by Dawn DeBraal

Marjorie hid behind a book. While skimming pages she noticed two men walking into the restaurant. Parkinson’s Disease she surmised, recognizing the man’s festinating gait. Two friends conversed amicably while one man struggled to control unforgiving tremors. When their food arrived, the friend started to eat but the man with Parkinson’s did not. 

“Is there a problem?” his companion asked.

“The skin on the chicken, I can’t get it off.” Reaching over the table his friend pulled the skin off the meat continuing to tell his story, never missing a beat.

Marjorie was overwhelmed with compassion at this simple gesture.

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Dawn DeBraal lives in rural Wisconsin with her husband Red, two rescue dogs, and a stray cat. She enjoys telling a good story. You will find her work in nearly 500 published short stories, drabbles and poems.