A Worn Path

A WORN PATH

This is a very powerful story set sometime after the Civil War I believe in the late 1860's or 70's for the old black women has stated that "I never did go to school for I was too old at the surrender." This leads me to believe that she would have been born somewhere around the 1850 and at the age of 14 would have been too old to go to school. It was time for Motherhood at that age. Her name is Phoenix, which by itself should be a hint to the reader for a Phoenix, was a large mythical bird that was able to be reborn as it approaches immortality. The story tells of her tapping cane, and her light steps traveling from her house to the doctor's office to obtain her grandsons' medicine. She has never accepted the ways of the big city, and lives far away from the hustle and bustle. I do not think she is as old or feeble as what the story lets on to believe. Granny as the town folk refer to her is a crafty old lady letting you believe that she cannot walk without the cane, cannot tie her shoes, and cannot hear or see very well. However we find that the cane was more useful in thrashing the weeds to scare away critters " Under her small black freckled hand, her cane as limber as a buggy whip, would swash at the brush to rouse up any hiding things." The cane could not have held much weight being that limber. Her eyes did not see that well, but in the dead of winter the sun shining your sight is limited by reflection. Phoenix saw well enough to notice the nickel falling out of the hunter's pocket that had helped her up from a fall into the weeds. She could even tell the color of the dog when she said, "He a big black dog." "She whispered sic him!" When she arrives in the town she asks a young lady to tie her shoes for her, yet when the nickel fell out of the hunters pants pocket she bend over to pick it up and place it in