At age thirteen you would think that you would be the one to inspire a six
year old, but actually it was the other way around.
Summer had arrived and Vacation Bible School would be starting soon. This
year I was to old to be in a class so I decided to volunteer in a class. I
worked with a few grown ups I did not know and my cousin. I also asked a few
of my friends to help too. The week came to an end. I had received a little
pin that had a heart and inside it was a cross. It was a small thank-you
from one of the grown-ups. And then the next weekend we went to one of the
workers houses for a swim party.
One of the workers, Carolyn had two sons and a little girl. The little
girl's name was Grace. She was a beautiful dark complexion little girl with
long beautiful hair. My friends and I were playing around in the pool along
with all the workers children.
Grace did not like the boys she would take the hose and spray them while
they were swimming. And my friends would play with the boys coaxing them to
get her. Well, Grace took a liking to me and did not like the boys and my
friends. We just began talking. She had a popsicle in her hand and
asked me if I liked popsicles. Popsicles are for teenagers too. She said my
mommy and daddy like them you can have them too.
I just held back my laugh because her parents were not teenagers.
The day came to an end. I knew I would not see Grace that much after that
except during church here and there. Her little voice saying "Popsicles are
for teenagers too".
A few weeks before school started my cousin called and told me Grace was
killed in a car accident.
Her mom was driving she was in the passenger side and in the back seat were
her two brothers. A man failed to stop at a stop sign and slammed into the
car. And the part that made me upset was that this man was driving without a
license because he had prior drunk driving problems. So his license was
revoked.
I was told her brothers were in shock as well as her mother. She died
before she made it to the hospital.
As I approached the little girls coffin I looked at her in her little
white dress her face caked with makeup to reconstruct her little face. All I
could do is picture her by that pool telling me about her mommy and daddy
and the popsicles.
As I think back she would be 12 now. And every time I eat my popsicles I
think back and remember her that day at the pool.
Soon after her death my cousin made a little memorial on the back of the
car with her name and a little angel. She is still her mom and dads little
angel.
Remember popsicles are for teenagers.
