Granny’s Wish

Soliloquy by Nancey B. Price

Everybody thinks I’m being hard on that girl. 

Or don’t believe she’s capable of doing whatever she puts her mind to.

That she could be the top ranking this or nother. CEO of some big company up there on Wall Street. President of these here United States if she wanted to. Or even President of that there college she keeps going back to.

I’ve never seen anybody get so many damn degrees.

My back hurts just thinking about being bent over in that field, tending to the animals, food on the stove, keeping mouths fed—roof over our head. And we did that for us on land we worked our asses off to keep.

Because we had to.

But that girl ain’t got to. Not like she think she does. I tried to make it so her mother would work a little less, so then she’d work even less than that. But I guess work is just in our line. Going and going until you got nothing left to give and disguising it as achievement.

Yes, I’m very proud of my granddaughter. No doubt about it.

But sometimes I just wish she would sit down somewhere. Rest her bones.

And her mind.