Rural Reminiscing

It's 5:17 on a Friday morning in rural Parker City, Indiana.

A white haired old man sits in his chair, as he does every morning, staring off at the fog lifting from his fields. His eyes don't focus on the land, but seem to cloud into a blank stare.

Is he going back to a place where life was different?

When he was young? Before the war, when he was a teen. Full of piss and vinegar?

Away from this routine he's come to know?

Away from a wife with Alzheimer's, away from the aches and pains of growing old.

As he sits and stares, and a crazy girl from the city passes by loading up her luggage to leave even though she still has 24 hours left in her trip, their eyes meet.

She gets it.

She understands.

He smiles.

He stands up and takes her hand.

And they dance.

He twirls her around the kitchen while everyone still sleeps.

And for a moment, he's young again.

So, Wayne, this one is for you.

Go back to that place, if just for a moment.

And remember.