

" Oh Gram..." She smiled.  " Yes, I'm going to stay here an go to U of P.  Their drama program is very good and I can continue to act with the Community Arts Partnership while I study."

" So you are going to make the theatre your life, huh? Are you sure about this? Maybe you should minor in something else--law or engineering or something!" I stated, only half joking.  Theatre was hard work and even harder to actually make a living at.

" Gram! Very nice push for a " realistic occupation" Rayne laughed.

" I'm just concerned, Rayne.  You know, the whole starving artist syndrome. I don't want you to have to worry about money or paying your bills."

" I'll be fine, Gram.  I don't need much and you and mom have taught me well about saving and planning for the rainy day.  Besides, the Community Arts Center director has talked to me about a salaried position there so I'll have an income while I'm going to school and a position full-time when I get my degree.  I love being a part of the theatre and I will be concentrating on directing and production, as well as acting! So, I have all my bases covered. Really Gram, I'll be OK."

" I know this is a true love of yours, Rayne.  Has been since you were born.  Always wanting to be center stage right from the beginning!"

Rayne smiled at the reference.  She arrived 10 weeks premature inspite of the numerous methods used to attempt to delay her entry.  Stubborn little bella!  My daughter swore she decided to come that day simply because the doctors told her they'd been successful in stopping her preterm labor. Lindsay said the baby came just to show off! Maybe she was right, as I gave a sideways glance to the miracle across from me. Rayne was showing off and showing them up at every turn.  She delivered at 30 weeks, she cried on her own and didn't need help breathing. Her course in the NICU was rather unremarkable, not one setback, which in itself is a wag of the finger to fate.  She ate, she gained weight and she came home after only a five week stay.  She astounded us all.  My daughter predicted she'd be a star...she was mine, that much is true.

Even as a small child Rayne loved to perform.  She took dance lessons and sang in the Children's church choir.  She has a lovely soprano voice and she did her first solo at age 4 during the Christmas Pageant.  That was also her first introduction to acting and she's been in love with it ever since.  She averages three plays per year, and graduated from amateur school productions to the semi-professional productions at age eleven.  She's been acting professionally, meaning "getting paid", since she was fifteen years old.  She's done everything from Shakespeare to stand up comedy and improv and everything in between.  I guess picking the Dramatic Arts isn't any surprise.  I guess I just wanted her to pick a profession with good paying prospects.  But that would be my dream, not hers.  Rayne has her own dreams to create and to fulfill, and now she's on the road to doing just that.