Grin Against Gravity
A Mountain boy, One Smile, and the Start of a Bigger Story
It’s picture day, and I’m perched on a plastic stool, knees scuffed, hair doing whatever it pleases. The backdrop is some cloudy blue illusion, but I’m all real wavy hair, a grin wide enough to challenge gravity.
I’d just finished telling the photographer about a raccoon I saw in the woods, how I named it Skippy and planned to make it my sidekick.
Inside, I was already scribbling secret stories in notebooks when no one’s watching.
The flash caught more than my face, it caught the sparkle of a boy dreaming bigger than his mountain holler ever guessed he would.
About the Creator
Tim Carmichael
I am an Appalachian poet and cookbook author. I write about rural life, family, and the places I grew up around. My poetry and essays have appeared in Beautiful and Brutal Things, My latest book. Check it out on Amazon
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Comments (9)
Congratulations…great job!
part I loved the best: Skippy the raccoon, your sidekick because it made me think of the movie/book, "Where the Red Fern Grows," but also the secret stories you wrote, and that head full of unruly hair! We could all learn a whole lot from that mountain boy!
challenging gravity with a grin! i love this. what a cute pic 💙
A delightful Drabble! Really like the photo & “ The flash caught more than my face, it caught the sparkle of a boy dreaming bigger than his mountain holler ever guessed he would.” ✅ In Australia, kangaroos are called “Skippy”!😃
What a beautiful smile!!
This is a brilliant entry mate.
Your grin is brighter than any camera's flash! I would have been so interested to listen to your racoon story hehehehe
This was not just a snapshot of a moment, but of your spirit :-)
Aww, look at that big ol' grin. Love this so much