Page 20 - Publishing Inspiration Christmas Card 2023

The Cookie Jar
(Halloween Help Conclusion)
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After I helped her get in her harvest one Halloween night, Mrs. Levi told
me about meeting her husband and how tough it was when he was called to fight
in World War I. When I left, I promised I would be back to help when I could and
would make sure I came back the next Halloween.
That was my senior year, so I graduated the following spring. Throughout
that year, I often went over to help Mrs. Levi. In the winter, I made sure her walk
was clear so she wouldn’t fall. One job I loved was knocking down icicles. They
would build up where the roof channeled the melting snow. They would get big,
and she was concerned the weight on the roof would tear her old house apart.
She was afraid to break them herself in case they fell toward her. If they
did, she couldn’t move fast enough to get out of the road. I would throw
snowballs at the ones higher up. But for the big ones, I would take a shovel and
swing it through them like a lightsaber cutting through crystal.
In the springtime, I helped prepare her garden and trimmed her apple trees.
Her only income was her social security check, and she relied heavily on her
harvest to reduce her food bill. She liked to plant her garden herself, but when she
finished, she would call and let me know. Then I would go over and put her ditch
pump in place so she could water the little seeds.
Mrs. Levi always had her cookie jar full of cookies. In the fall and winter,
she would add some hot chocolate to go with them. In the spring and summer,
there was always cold milk. As we ate, she would share more stories about her
youth.
One day when I stopped by to help, a lady was there. She was Mrs. Levi’s
cousin, Leah. I had heard many stories about Leah, so it was fun to meet her.
When I told her that Mrs. Levi had talked about her, Leah laughed.
“I’ve heard a few stories about you, too, young man,” she said.
It was the end of summer, and I had come to help Mrs. Levi get in her corn
and other vegetables that were ready. I needed to head off to college soon and
wanted to make sure she was taken care of. After I helped with some things, the
three of us sat down to some cookies and cold milk.
“Still got your old cookie jar, I see,” Leah said.
Mrs. Levi nodded. “It means a lot to me, being the only present William

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