Sunday, January 17, 2010

The last role

“Are you mad to run a marathon at your age?”, they asked.
“Not a marathon, a half marathon”, she patiently explained. “And I am walking, not running.”
“Same thing! What’s gotten into you in your old age?”

Perhaps she was mad! In her 82 years, she’d played many roles. Daughter. Granddaughter. Sister. Cousin. Niece. Friend. Sister-in-law. Aunt. Wife. Daughter-in-law. Mother. Confidant. Mother-in-law. Grandmother. Great-grandmother. Only one role eluded her- “Me”.

It took her seven hours to finish. The sidewalks were lined with people cheering her. Her great-grandchildren hugged her at the finish line.

Next year, she would attempt the full!


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Drabble(n) - an extremely short work of fiction exactly one hundred words in length.


Photo by Adam Jones

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is this based on a true story? I hope so!

And how did your marathon go?

dipali said...

What a wonderful, inspiring story!

Hart Johnson said...

I love this Natasha! And congratulations for finishing your OWN marathon! You are inspiring!

Natasha said...

@ Fiona - finished after the race was over, but FINISHED! Am thrilled.
And the story is really a composite of many stories - of a woman who ran a 7km race just before her 80th birthday, a man who took up distance running after 70, and the many women who never discover their true identity

@ Dipali - thanks

@ Tami - thanks and THANKS!

dipali said...

Congrats on completing the marathon! I am most impressed.

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