Curb Appeal

          Curb Appeal

“When he lifted his head, she barely recognized him for the bruises.”

What kind of a writing prompt is that? Melanie really had no ideas about this one. There was no fun in that sentence. She only want to hear something funny, see sunshine, feel joy. She just knew that her teacher obviously didn’t care about how she felt. Letting out a big sigh, she got out her pen and notebook and began to write………

…….When he lifted his head, she barely recognized him for the bruises. One swollen eye and tiny cuts seeping blood. His glasses were gone! His wonderful handsome face so broken. Instantly, Lissa felt guilty that her first thought hadn’t been what his pain must be!

Lissa had gotten all dressed up for the prom and her date with Tad, the most popular boy in school. A new dress, a new pair of shoes and even a trip to the beauty salon. Ready to be whisked away, she had been ready right on time. Ten minutes past the tick of the clock she began to tap her feet. She began to shrivel up inside, sure he had decided to stand her up. Just as she giving up, her mother asked her the impossible. ‘Throw your coat on and run down to the corner store for some butter, dear. If Tad gets here before you get back, I’ll visit with him.’

She really, really was p.o.’d but whether at her mother or Tad she couldn’t tell and it just flippin’ didn’t matter. Grabbing her coat, Lissa slammed out the door. What was that on the sidewalk? Somebody throwing out good clothes? Lissa sniffed at the way people just left things lying around. Then she saw movement. It was a man! Lying on the sidewalk! Was he drunk? What was he doing there?!  One more thing to ruin her evening. First Tad, then her mother and now this!

‘Help me, Lissa!’

‘Tad? OMG! Tad!  What happened?’

When he lifted his head, she barely recognized him for the bruises. One swollen eye and tiny cuts seeping blood. His glasses were gone! His wonderful handsome face so broken. Instantly, Lissa felt guilty that her first thought hadn’t been what his pain must be!

“I tripped on the stupid curb and did a royal face plant on the cement! I was trying so hard to be on time. Your flowers! Where are they?”

Then they both began to laugh, all their nervousness and teenage angst gone. Lissa wiped Tad’s face with the sash from her new dress. She cleaned his glasses with her sweater - actually kind of smeared them and put them on his beat up face.

“I guess we’ll be late for the prom. Come on in the house and we’ll get cleaned up.”

“It is not so much what happens to you 

as how you think about what happens.”

~ Epictetus