A Lime Popsicle

 Once upon a time, there was a paraprofessional who went to work in a big yellow school bus.  Her stepdad drove her to work, while he did his job, because it was something they were allowed to do.  She was probably the only paraprofessional dropped off at at the school from a bus.

When school let out, her stepdad would then pick her up from the curb as he took the teenagers back to their bus stop.  She rode in the front seat, closest to the door, and often, once they dropped the teenagers off, they would drive around to a store called "Bargain Barn."

Bargain Barn was a store that sold banged up cans, near expiring foods, and overstock foods, so the prices were generally quite low.  One of her favorite things to buy was Mexican lime bars.  They were like popsicles, and absolutely delicious.

They would often go in, buy some treats, and go home, chattering happily the whole way.

But all chapters come to an end, and there came a time when that page was turned, and there were no more bus trips to work, no more stops at Bargain Barn, and no more lime bars.

Yet, when one chapter comes to an end, another begins, and it goes like so.

Once upon a time, there was a wife who loved her husband, and followed him on every errand she could.

There came a time when this husband was called away for an errand leading him to a gas station, so she went with him, as she often did.  As they were there, she happened to glance in the ice cream coolers, wondering if perhaps there might be some sherbet.  There was no sherbet.

But.

There were Mexican popsicles.  There was a lime one.

She picked it up, and carried it with them throughout the gas station, until it was time to pay.  Then she insisted on paying, because it was her popsicle.

As they drove home, she was reminded of the chapter that had been closed, and could only be reread, never relived.  She remembered the bus, the students, the conversations.

Yes, every chapter must come to an end, but sometimes you can go back and reread them.  Sometimes the chapters that were happen when written are sad to reread.  Sometimes chapters that were sad are met with smiles when reread.  Sometimes the chapter is so painful that you glue the pages together, staple them, and cover them in tape so the pages can never be opened again.

The End