A Short Story
It was getting late as he stepped out into the night. The stars were showing bright and it was cold and still after the storm that had left 16 inches of snow in it's wake. Still he had to go, after all this was her birthday and he had not missed one in fifty-five years. It was getting harder for him each year as he grew older but he could not bring himself to miss for he felt the end was coming nearer each day.
He had spent his life alone. He never married or had children and now all his family were gone. He had spent his career working at the local feed mill.
Each time he had the opportunity he had purchased a home closer to her to shorten his, what once was daily, walk.. He had never missed a night visiting her in fifty years but the last five years it had just became too much and he had started missing his evening visit to her once in awhile until lately and now he seldom went at all because he could hardly get around. He hoped she would forgive him when they met again.
He thinks back as he struggles through the snow about how beautiful she was and how she had waited for him as he existed in the hell of the POW camp in North Korea. He had been captured early in the war and had spent three years as a POW. He was finally repatriated in Oct of 1953 and hurried home when he was released from the hospital. He was skin and bones but she seemed so joyous to see him.
He had all his back pay and they rushed out to buy a new car. They had decided to elope as they had both waited too long to be married and were anxious to get on with their lives and start a family. The celebrating had been too long and the night was dark, the road was wet from a rain when going up a steep hill they caught up with a log truck that was traveling too slow as it struggled up the hill. The trucker's load was too long for his truck and when they crashed into the rear of it a log had came through the center of the window and because she was sitting close the log took her in the head.
He had not driven since nor had he ever taken another drink. Her parents never forgave him and he never forgave himself. He visited her grave each evening after work until he could just not physically do it but tonight was special. It was her birthday and he knew if he did not go tonight he might never go again.
He struggled to get through the snow and thought to himself this might be my time to join her forever.
He had spent his life alone. He never married or had children and now all his family were gone. He had spent his career working at the local feed mill.
Each time he had the opportunity he had purchased a home closer to her to shorten his, what once was daily, walk.. He had never missed a night visiting her in fifty years but the last five years it had just became too much and he had started missing his evening visit to her once in awhile until lately and now he seldom went at all because he could hardly get around. He hoped she would forgive him when they met again.
He thinks back as he struggles through the snow about how beautiful she was and how she had waited for him as he existed in the hell of the POW camp in North Korea. He had been captured early in the war and had spent three years as a POW. He was finally repatriated in Oct of 1953 and hurried home when he was released from the hospital. He was skin and bones but she seemed so joyous to see him.
He had all his back pay and they rushed out to buy a new car. They had decided to elope as they had both waited too long to be married and were anxious to get on with their lives and start a family. The celebrating had been too long and the night was dark, the road was wet from a rain when going up a steep hill they caught up with a log truck that was traveling too slow as it struggled up the hill. The trucker's load was too long for his truck and when they crashed into the rear of it a log had came through the center of the window and because she was sitting close the log took her in the head.
He had not driven since nor had he ever taken another drink. Her parents never forgave him and he never forgave himself. He visited her grave each evening after work until he could just not physically do it but tonight was special. It was her birthday and he knew if he did not go tonight he might never go again.
He struggled to get through the snow and thought to himself this might be my time to join her forever.
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