A couple of stories that most likely will have little or no meaning to anyone but me but so be it.
As best as I can remember them
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I had traveled alone to a nearby town to attend a concert that none of my friends were interested in. I arrived a little early so I decided to go to a bar that was fairly close to the venue and knock a few back. As I entered I noticed a woman sitting at the bar and I was struck by her beauty. It was a little hard to see as the years had disguised it some but it was there if you took the time to look. She was sitting with what I took to be her husband and some friends. I settled in and had a few drinks when I noticed her get up and walk down the bar to visit with some people at the other end. When she walked back I happened to glance up and see her chin quivering a little and a tear was rolling down her face. She quietly sat down and her somewhat oafish husband failed to notice. An elderly gentleman sitting close by did and said hey whats wrong? She looked up her voice quavering and said its just that I heard that Pauls cancer wasnt responding any more to the treatments and I just.. .I mean that
. At that point the old man interrupted and said; WHAT, thats nothing to cry about, nothing at all. I could see she was a little taken back by his statement and so was I for that matter. He said in a tender tone; I would go this minute if I could. Her husband spoke up at that point, barked a laugh, and said no way; you would fight for every second just like the rest of us. The elderly man responded no
no I wouldnt. At that the husband responded in a loud tone Bullshit you know you would fight to the bitter end for a few more days of life just like we all would. The old man was quiet for a second then slammed his glass on the bar, stood up, and with eyes of steel and a voice to match, he locked his gaze on the husband and he said no I wouldnt. You see all my friends have passed, I am the last, I am alone, I miss them, and I want to be with them again. They are waiting for me and I cant wait to join them. In that moment you could see the measure of the man that he once had been and could still be. The husbands retort sputtered on his lips and he turned away. As I glanced at the wife I could see her smile a little as understanding dawned on her. The elderly gentleman looked back and with a nod he turned away. As he shuffled out the door I noticed a tear running down his face but a smile was on his lips too.
I was watching a documentary on elephants. It showed this herd that was enjoying life in a lush reserve.
Inexplicably the whole herd left the reserve and began a long an arduous journey across a desolate an arid land. The scientists that were studying them were perplexed at why they would do such a thing but their interest was peaked and they continued to film and follow them. After a number of days you could see they were coming up to an old, and long since dry, watering hole. In the distance you could see this little white speck. As the herd got closer one female elephant walked ahead as the rest of the herd held back and followed at a distance. As she got closer to the white speck you could see that it was a tiny elephant skull. The female elephant slowly walked to it and you could she was crying as a tear rolled down her face. She reverently and gently touched every part of that tiny skull with her trunk. It was her son, you see, that had passed away a few years back. She had come to say goodbye to him. All the other elephants that made this long and trying journey silently stood by her as she grieved. With a final toss she flung the skull away and the herd turned around and headed back home to the preserve. The next year they show her with a new baby boy romping with the herd.
The circle continues...
I am not sure why I posted these stories but I think of them often and they never fail to move me.
Still lighting the candles for Lugnut and JD.
