The Rockstar Chronicles

Minnie

It was boiling hot and humid, but I walked along the sidewalk anyway, crossing the street in search of shade. Old trees reigned over the concrete, their roots lifting the thick slabs, cracking them as if to establish their supremacy over the flat artificial rock.

In spots, the roots had burst through, tossing the concrete aside. In spite of my stumbling over them, I couldn’t help but cheer for those roots, making their way through the dark underground to the surface against impossible odds.

The rustling branches leaned over me, shielding me from the hot midday sun. I strolled along the shady path, relaxing as I breathed deeply. Everything seemed old here, comforting. Like it’s seen the worst and survived. Not only that, thrived.

I sniffed as a delicate perfume filled the air, glancing around me in search of the source. But the sidewalk was empty, deserted. I sniffed again, moving forward, and the perfume grew stronger.

“Smells good, doesn’t it?” a scratchy voice filled the air and I stopped, confused.

“Who’s there?” I asked, curious.

“Oh, just me,” the voice replied and I stepped forward, peering over a huge green shrub. An old woman knelt on the ground, pruning shears in hand. Her pink gloves complimented the scarf tied around her floppy hat and she smiled at me as she sat back on her heels.

My gaze, however, was fixed on the tree above her. It was the craziest tree I had ever seen, with feathery pink blossoms exploding from every branch.

“What’s that?” I asked, pointing.

“That’s my Mimosa tree. It’s what smells so good,” the woman said. “Who are you?”

I stared at her, surprised.

The old woman chuckled. “I guess that was rude of me. But when you get older, you tend to get in the habit of getting straight to the point.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. I kind of liked her frankness. “I’m Lindy. Lindy Madison. I’m new here.”

The woman nodded, straightening slowly and leaning painfully against one knee with her hand. “Well, I’m Mrs. Crabtree. It’s nice to meet you. Whew, it’s a hot one, isn’t it? Even old Minnie here can’t keep me cool.” She patted the trunk of the Mimosa tree affectionately. “Would you like to come inside? I can show you around my garden once we get cooled off.”

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