Here Comes the Sun

Liz walked over to Muriel’s house in a good mood today. She knocked on the brightly red painted door. The seventeen-year-old girl spun about as she waited.

“Yes?” Muriel asked after she opened the door. Liz rose in place.

“Good morning!” she chirped.

“Yes, what is it?” the old biddy asked. The girl leaned in with a smile on her face.

“I made it to my senior year!” she exclaimed.

“Congratulations, dear,” Muriel said. “How’s your sister and uncle?”

“Great,” she answered. “Clover and Uncle Bill went into the city for shopping today.” Muriel raised an eyebrow at her.

“So, you’re over here because you’re bored?” she asked. Liz’s face dropped into a frown.

“Yeah…” she mumbled.

“Well, why didn’t you go with your sister and uncle?” the old biddy asked.

“I wanted to sleep in this morning,” Liz muttered. Muriel hung her head sighed.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked. The teenage girl perked up at first.

“Yeah! I mean… If that’s okay with you,” she said.

“Come in,” Muriel said as she moved aside. Liz bounced in happily.

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All four old biddies sat in the kitchen while Liz watched TV in the living room.

“So what are you going to do about her?” Lewis whispered. Muriel shrugged at her, shaking her head.

“It’s not good for a young lady to sit around the house and watch TV all day!” Aisha shouted, rising to her feet.

“Uh… wat ya pose we do?” Clyde asked. Aisha snorted at such poor grammar.

“We’re going on a field trip!” she announced.

“Huh?!” the friends asked.

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“Why are we out here?” Liz asked with a frown. She and the old biddies went down to the local art council.

“To experience culture for the day!” Aisha announced. “Come on, let’s go in!” The old biddy marched into the building. Liz looked at the other three so confused.

“Just go with it,” Muriel mouthed. She and Lewis followed their leader inside. Clyde dragged her feet along the pavement as she walked. Liz sighed and followed inside. This is stupid, she thought. There weren’t many people around on this Saturday morning. Only two men in business suits, a small kindergarten class, and three middle-aged women looked around at the paintings on the wall. Aisha walked away in a sea of joy of the various local artworks. The others, not so much. Liz frowned as she walked.

“Can we go home now?” she asked. Aisha gave her a puzzled look.

“No!” she said. “Breathe in deep of the rich culture around you.”

“What rich culture?” Liz asked. “It all looks like rubbish.” All eyes fell on her.

“Don’t say that!” Aisha cried. “Art is beautiful, no matter how it looks!”

“‘Hat look like spaghetti!” Clyde shouted as she pointed to a painting in front of her. Lewis and Muriel tried not to laugh.

“Okay, we’re leaving now,” Aisha announced. “Let’s get marching now!”

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“Now, why are we here?” Liz asked. Now, they were out along the creek.

“To experience nature,” Aisha said. “It’s a beautiful day and we need to take it in.”

“I want to go home and watch TV,” the teenage girl muttered.

“Come on, let’s go for a walk, yeah?” the former soldier’s wife asked. She began her march down the river. As predicted, the others reluctantly followed behind. The birds chirping above Liz’s head made her grit her teeth. This is so stupid, she thought.

“Isn’t a beautiful day outside?” Aisha asked. “Nature is truly at its finest.” Clyde narrowed her eyes as she looked around.

“What are you looking for?” Muriel whispered in her ear. Her dirty friend didn’t answer. After about five more minutes, Clyde froze in her tracks. The others paused when they heard her gasp.

“What is it, Clyde?” Lewis asked. The dirty old biddy’s eyes lit up brighter than the sun.

“There he is!” she shouted. Everyone looked up to see Nick Grey fishing further up the river.

“Oh no,” Aisha muttered to herself. Clyde took off running towards her target. The factory worker looked up when he heard the quickened footsteps coming towards him.

“Honey!” Clyde yelled. “I’m here for you!” The dirty old lady leapt forward and tackled the poor man in an embrace, laughing the whole time.

“Eck!” Nicholas yelled. “Get off of me, you crazy old bat!” Clyde looked up at him with innocent eyes.

“But I love you!” she exclaimed.

“I have a wife! Now get off!” the man shouted.

“So?” Clyde asked. Lewis, Muriel, and Liz all tried not to laugh. Aisha hung her head and sighed.

“Okay, we’re done here!” she said aloud. “Get off of him, Clyde!” Clyde laughed as she hugged on Nicholas.

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The old biddies and Liz sat in the Sunny Plum Café. Liz stared Aisha down at the table.

“Can we go home now?” she asked. The former soldier’s wife sighed.

“Yes,” she said. “We can go home.” Lewis, Muriel, and Clyde all sat quiet. Aisha lowered her head over her tea. At the counter, Tucker and Annie looked at the former soldier’s wife in an odd way.

“What’s with her?” the husband asked.

“No clue,” the wife answered.

It was a Nice Day Out

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