A Long Love

Theirs was a long love.

I can't vouch for the early years,

I wasn't there then.

But a few years after this photograph was taken,

a dozen or more cousins and numerous uncles and aunts present,

I saw evidence that there was more than sweet smiles

between my grandfather and grandmother.

We were all outside awaiting home-churned ice cream,

aunts talking up a Tennessee tornado,

uncles joking and wondering if the ice cream was ready,

cousins pairing off by age.

No one was paying much attention to the old couple,

but I was.

I saw Grandpa walk behind Grandma's folding chair,

bend and kiss the top of her head.

And with a mischievous smile he.....

he slid a hand in the bodice of her dress.

She slapped his hand away and fussed,

"Oh, William!"

He smiled and walked away.

There was a sparkle in Grandma's eye.


[added for Valentine's Day of 2018, the photo below
taken maybe 5 years or more later at their anniversary]

Grandma's head moves, blurry photo.
Grandpa might be saying something funny
but I prefer to think that he's still
telling her she's beautiful to him,
telling her that he loves her.

Still in love.