Story A Day #13 Story Time

“Goodbye!  Drive safely!  Text me when you get home!”

 Beth closed the door and leaned against it in relief.  She loved her children and grandchildren but she was always glad when they left and she had peace and quiet once again.   This visit had been particularly trying as they had been hell-bent on convincing her she was “going to be so happy in your new little home”.   It was a hard sell.  But they needn’t have bothered.  Beth knew she was going to be happy here without anyone telling her.   It was her own place after all.   The first one she’d had in her life.   She had married Roger right out of high school and had the kids one after the other right away.  And when they moved out she still had a retired Roger intruding in her space.   Now that he was gone she was finally able to be on her own and at 75 she felt young enough to still have a life.

 

She looked around at the boxes waiting to be unpacked.  Her children had wanted to help her get all set up but she had refused their help.  She wanted to be able to take her time and put things exactly where she wanted them with no input from anyone else.  

Her eye was drawn to the pamphlet on her kitchen table.  It was from the management of the senior’s living complex that was her new home.  Looking through it she was excited by the wide array of activities available to the residents.   Bridge on Tuesdays, swimming every day, line dancing, even a stitch and bitch which sounded intriguing.  This was going to be perfect!

A knock at the door startled her.   It was probably one of the kids forgetting something.   But why did they knock, they usually barged in? She went to the door and opened to find a very handsome man standing there holding a cat…her cat.

“Is this your cat?”  the man asked.  He was tall and tan and had a shock of pure white hair framing a kind face.   He had a stern look on his face and Beth felt a twinge of anxiety.

“Oh Whiskey, what have you done?” She reached out and took the cat who jumped out of her arms and ran to the back of the house, no doubt looking for a bed to hide under.

“Whiskey?” the man said.

“His colour, it’s like whiskey don’t you think? So, where did you find him?  He is an indoor cat but my grandkids torment him when he’s here and he escaped out the back door and we couldn’t find him!” she realized he was babbling and hadn’t even introduced herself or asked the man in.  Where were her manners?   He was still looking sternly at her.

“I was in my garden, minding my own business when suddenly this creature came flying through the air and landed in my petunias! “

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!  Please, if there’s any damage I can repay you….would you like to come in?”  babbling again…

“It’s okay, no harm done.  They’re a hardy plant.  Whiskey and I spent some time getting acquainted.  I figured he needed refuge.  Quite the wild ones, those kids….”  His voice had softened and there was a twinkle in his blue eyes.

“I’m Beth by the way.  Can I make you a cup of tea?” she offered. 

“I’m Ben.  No thank you, I better get going.  Just wanted to return the cat.  Goodbye” and he was gone.

Beth smiled.  She was definitely going to love it here.

Over the next few weeks, Beth made a few attempts to make friends with Ben, but with little luck.  He seemed to be a private man, happy enough to chat over the back fence, but that was about it.  Beth had to be content with that.   She never saw Ben at any of the activities and she had been trying them all.   When she asked people about him they didn’t seem to know much.   He kept to himself.

One day she watched him through her kitchen window. He was watering his beloved garden and as Beth watched she noticed he looked different.  His shoulders were slumped and he had an incredibly sad look on his face.  Her heart swelled with emotion.   The poor man was lonely, she thought.  She decided he needed to get out more and she went outside to tell him so.

“Hello Ben!” she called

Ben immediately straightened up and gave her a smile, although she noticed it didn’t quite reach his eyes.  What was wrong? 

“I never see you at any of the activities around here.”  She began

“Oh, I am much too busy around here to bother with any of that.”   Beth wondered what he was busy with.

“Why don’t you come to bridge with me on Tuesday night.  It was will be fun!”   as soon as she said that his smile disappeared and he turned away.

“I can’t.  I read to my grandkids on Tuesday nights. We never miss.” And he walked away, leaving Beth standing there in confusion.   She just couldn’t figure this man out.

Beth didn’t stop inviting Ben to different activities, and while he never came right out and said no, he always had an excuse.   She tried to ask him about his grandchildren but he always changed the subject. It was frustrating for Beth.  They both had grandchildren, it was something they had in common. Most grandparents loved to talk about their grandchildren.  But not Ben. It was strange.   The other odd thing was that she had never seen his grandchildren.  He had a standing date with them every Tuesday but she had yet to see or hear them.  His car was always there when she left for bridge and when she got back so it wasn’t like he was going out to see them.

After a while, Beth realized Ben was just not that interested in a friendship with her so she decided to leave him alone.  She had made lots of friends and was quite busy herself.   As the weather grew colder she was outside less and didn’t see Ben very much.  Life went on and Beth settled happily into her new life.  It was not like she was looking for romance or anything.

One Tuesday in late January Beth got a call saying her bridge game was cancelled because there had been a flood in the clubhouse.   She was very disappointed.  Her bridge friends were such a fun group and it was one of her favourite activities.   Beth was pretty good with her own company, however,  so she thought about how she was going to spend her evening.   She loved baking and decided to bake some cookies.   And then she had a brilliant idea.  She would bake cookies and take them over to Ben’s for him and his grandchildren to enjoy during storytime.   Beth spent the next hour happily in her kitchen thinking about how much the kids would love her cookies.

With cookies on a plate, Beth headed next door to Ben’s and rang the doorbell.   She looked around for a car that might belong to Ben’s children but saw nothing.  Maybe they had been dropped off.   She tried to see in the window but the curtains were drawn.   Suddenly the door flew open.

“What are you doing here, woman??”  Ben glowered at her.  “I told you I am busy on Tuesdays!”

“I ..I thought you and your grandchildren might like some cookies …”  Beth looked past Ben into the living room of his home.   What she saw made her drop her plate on the ground.  “Ohhhhh…”

“You might as well come in…,”  Ben said softly.

Beth went inside and stared at the sight before her.   A fire was burning cozily in the fireplace, and a rocking chair was pulled near.  There was another comfortable chair facing it. On the chair were three frames each with a picture of a child.  The pictures were arranged as if they were listening…

“My grandchildren, Lisa, Robert, and David,”  he said, his voice hoarse with emotion.   “They died in a school shooting seven years ago.   I used to read to them every Tuesday.  I couldn’t stop…it makes me feel close to them to continue….”  He stopped and took a ragged breath.

“Oh, Ben…”  Beth didn’t know what to say.  “Your children….?”

“Gone.  They moved across the country.  I never hear from them…they wanted a fresh start.”

It was incredibly sad!  This man, this kind, gentle, sad, man had lost his entire family.   His grief was a huge presence in the room and all Beth could do was take his hand and just sit silently with him.

“Ben…I know how much you miss those kids.  I can’t imagine how it must feel…”  words just seemed so inadequate. “maybe if you want…maybe you could read to me sometimes?  I would really like that.  I know it’s not the same, but I do get lonely and I know you must be lonely too.   Maybe we could just be friends?”  Ben said nothing for so long Beth thought she had offended him.  Then he squeezed her hand.

“Yes, Beth.  I think I would like that.  How do you feel about Harry Potter?” he said.