Sydney

Psychos and Blueberry Pie

After a quick bite to eat I set about unloading my belongings from the truck. Years ago, I would have shrunk at such a huge task, but now my only thoughts were eagerly focused on settling into my new home and then exploring the little town and the surrounding countryside. I was practically giddy as I carried in the last of my art and photography supplies into the studio.

Taking a moment, I admired my new home around me. Gazing at the nearly empty rooms I couldn't wait to start filling them with paintings and pictures of the wild, untamed beauty of the world around me. Light streamed in through the huge, ceiling to floor windows.

While I typically didn't go for the whole "fish bowl" look, I loved the natural light it provided, plus I lived in the middle of a forest. With the huge windows in the back, it was very unlikely that I'd have some peeping-tom bothering me like I had back in the city. I slightly shivered in disgust at the creepy teenager that I had been forced to deal with, but then smirked as I remembered his reaction to what I did. The kid nearly wet himself and I was never bothered again. Ha. Good times.

The soft hum of a car coming up my long drive brought me out of my thoughts. Turning from the room with a sigh, I brushed back a few sweaty strands of hair as I made my way back through my small home to greet my visitor.

I guess I should have expected it, but I had held onto the hope that I would have been able to enjoy my solitude for more than a few hours. It's not that I don't like people, I just had been looking forward to finishing moving in as quickly as possible and visitors always made the process so much longer. Thank goodness, I had already moved the bulk of my belongings, leaving only a few of the smaller pieces of furniture left.

Pasting a smile on my face I slipped out the front door just as a cherry-red jeep rounded the corner and pulled into view. Glancing at the driver I had to do a double take at what I saw. A little old lady, who looked to be in her eighties, was behind the wheel. Oh gosh, this will be interesting I thought to myself with a sigh.

Walking down the porch steps I waited as she pulled up to the front. Walking towards where she stepped out of the car I smiled and with a slight wave said hello. When she didn't respond after a brief moment, I spoke a little louder.

"Hi, I take it that you are one of my neighbors?"

Looking up at me she smiled bringing out the laugh lines around her pale blue eyes.

"Yes, dear. I live just down the lane and heard tell that you would be moving in today and wanted to drop by and welcome you into the area." She said in a mellow voice. "Everyone in these parts just calls me Granny."

I could certainly see why. With her silvery hair pulled back into a neat bun at the nape of her neck and just something in the air about her that I couldn't quite put my finger on, she seemed exactly like the type of person that would be a grandmother to all.

As she started to hobble along I lent her my arm in fear that she would topple over and break a hip or something. When we reached the top of the stairs, I was certain that she wouldn't be able to go any further. Motioning her toward the nearest seat which happened to be the porch swing, she sat down with a creak and a heavy sigh.

"My body just doesn't seem to be cut out for much these days." she said, chagrined.

"Well," I said with a smile, "I am very glad that you decided to stop by and pay me a visit."

I could already tell that I was going to like this little old lady very much. We sat and visited for about an hour as we munched on the fresh blueberry pie that "Granny" had brought over with her as a house-warming gift. Whenever the conversation started to get too personal I would gently direct it back to her, and all in all I was pretty successful.