HE DROPPED HIS BLACK LUNCHBOX onto the kitchen counter upon his arrival home. “I have something for you,” Randy said, flipping latches to unlock the box.
Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo of cheesecake.
I anticipated a sweet. Randy occasionally grabs a birthday treat for me from work. Not that I need sweets—because who does—but I enjoy the occasional piece of left-over cheesecake, square of apple pie bars, slice of chocolate cake. When Randy brings me a sweet rather than simply tells me about it, I am particularly happy. Already I craved whatever he’d stashed away for me.
“Here, I brought you spring,” he said, reaching inside.
Puzzlement flushed my face. Lemon bars? Rhubarb pie? What did he have inside that lunchbox?
Then Randy handed me a dead Monarch butterfly. Brittle. Wings folded. A dead butterfly when I’d expected dessert?
I regrouped my thoughts, put my disappointment on hold and reconsidered. In the midst of a record-breaking cold snap and recent snowfall (which required joint snowfall removal efforts that very morning), Randy decided I needed a glimpse of spring. Or, more accurately, summer, the season butterflies emerge. How sweet is that?
But where did he find this Monarch in January in Minnesota? Randy works as an automotive machinist. He found the butterfly—along with acorns and leaves—inside a cylinder head dropped off by a customer. More often he finds a mouse nest or evidence of mice.
The forecast for Minnesota on a Twin Cities TV station at noon-ish Tuesday.
He may not have given me what I expected. But Randy gave me exactly what I needed on an especially cold evening in late January. He gifted me with hope. That spring always follows winter. And that, even after nearly 37 years of marriage, love still offers sweet surprises.
© Copyright 2019 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Wow…what a nice find in the middle of your deep freeze. I would say that was pretty sweet!
Pretty sweet is right. This cold is unbelievable. Hovering around minus 30 degrees air temp this morning with windchills in the 50 degrees below zero.
Well then… I think it is time to send my MN blogging friends some Dutch flowers! Are you ready?
Flowers, oh, yes, flowers! I’ll watch for them on your blog. Thank you.
Very sweet!
Absolutely agree.
I love it ! Notice the exclamation mark. It was a sweet, sweet reminder that spring and summer will come eventually. Perfect gift and less calories than a piece of cheesecake.
I accept the exclamation mark as this sweet gesture by my husband deserves one.
How special that you know he thinks about you throughout his work day–enough to bring you something unique and thoughtful. Hope you guys are staying warm–praying during this cold freeze.
Thank you, Dawn. One more day of this…
I was hoping we would break the record low of minus 30 degrees for this date set in 1887. But we didn’t. The temp dipped to only -28 degrees. Windchills are like a crazy -55 – 60.
It stinks to get so close to the record and not hitting it, especially since it’s only 2 degrees (but MAJOR ones). Brrrrrrrrr! Hope everyone is staying warm. My folks in Ohio are dealing with record temperatures, but not quite at the extent you are. Saying prayers for all.
Thank you for your prayers, Dawn.
I’m sitting here smiling at how you turned no-dessert-dead-butterfly into a thoughtful gesture. Now that is knowing how to practice gratitude, remember that a loving gesture looks different for everyone, and taking a breath before understanding what is right in front of you. Stay warm today, Audrey!
Thank you, Kathleen.
I just heard from my daughter (who lives in your community) that their furnace is struggling to keep up, with the current temp inside their home at 62 degrees. With a newborn in the house, this is concerning. If I was OK with them driving the hour to get here, I’d say, “Come and stay with us.” But I’m not OK with them being out and about.
Oooh….I hope they can get the furnace repair person there soon. Send me an email if they run into great difficulty – we have a guest room downstairs and there’s a fireplace on that level, too.
I’ll keep you in mind, Kathleen. Thank you. The daughter said she looked on Facebook and many people are having the same issue. Randy planned to call her.
What a romantic Randy is… and he knows the girl he’s always loved. The butterfly is a perfect gift.
Romantic in his own unique way for sure.
He did bring you a touch of spring! I closed my eyes and pictured green grass and butterflies flitting among the ditch grasses on a warm breeze! The sun out aids this vision of spring today! I was just glad I’m not out delivering mail today- my vision would be frozen!
Ah, I’m happy to have inspired you to see spring. I can see that scene you describe.
The mail can wait a day. Be safe out there on those rural roads tomorrow.
That Randy, he’s such a great guy! Who needs the sweet treat when you have the hope for spring right in front of you. 🙂
Exactly. Great guy. And spring right in front of me.
well the dessert caught my attention as looks yummy but the butterfly inside the lunchbox symbolizing hope and spring well this image begs to be turned into a poetic verse
I’m turning this story into a short story. Fiction is often based on fact. I’m shaping my story around this butterfly story.
Randy seems like a great guy. Good thing he didn’t bring the cylinder head as well! I do the same for my wife and son with sweets. Nicole would have appreciated, though with some sadness, the butterfly as well.
Like Nicole, I felt that bit of sadness also about the butterfly.
How sweet that you also occasionally bring home sweets for your son and Nicole.
I try!!
What a fun story…and an interesting surprise!
Thank you.
Well that’s better than mice. Did they fall in there or did a critter hoard them there?
Yeah, I despise mice.
Something probably hid the acorns inside the head.