NEWSPAPER

I was sitting on the back deck reading the newspaper when my son Alex came out to sit. “Morning!” I said as I tried to turn the page and refold the newspaper. The wind wasn't making it easy as I struggled to make the fold.

“You know, you could just read the paper online and not have to fight the wind to see what's happening in the world.” Alex said as a section, I'd just finished reading, began blowing across the deck.

“Nope! Never going to happen!” I said as I put my foot over the escaping newspaper before it got too far away. “I love everything about a newspaper. I love walking to the end of the driveway to scoop it up. I love bringing it in and sorting through the sections I'm going to read as my tea water comes to a boil. I love folding it in easy to hold sections.” I held my hand up to show him my fingers. “I even like the newsprint that comes off on my hands!”

Alex laughed as he shook his head.

I picked up my cup of tea and took a sip. “Oh, this is a fun story.” I made another fold in the paper before I began to read. “A couple in New Jersey just made the Guinness world record for a cornstalk they grew that had 29 cobs on it!” I looked over at Alex. “That's pretty impressive.”

Alex looked alarmed. “What kind of toxic waste spill did they plant that in?”

He had caught me off guard with that question. “What's that suppose to mean?”

“Come on, that's a pretty weird mutation.” Alex just shook his head. “I know I wouldn't eat it.”

I looked back at the article. “They're not eating it either. It says they're going to put it on display.”

Before Alex could answer we both heard the house phone ring. I looked over at him. “Could you run in and answer that for me?”

“Sure.” he got up from his chair. “But you know it's only going to be a telemarketer.”

“Maybe not.” The wind had picked up and I was struggling to keep my newspaper from becoming a kite.

After answering the phone Alex came back out. “I was right, telemarketer.” He sat back down. “Why do we even have a land line anymore? We only use our cellphone.” He looked over at me struggling with my newspaper. “Land lines, newspapers? What century do we live it?” he started to laugh.

That's when my husband Steven came outside. “What's so funny?”

Alex pointed at me. “Mom, trying to keep her newspaper from blowing away.”

Steven looked over at me. “That reminds me. Could you save the paper for me? I thought we could have a fire in the fire pit tonight.”

“Sure I can.” I looked over at Alex and smiled. “It's just one of the many uses a newspaper has to offer.”