This short story is from <Heartwarming Collection of Short Stories for Seniors: 2 Books in 1> by Bradley Windrow. It is perfect for seniors, even for dementia patients. Be sure to read until the end, as there’s a special gift waiting for you! hope you enjoy it!
The impossible could not have happened therefore, the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances. –Agatha Christie
Marge sat in the bustling airport, completely absorbed in her favorite pastime—a crossword puzzle. She loved the challenge of complex word games, always carrying a puzzle book wherever she went. Today, while waiting for her flight to visit her daughter, she was knee-deep in one particularly tricky crossword. Her notes were a jumble of letters, cryptic phrases, and odd symbols. Anyone glancing at her paper would see a confusing mess, but to Marge, it was perfectly logical.
What Marge didn’t realize was that a nearby security officer had been watching her closely. To him, the random letters and muttering about “codes” and “clues” looked… well, suspicious. He narrowed his eyes, watching as she scribbled furiously, whispering phrases like “hidden meanings” and “secret codes.” Moments later, two uniformed officers approached Marge.
“Ma’am, could we have a word with you?” One of them said.
“Is there a problem?” Marge looked up, startled.
“We’d like to ask you a few questions about the… notes you’ve been writing,” one of the officers said, eyeing her little bookpad.
“My notebook? What about it?” Marge blinked, confused.
“Could you step aside with us, please?” They gestured toward a small room. With a puzzled expression, Marge followed them, her beloved book still clutched in her hands. Inside, things only got stranger. The officers, now thoroughly convinced they’d uncovered some kind of coded message, examined her notes as if they were top-secret documents.
“What does this mean?” one of them asked, pointing to the word “DECEPTION” she had scribbled.
“That’s the answer to 11 across. ‘Destruction.’” Marge raised an eyebrow. The officers exchanged nervous glances.
“And this? These symbols?”
“Those are just clues for “Plan in motion,” with “attack”!” Marge explained, still not understanding what was happening.
“Ma’am, a timer: time is set for 3:00 PM. Can you explain why?”
“I’m not sure about that one yet.” She said, peeping at the note. “Still trying to cipher the code.” The more Marge tried to explain, the more confused the officers became. At one point, one of them asked,
“What’s this about “deception” again?”
“It’s nine down. Misdirect operation.” Marge’s patience was wearing thin.
Just as things were spiraling into ridiculousness, the door opened, and a senior officer stepped in. He glanced at the situation, then at Marge’s little notebook, and immediately burst into laughter.
“You’ve detained her over a crossword puzzle?” He shook his head, wiping away tears of laughter. “I’m a crossword enthusiast, too. No international espionage here!” The junior officers turned bright red, stumbling over apologizes. Marge, now more amused than annoyed, chuckled.
“Well, I suppose I can tell my friends I was ‘detained by the CIA’ for my puzzle-solving skills.”
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