Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Herkamer and Gertrude and The Bird Pen

Gertrude loved to make crafts, but there was one problem. She wasn't very good at them, and every time she made something, Herkamer was the beneficiary of it, thus, the story of the bird pen.

Gertrude awoke early to a bright new day with ambition in her heart, and crafts raging through her mind. Gertrude read all the craft magazines and could not pass a craft store without buying at least one or two items from within. However, she was rather independent, and never made crafts according to book or magazine instructions. She always made something totally of her “own inspiration”. Today her “inspiration” was to make a “bird pen.”

By adding just a few feathers glued together in a birdlike shape to an ordinary ball point pen, she would transform a regular writing instrument into a conversational piece for many to enjoy. She hurried to her craft table and began pulling out feathers and gluing them to a pen. First there was chartreuse, then raspberry, a little orange, and bright yellow. She followed them with reds, oranges, teals and ended with an assortment of blues. Although the “bird” was colorful, it looked like a child had rolled together play doe and pushed it on to the end of a stick. She happily glue two large plastic eyes on the top of it and promptly yelled in a cheerful voice, “Herky! Come see what I made for you to take to work today!”

Herkamer was shaving in the bathroom when he heard Gertrude's fateful words, “made for you.” When those words were spoken, Herkamer knew that it usually meant he was going to be humiliated once again. Herkamer remembered that he was to love his wife at all times, so he said reluctantly and inquisitively with a little pain in his voice, “What is it, Gerty? I'm sure it's something special.” “Oh, it is”, said Gertrude happily as she primped the colorful craft, “I can't wait for you to see it and take it to the office today.” Herkamer's eyes widened as he finished shaving and dragged both his hands from the top of his face to his chin. Whenever Herkamer made that gesture it meant he could not believe what he was about to endure and wondered “Why me?”

Herkamer walked into the living room to an awaiting Gertrude who had the “bird pen” hidden behind her back. “Try to guess what it is,” she said gleefully. “Oh I'm not sure, Gerty, how about just showing it to me.” To which she responded, “Taadah!” as she abruptly pulled the “bird pen” from behind her. With her sudden movement one of the eyes fell to the floor. “Oh I can fix that with a little glue,” reacted Gertrude flippantly and unfazed as she bent to the floor to pick up the fallen eye but continued to hold the “bird pen” in Herkamer's full view.

As she bent down, Herkamer squinched his face, turned his head to the side, grimaced and said...

Stay tuned tomorrow for more of the story. Same blog time. Same blog spot. Until tomorrow...Why Say More?

1 comment:

  1. and said..."Oh how sweet! Did you make it or the 3yr old across the street?" No Herkamer wouldn't say that...he loved his wife too much! :)

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