posted on Aug, 4 2008 @ 04:10 PM
His mind drifted back, thinking about how he had ended up in this
situation in the first place. A simple night out with the guys, that's what had
started it. After a few cold beers and a couple games of pool at Mom's
Saloon, (their favorite neighborhood bar), talk had turned to a magazine
one of the guys had found in a booth over by the wall. Seems it was one of
those "lonely-heart-club" periodicals, and everyone was having fun with
some of the ads. To make a long story short, he had ended up with the
magazine at the end of the night and had actually taken it home with his
"to-go" order of a midnight cheeseburger.
Three or four days went by, and one night he sat down and began to read
the magazine just for something to do. He came across her ad near the
end of the last page and read it. Then he re-read it. Then he read it again.
"WANTED : KINDRED SOUL IF YOU'RE INTO COUNTRY LIVING, AREN'T
AFRAID OF HARD WORK, AND ENJOY LIFE AS IT IS, THEN I THINK I'M
READY FOR YOU. WOULD LIKE TO MEET AND HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH
A GOOD MAN. ARE YOU HIM ? "
A P.O. Box was given to reply with a letter describing himself. And for no
good reason other that boredom and curiosity, he had responded to the
ad. Three weeks later he received a letter. Three weeks after that he got
her long letter and the map. Never thinking twice, he purchased a bus
ticket to where he thought she might be giving him directions. Up north,
close to the coastline he imagined. He took a leave of absence from his
job, not really caring if they liked it or not. He didn't need to work
anyway, just put in the time to keep his mind occupied. Saying goodbye to
his buddies proved difficult. He didn't tell them the truth, just that he had
something to do and he was off to do it. He wasn't about to tell them that
he had become interested in a "lonely-hearts-club ad, . . . very interested.
After reading her very long letter, he knew he "had" to meet her.
As 3:00 P.M approached, so did the rain clouds. He wondered who would
be there first , she or the rain. What if she didn't show up at all ? Where
would he get shelter from the storm ? He stood up and began to pace. He
carefully began to check out the surrounding area for outbuildings of any
kind, . . .old sheds, barns, whatever. Nothing close by. Off to his left,
across a large field and two stone walls, stood an abandoned house that
appeared to have one-half of its roof still intact. That might do as a last
resort. It was all there was. At 3:15 P.M. he donned his backback and
grabbed his suitcase. Big, big. big raindrops began to fall. This was going
to be a wet one ! Running like a bat-out-of-hell, he took off for the old
house. He was over the first stone wall and running for the second when
lightning struck a tree in the field. Down he went as the clap of thunder
exploded above his head, scaring the bejesus right out of him. The rain
was coming in torrents now at a sideways angle. As he tried to get up and
run for the second wall, something hit him from the side, knocking the
wind from him, causing him to fall hard. Rolling over on his back, he lay
there for a second, feeling the rain hit his face, . .and then he heard her
laughing. Evidently she had been running in the rain too, probably with the
same intent of reaching the old house. She had run smack into him without
seeing him at all thanks to the heavy downpour. She continued to lay on
her back and laugh, and he could not keep himself from joining her. Her
laughing was contagious. Finally, he helped her up and they ran together
for the shelter of the house.
Under the partial roof they stopped and faced each other. He looked into
her eyes and said "Hi, I'm Sam." With a smile on her face she reached
out to shake his hand and said,"Hi, I'm Faith. Glad to meet you."