I was a new resident in the neighborhood. I passed this house everyday going to work, then coming home. I began to notice that the blinds were opened a bit just above the window sill. An old woman was peeking out! Every time I looked she was there. Nosy old thing!
One day I decided to put a stop to her nosiness so I stopped the car, smiled and waved at her. She didn’t wave back. I saw that my “old woman” was a vase setting on the sill. Smarting from embarrassment, I rolled up my window and went home.
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Friends, not in this house nor in this neighborhood, and instead of blinds there were drapes but what I did in the story is true. Indeed, I did, I stopped my car and waved at the vase thinking I was going to let that old lady know I knew how she was snooping on her neighbors. Happened in 1965 – some lessons are unforgettable! 😀
Friday Fictioneers challenge by Rochelle. PHOTO PROMPT © Ceayr
https://rochellewisoff.com/
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About oneta hayes
ABOUT ME
Hello. To various folks I am Neat’nee, Mom, Grandma Neta, Gramma, Aunt Neta, Aunt Noni, Aunt Neno, and Aunt Neto (lots of varieties from little nieces and nephews). To some I’m more like “Didn’t you used to be my teacher?” or “Don’t I know you from someplace?” To you, perhaps, I am a Fellow Blogger. Not “fellow” like a male or a guy, but “fellow” like a companion or an adventurer. I would choose to be Grandma Blogger, and have you pull up a chair, my website before you, while I tell you of some days of yore. I have experienced life much differently than most of you. It was and is a good life. I hope to share nuggets of appreciation for those who have gone before me and those who come after me. By necessity you are among those who come after me and I will tell you of those who came before. Once upon a time in a little house on a prairie - oops, change that lest I commit plagiarism - and change that “house on the prairie” to “dugout on the prairie.” So my story begins...
Sweet aroma 
Hahaha, I adore this! 😛 What a lesson we all must learn. Vases don’t wave…and we’ve been the busybody all along. 😀 Your stories are always inspiring!
True, too true! It took a long time for me to mature enough to laugh at myself over this story. I did get acquainted with the “old lady” who lived there. Didn’t spend much time together but she was nice. I’m sure I would not have told her this story. When I was thirty, old was fifty or so. 😀 Thanks.
Haha, I could understand that. Now you’ve inspired me to start thinking back on silly stories of myself. 😀 Aw, right! That’s great you really did get to know her. When we realize how fast life goes by, old gets farther and farther away. 😉 Blessings!
😀
Mary Kate, are you on the blog again?
Thanks for asking! 😀 Sadly, I haven’t began posting again yet, but hope to before the years’ end, God willing. I’ve still been preparing posts for when I return, and I’m up to 280 posts that are ready to be posted. 🙂
My goodness. I’m anxious to get with them. Thanks for the answer. 😀
Aw, thanks!! I can’t wait to start back posting again–blogging is wonderful! 😀
Oh, and you know something crazy?! I just realized–you asked me about blogging yesterday, the day I started my blogging break three years ago. 😀 Crazy!
Yes, I went over to see if you were writing again and found your goodbye instead. 😀
Haha, oh yes! I can’t wait to replace that post with a, “I’m Back,” post. 😛 😀
Nosy young Oneta learnt a good life lesson I presume.
It has been fifty-four years and it is only confessed because it is so humorous. 😀
👍
I was 6 in 1965, I would have waved with you 🙂 but of course you didn’t want to hear that.
At 60, I’d still wave with you today 🙂
I have friends who could put cute little hand waves here, but I don’t know how. You were six and I was 31. My two sons were five and eleven. You have many good years to come, Julie dear. Me? I do too – but not as many. 😀
We just never know— but we will make them all good!!!
I was 12 in 1965. I remember that year like it was yesterday. It was a very eventful year in my life.
This story made me smile. Thank you for sharing this. 😁
Can you share it? See above. I had two sons: 5 and 11. My older one is close to your age. Thanks for the comment. It was my first year of teaching.
The events that happened in my family in 1965 were very tragic. The good news is that nobody died. But… since this is a lighthearted post, I don’t think it would be a good idea to share it here.
I’m writing a book about it, however. Lord willing, I hope to have it ready to publish some time next year. “Growing Up Crazy, My Life with Complex PTSD” will be the title. Although parts of the story are very rough, the Lord delivered me and saved me through it all. Today I am super blessed and so very grateful. My hope is that my story will help other hurting people find their way to Christ.
May the Lord bless your testimony through the writing of the book. I am going to add you to my prayer list for the week and we will pray in my class Sunday. So much bad happens but God is in control. I was reading this morning about Paul and Silas in jail. As they sang the Bible say the people listened. That thrilled me. The spreading of the gospel right there in song. The people listened…for your book may we say “the people read.” God bless.
Amen! Thank you! I just said a prayer asking God for special blessings for you.
Thanks.
LOL! Made me laugh…I think we have all had moments similar to that.
Thanks, I need a buddy who has had (and still has) nutty moments of earned embarrassment. 😀 Some people get embarrassed when it is not really they fault. That’s different. I earned my lesson.
Thanks for the giggle! I can only picture you doing this. Feisty, even back then. 🙂
I didn’t think of myself that way. 😀 I wouldn’t be now if you all didn’t egg me on! I had to force myself out of being an introvert. But I hatched out pretty quickly once I decided I couldn’t do a lot of things I wanted to do if I didn’t change. Truthfully the Lord helped me. My first interview for a teaching job. the guy told me I was going to be a dead duck in a classroom if I didn’t speak up. But he gave me the job. Guess he though I would come out of my shell once thrown in with those 34 little creatures. Survival of the fittest! If you can’t beat them, you have to outwit them. 😀 That was the year of the vase.
Imagine all those little critters breaking you out. Ever wonder if any of them read your blog? 😀
A couple of years ago, I found one who now pastors a church here in OKC. We are FB friends now. I looked for a lot on one of those people finders webs, but was not very successful. Except for those who had been arrested for drugs mostly. Their records were easily found Discouraging. I tried to contact them. But all the efforts I made were dead ended – except for the pastor. Extremely needy children there. Much moving except for the ones who could not get out. A lot of broken hearts, broken lives. Tragedy was common. But I sure did love those kiddies.
They were lucky to have you in their lives, however brief it may have been. ❤
Love this story Oneta. I have often waved at people in the store only to find out they were not who I thought they were….it is a wee bit awkward but oh well.
But that is being nice. I was being unkind; I thought I was going to put that “old woman” on the spot. Show her I knew what she was up to. One good thing about me, however, is that when the Lord shows me what an idiot I am, I generally straighten up pretty fast. 😀 I agree however, that your situation is awkward. But it is kind.
I recently walked up and hugged somebody, only to find out she wasn’t who I thought she was! They look like twins, these two women. Uhm, I think. I should probably wear my glasses more often. 😀
😀
So funny! I love your twist.
Thank you for your reply. The twist was the truth. And I was definitely humbled by it! 😀
🙂
Haha, good chuckle – all the more so as it’s true 🙂
They say, “Truth is stranger than fiction,” for me it is “Truth is funnier than fiction.” Thanks for reading, Iain. I keep up with your FF, also. This week something about getting even: was it called Recompense? Something like that. Good writing.
Nice, I like that. I’ve had embarrassing situations like that before.
I went over to browse in your blog. I found it entertaining. Thanks for your comment.
Funny how our minds can trick us into seeing something other than the truth. Nice story.
Thank you. 😀
Brilliant. After a break in (smashe a rear window) I place a life-sized picturein my window before I had CCTV installed.
Whoever it was did not take anything, there was no money and my valuables were locked away in a secret safe.
True stories are the best.
That must have been a mystery to the neighborhood busybodies. 😀 I really like your “If Ever I Sail Away to Sea” from FF last week. You didn’t do one yet this week? I went over to check you out. I know you are quite regular on FF.
Yes, sorry I have been dragged around possible wedding venues this week. My daughter is just overflowwing with excitment, I am sure she will calm down soon. Thank you for your kind words, now I will have to post next week. Best regards.
😀 Daughters should come first every time.
I spoke to a Toby jug once! Easy mistake to make.
My go at Friday Fictioneers!
That’s funny. Did anybody see you? I have already visit you at FF with your conversation. Wrong room story. Surely I left a like. I’ll go see.
Cute story! Sounds like something I would do, too. 🙂
Life is fun when one can laugh at herself. Thanks for reading and commenting. 😀
Isn’t it amazing how a memory can still bring a blush to your face! Good lesson learned. And I tend to imagine that older people, living alone, peek at the rest of us more out of loneliness than snoopiness 🙂
I fully agree with each of your points. Age does teach some lessons – at least to those who are teachable. 😀
In our mind’s eye we see so many things. When we explore, we realise it was our mind playing games.
Thanks for your observation. I appreciate it very much.