No computer, cell phone, credit cards or cable TV.
Can she not afford these things? No, that’s not it
she simply wants no part of modern technology.

I’d like to tell you now of my long distance best
friend. She means everything to me, although
she’s still living in the early 20^th century.

We’ve been writing for many years, but snail mail
is slow, I asked why she simply didn’t get a
computer, we could email everyday, I just wanted
to know.

Her response to me was this: A computer wouldn't
mean a lot.  100 emails is not as good as one
in the box.

But come September, her letters came very slow, she
 was so busy at that time; why I didn’t know. Later
I found the reason why.   She was going to stores buying
bolts of fabric, and tons of yarn. Her talented hands were
never idle, for  upcoming Christmas time.

Around the end of November and mostly all of
December; while people were spending their hard
earned cash, her projects were finished at last. For
her friends and family in her special way, she gave
them all the things her loving hands had made.

She had a large garden where she grew many
things; she made bread with her two strong hands,
how people ate that store bought junk she
couldn’t understand.

Many people laughed at her for the way she
she lived; they didn’t understand her backward
ways, or the things she did. Than one day
when the recession came, they laughed at her
no more.

For when people were complaining about the price
of food, her food was in the yard. When people
were overwhelmed with credit card debt, the recession
didn't touch her one bit. 

And she said to me, my dear friend, I know people
think me strange somehow. But now I must ask what
you think, who’s laughing now?

 

                                      Mary E. Lacey
                                            2009