<b><i><font color=blue>Light flickers in the breaking of hearts, just on the edge of love's consumption. Passion is the key, to romance, of the desires, being left to fester. Higher ideals, values galore. Elite like fishes in the church pews.  So much for pent up emotion, each feeling left unanswered, frustration held by youth. </i></font>

Graduation from eighth grade, first one in his family to accomplish the task. Small celebration, uncles giving him his first beer. Treated him like a new member. Expectations running wild, maybe graduate from high school, you are smart enough, no chores need be done.

After three or four beers, acting a bit goofy, finds a bed to lay down on. A sixteen year old half-cousin finds him. Wants him to see her best attributes. Strips down and curls up next to him. Uncles peek in and applaud, lock the door.  Nothing happened other than an appreciation for the beautiful form next to him. His values got in the way.

Time moves forward and the pain of youth slides right with it. His cousin becomes his very best friend. They drink together, make out together, learn how to take each other's bodies to the edge of fire, but never consume.

Each moves in the circle of expectation; college knocks at the door of opportunity, state pays for teachers, and basketball players, low tuition fifty dollars a semester, buy or rent your own books.
She escapes to the east coast, he plays in the Midwest.

Her graduation party is for only a select few. Top grades, but drug riddled brains. Heavy in smoke the room spins.  She has been loved by everyone there but him.

Vietnam takes him to another place and time, she writes everyday, always a packet of letters when ever the mail catches up. She's writing for a major magazine. Skilled but accused of sleeping her way into the job. Drugs harder now.

She meets him at Travis Air Force Base in California, just beautiful, breath taking, sophisticated, hard to believe she is real. She wraps her body around him in the small motel room. For days they find the youth and values thrown away. Little talk just wild passion explored and evaluated for what it was: need.

It was Christmas the first one after the return from Vietnam, sitting on the couch held together with staples and throw. Lost in the lights of the Christmas Tree.

Phone rings she is on the other end, "Merry Christmas". She was calling from the Betty Ford Center.
"Need you" was all she said.

Picked her up at the airport. Helped her stay out of the bottle. Together put her life back. Traveled sang, wrote and lived in each others thoughts. Values pushed the envelope. Reconciliation with her husband and child.

So much shared, empty is the space left in the heart. Lights twinkle on the tree. Strange how life calls and we answer. Best moment of life lived. I smile.

Door bell rings, I can't believe my eyes, there stands a twenty year old, right out of a photo graph.  "Are you Walt?" She gives me a big kiss and a hug, mom said, "from her. Please come and see her with me."

My heart breaks as we pull into the cemetery. I walk to her grave. We say a prayer, time placed another thorn in my heart, right next to the rose in full bloom.