Continued from part 13….Part 14

With February slipping like a small ghost into the past I paused briefly in front of my mirror that morning and wondered if I looked a year older. I reflected on yesterdays gain in another year of life and still in the self same thought considered its loss. While I celebrated another year on earth, my grandmother Wilson quietly left through some unseen doorway and through the gates of heaven. Grandma as I called her was my advisor; my confidant and my most ardent supporter. During my early childhood I spent many days and nights under the watchful eye of this strong willed Christian woman. She and my Grandpa were both strong movers and shakers in the church and instilled in me early moral values and integrity although there were times in my life that I through poor choices sought to abandon them for fast women and cheap thrills. Never once during these fast and uneasy times did she ever condemn me, but rather prayed for me in comfort knowing that God would make a way…now she was gone and I felt like I had lost a very important part of my life.

I looked back into the mirror and saw blank empty eyes starring back. I needed to shave and get dressed since visitation at the mortuary would be soon. I needed to call Leah and tell her, but was not sure how I would pull that off since she and my grandmother had hit it off with one another from day one when I introduced them. Grandma got such a kick out of Leah’s sometimes naïve ways and would openly joke with her about them. I quickly finished shaving and walked into my bedroom to use the phone. When I reached down to pick up the receiver to call Leah, the phone rang. When I picked it up it was Leah on the other end and I could tell right off from the sound of her voice that something was wrong.

I tried not to let on that I noticed it and began to speak in the most cheerful tone I could muster at the time when she interrupted me with what I called at that time the final blow. She told me that something had come up back home in the lower part of the state and that she would be leaving on the noon bus. I looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was already eleven O’clock. With my voice shaking I asked what was wrong and could I help. She just responded with sadness and said that she could not talk about it at this time and that she would try to give me a call when she arrived. She then said that she had to go that her cab was waiting for her and she then told me that she loved me. With that said and done she hung up the phone. I didn’t hang up right away in thinking that I would still hear her voice come through the receiver. Yet all that I heard was the dull beep echoing in my ear followed by “If you would like to make a call then please…I hung up the phone and walked over to the closet.

As I rifled through the mismatched collection of dress clothes I wondered in my heart what could be wrong. I have just lost my Grandmother and I know felt like I had lost my souls as well. Settling on a gray pinstripe I proceeded to get dressed. With each shift or change in putting the clothes on I became consumed at the thought of Leah leaving as well. If I hurry I thought to myself, I could swing by the bus station and see Leah off and still make it back in time for the visitation. I looked at the clock which ticked in soft silence on the wall and realized that I would not be able to make it to the bus station.

It was eleven thirty and I had just finished combing my hair when I heard my dad pull up in the driveway. Rushing through the rest, I dashed out and got in the car. When I got in I could see he had been crying and my heart grieved now for him. We arrived ahead of schedule and took our places in the viewing room. Hundreds upon hundreds of faces with somber looks filed past us that hour. Most of the people arriving were members of grandma’s church. I knew some from long ago, but there were many others that I did not.

The whole time I sat there I remember thinking where Leah might be now and I wondered if she was missing me like I already missed her. After the service was over I made my way out the back door of the mortuary and sat on the steps in the cold February silence.  My thoughts drifted back to the first time I saw Leah’s smile and I prayed that whatever was wrong that God would fix it for her.

Three weeks had now passed and I have not heard a word from Leah. The cold of February had now given over to the cool winds of March. Though I never gave up hope on seeing her again, I was beginning to question if I would. On March the 27^th I walked in my door that evening from work and the phone was ringing. I pushed the door to behind me and fought off my dog as I ran to get the phone. I reached to pick it up and then it stopped. I had no idea who it could have been and as I walked into the bedroom to change clothes it started ringing again. I picked up the phone and said hello and the voice of an angel came through the line…it was Leah…

“Da… I need you; can you come to Aiken and get me?

J. Allen Wilson © 10/2008

The Bus Stop Part 1

The Bus Stop Part 2

The Bus Stop Part 3

The Bus Stop Part 4

The Bus Stop Part 5

The Bus Stop Part 6

The Bus Stop Part 7

The Bus Stop Part 8

The Bus Stop Part 9

The Bus Stop Part 10

The Bus Stop Part 11

The Bus Stop Part 12

The Bus Stop Part 13