~Homeless Henry~
Everything felt like a dream and Henry didn’t know if he was awake or asleep. Out of the blue he hears a soft voice. “It’s sure a bad night.” Henry looked up and saw a man wearing a rain coat and hat. “You got a place to stay?” asked the man. “If you don’t you better follow me.”
Henry thanked the man and followed him down the street. Neither of them spoke until they reached a little house on the corner. They both walked up to the porch of the house. The stranger stepped back, and told Henry to go inside. A woman and her family were preparing dinner in the kitchen. She looked at Henry and gave him a warm smile. “Please sit down, and enjoy a warm meal.”
The nice lady motioned for her daughter to set another place setting for their guest. Henry glanced nervously at the front door. Where was the man? “A gentle man brought me here and told me to go inside.” The woman smiled. “We don’t have a lot, but can always feed an extra,” she remarked as she stirred her homemade soup. Silence descended upon the room as Henry sat quietly observing the young family finishing dinner preparations.
The kind woman clattered the plates and silverware onto the table. Her little boy carefully set out the bread and butter and pulled up the chairs. Henry kept looking at the front door. The woman noticed Henry’s agitation. As they ate, she spoke openly to Henry. “That was my husband that brought you here."
He wanders around late at night looking for the homeless, if he finds one, he will bring them over for a hot meal. After supper dishes were cleaned and put away; the woman called for her son. “Please show our guest to the spare room for the night.”
The guest room was very clean and comfy. Henry couldn’t remember the last time he slept in a warm bed. He couldn’t sleep and just stared at the ceiling. As he was dozing off he heard footsteps coming down the hall. They stopped at his door. Soon they resumed, walking away in the distance. Then they returned. Henry thought it was one of the children sleepwalking, and he rolled over and closed his eyes.
Hours later, Henry heard the same footsteps only heavier this time. Then he heard a knock so hard that it shook the door. He got up and opened the door, but saw no one. He looked down the hallway and didn’t see anyone. He started to close the door, when he felt something brush past him. He quickly climbed back into bed, but couldn’t sleep.
In the morning, he awoke with the sun shining. He thanked the family and set off to a nearby diner for some coffee. When he arrived he saw the young boy from the night before. “You forgot your gloves, and I knew you would be cold with out them.” “Thanks.” said Henry. “I was wondering’ why your old man never came back last night.” “Did I do something to offend him?”
“Was that him banging on my door all night long?” The boy’s eye’s widened. “My father is dead. “He was killed in an accident seven years ago.” When Henry returned to Tobias, Nebraska he knew exactly what he wanted to do. The ghost of the boy’s father paid him a visit the night before and Henry wanted to know why?
He decided to go back and visit the family for some answers. The nice lady welcomed homeless Henry and said he could stay as long as he wanted. At first, he was nervous staying in the spare room with the eerie footsteps passing in the night. Every day was so wonderful; Henry finally felt like he had a real life.
He started helping around the house, and even taught the young boy to fish and hunt. A few months had passed and Henry finally got a job as a construction worker at a nearby site. He knew this was his destiny, and couldn't be happier. It was a miracle that the ghost talked to him that rainy night. He married the nice woman and raised her children as his own. They all lived happily ever after.
Copyright ©2009 Chessly Lynn Nesci
