When Given the Chance

 When Given the Chance

Meg Townsend was furious. She stomped from one end of the room to the other, flinging her arms to emphasize her anger. Her red face also testifying to her rage.

“How could Agnes Thornburg say those things about me?”

Meg’s daughter Miriam folded her arms in disgust.

“Mom, you’re getting yourself into a dither about something which is probably not true. How do you know Agnes even said such a thing?”

Meg paused in thought before answering.

“Not true? Myrtle Tillman told me.”

“Myrtle Tillman! Ha! There’s a reliable source if I ever heard it. Myrtle Tillman couldn’t tell the truth if that were the only option left!”

“She must be right about this. She said she heard it herself.”

“What that probably means is, she was told by an Aunt who overheard a conversation between two friends discussing a cousin who allegedly learned it from an Uncle who works with a guy who is related to a reliable source. That is probably as close as Myrtle Tillman came to hearing it herself.”

“Don’t you care what people say about your own Mother!?

“Of course I do, Mom. But I am sure this isn’t the truth. I know Agnes. You know Agnes! I would be shocked to learn She was spreading anything negative about you and deep in your heart you know it as well as I do. Some wretched soul with nothing better to do, started this rumor but people with good sense will see the folly of it. The smart ones will peel this onion down to its center and discover there is nothing to it.” She put her hand on her Mother’s shoulder and kissed her lightly on the brow. “I believe; No... I KNOW, you are one of the smart ones.”

“I’ll have my chance. You’ll see.”

“Mom, please promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

“By the time I’m through with her she’ll know exactly how I feel.  I can’t wait to give her a piece of my mind.”

“Don’t you remember what the Rev. Lloyd said Sunday? When you give somebody a piece of your mind a piece of your heart goes with it.”

As if she hadn’t heard, Meg replied, “She had no right.”

When her mother had calmed some, Miriam suggested, “Mom, why don’t you call her; tell her what you heard, and calmly talk about this?” 

Meg made no reply, but Miriam noticed that the stern look on her Mother’s face had slightly softened. 

Meg and Agnes were life-long friends. They had met at a Church meeting several years ago, when they were both in their late teens and bonded instantly. Both described their relationship as more than a friendship. It was not uncommon for those meeting them for the first time to mistake them for siblings.   

Meg spent the afternoon near the phone hovering like a vulture waiting for a dying animal to come into its line of sight. Twice she slowly raised her hand as if to reach for the phone then dropped it back to her lap. Miriam said nothing more; afraid that any word from her would only aggravate the situation. She felt it best, for the moment, to leave her Mother alone with her own thoughts. From time to time she would pass by Meg’s chair and touch her on the shoulder. Once she heard a ‘sniff’ and noticed a tear forming in her eye.

At 2:42 in the afternoon, the phone rang. 

Meg jumped as if in fright. She stretched out her hand; pulled back, then slowly reached for it again. Cautiously, she put the phone to her ear. 

“Hello. Oh…hello Agnes.”

“I…I’ve been fine. Yes, we had a wonderful Christmas. The whole family was together.”

“Yes. Of course, You know I consider you one of my best friends.”

“Well, I’m glad you feel the same about me.”

“Yes….yes…I did hear that.”

Miriam noticed a crack begin to appear in the hard demeanor which had shown in her mother’s face a moment ago. 

“No..No…I never believed it for a moment.”

“Oh, I know. How do these things get started anyway?”

“No Agnes. Absolutely not. I would never let anything like this come between us. Yes…yes…you are still and always will be my best friend.”

Tears were now streaming from Meg’s eyes. Her chin was quivering. 

“Thank…thank you Agnes for calling me and let…letting me know the truth.”

“No. No. I would never think that of you. Never!” 

The flow of tears increased. “Yes. Yes. Tomorrow about 2 o’clock? That would be perfect. I’ll meet you there for coffee and a chit-chat.”

“I agree. It would stop a lot of this nonsense if people saw us out together. (sniff, sniff).”

“Yes. Yes, I’m all right. I think I just have a cold coming on.”  

Miriam, who was standing near the kitchen sink and listening to the conversation, stuffed her hands into the back pockets of her Jeans and smiled.

 Meg returned the phone to the receiver; took the handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. 

Miriam stepped beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. 

“I’m proud of you, Mom.”

“I don’t know why you should be. I almost let a dumb rumor ruin a valuable friendship.”

She stood silent for a moment looking into the distance; reflecting on what had just transpired.

Miriam stood in front of her. He eyes alive with light. She placed her hands on her Mother’s shoulders; embraced her and softly kissed her on the cheek. 

“We aren’t perfect people, Mom. Sometimes we make errors in judgment. But…in the end, you did the right thing. An-n-n-nd” She drew the word out purposely. “All the time I knew you would.”

Meg held tight mimicking her daughter’s embrace.

“Why am I so blessed, to have a daughter like you?”

Miriam chuckled.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret. People tell me I’m a lot like my Mom.”

The embraced tightened.

“You’re something else, Miriam. Do you know that?”

Miriam chuckled and squeezed harder. 

“It’s like I said. Whatever I am, I learned from my Mom.”

This rime it was Meg who planted a soft kiss on her daughter’s cheek.