PhotoPrompt Monday

I managed to combine these two photos from PhotoPrompt Monday for another story.  I love both of these photos.  They "say" so much!

This photo courtesy of Susan Kane at the contemplative cat

"Hey Honey, it's ok", Caitlin's grandpa bends over to sooth her as she sits on the sidewalk with a scraped knee. 

Caitlin is a bit of a  clutz.  As they walked into the antique show, she hadn't noticed the pile of what appeared to her to be junk on the ground waiting to be displayed on the row of tables lined up.  Tripping on a few of the items, she went down quickly and surprising herself more than anything.

Her Grandpa Martin helped her up, telling her how brave she was.  She courageously brushed herself off as they proceeded to walk through the displays.  Caitlin didn't see what the big deal was about antiques.  It all looked like junk to her.  Why would anyone want anyone's old stuff?

Her grandpa wanted her to see some of the things that he and her grandma had as children.  She had passed away a few months ago, and he was doing anything he could to bring her back, show Caitlin who she was.  He pointed out old games and car trains.  He told her stories about his childhood playing with these toys with his sister and neighborhood children.  The memories rolled in for Grandpa Martin.

Caitlin was fascinated with the stories and quickly forgot about her knee.  They stopped in for an old fashioned rootbeer float before going to the other toys.  That's when they saw it.

Photo submitted by thefeatherednest

 

Sitting on the end of the table was an old fashioned baby carriage with two beautiful dolls.  As Caitlin ran up to the dolls for a closer look, her grandpa suddenly froze.  Those were his wife's dolls.  How did they get here?  A rush of memories came to him as he watched Caitlin carefully pick up the dolls, cradling them in her arms.  She was instantly drawn to them as all the memories of the dolls came back to him.  These had been gifts for Caitlin's grandmother for the celebration of Caitlin's mom's birth, as well as her aunt.  The nursing home must have donated them to an antique dealer when she passed away. 

The next thing he knew, Grandpa Martin was shelling out money to purchase the two dolls.  He couldn't bare to imagine them being in anyone else's home, and Caitlin admired them as well.  This needed to be done to keep them in the family.  In years to come, Caitlin would have her own story to tell about the dolls.