THE PERILS OF OPHELIA JONES

Another selection from the book:

She rounded her street and came upon a neighbor, she was friendly with, sitting on the porch. She had often stopped by to talk to Mrs. Harrison. Mrs. Harrison lived by herself with a large German Shepherd who could be found at her feet.

“Evening Mae.” Ophelia called in greeting slipping into a chair next to her neighbor. Together they began to comfortably rock back and forth with the sounds of crickets breaking the silence.

 It had misted early in the day, and tonight's Missouri sky was just starting to turn to a soft purple.

The two of them sat in silence as they watched the sun finally make its descent. Ophelia felt she could let the sunset pour over her body as she wondered how others did not enjoy the pure beauty of it. She looked at the bluffs that now were hiding the sun and knew happiness were these moments.