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Almost Home
#1
                                                                                                                                                      Almost Home

"Hey buddy"

Damn, life is good. Nathan can feel the sun, hot on his eyelids, drying the last of the water on his skin. A gentle breeze, as light as Gods whisper raising goosebumps on his bare flesh.

"HEY BUDDY!"

He hears water splashing as Maggie makes her way out of the pond. With the field work done for the day, they had decided to take a quick dip in the cool water of the spring fed pool in the back forty. Nathan can picture his wife coming out of the water, naked as the day she was born. Sunbeams striking the droplets on her firm, tanned skin, dazzling as diamonds free for the taking.

"HEY, C'MON BUDDY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

They had known each other their whole lives, living on neighboring farms and knew they were in love since the age of five. There was never a question of if they'd get married, just when it would be. Maggie was the most beautiful woman in the small community and Nathan knew he was the luckiest man in the world. Until the day the draft notice came.

"JOE, GIMME A HAND HERE"

He was being sent to war immediately. Such was Nathan's love that he told her to find another man to marry and raise a family with, he couldn't ask her to wait. With lightning flashing in her eyes Maggie slapped him across the face hard. Grabbing either side of his head she looked deep into Nathan's soul and said, "I love you Nathan Phillips. You will come home to me. We will be wed. You will give me a houseful of babies. Got it?"

"It's too late for that old man, Jimmy. I'll call it in"

She was true to her word, writing him every day for two years. Two years of Hell for Nathan, the things he'd seen, the things he'd been forced to do. The atrocities of war had broken him, left him an empty shell with one goal left, he would find a cheap motel, drink himself into stupor and end his miserable existence. As Nathan walked thru the post front gate there stood Maggie, tears streaming down her cheeks as she saw what had become of her man. She stepped forward, arms spread wide like the wings of an angel and hugged Nathan hard, wrapping him in love and forgiveness.

"IT'S WEAK BUT HE'S GOT GODDAMN PULSE! HELP ME GET HIM UP!"

By the time the bus reached home many hours later Nathan was healing, not healed but getting there thanks to Maggie. She had, single handedly, brought him back from the brink of despair and saved his soul from eternal damnation. He was, forevermore, hers. The whole town attended the wedding and it was still a small affair but it felt as extravagant as if they'd have been in Buckingham Palace. That was a few weeks ago and life had been perfect ever since for the young newlywed couple. It was time to get dressed and go work on the babies he'd promised her. Maggie was Nathan's home.

"HEY PAL! OPEN YOUR EYES! WHAT'S YOUR NAME? DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE?"

Nathan slowly lifts his lids, rheumy eyes staring blankly out at the fat, heavy snowflakes blanketing the cities filthy streets in a blanket of pure white.

The officers lift the old bum from the newspapers and start to escort him to the nearest shelter.

Nathan mumbles, "I was almost home".
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#2
This is powerful. It feels like a true story. I just want to go home. It is a long and winding road.
while true; do nohup budgie; done
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#3
(9 hours ago)UltraBudgie Wrote: This is powerful. It feels like a true story. I just want to go home. It is a long and winding road.

Thank you kindly.
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#4
(9 hours ago)Moon68 Wrote:                                                                                                                                                       Almost Home
[font]...[/font]

I found this tale speaking to me personally...

I loved it!

Forgive me that it took so long to comment... it deserves better attention on my part.

This is one of those things that inspires me to write myself... I am always grateful for that.
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#5
(8 hours ago)Maxmars Wrote: I found this tale speaking to me personally...

I loved it!

Forgive me that it took so long to comment... it deserves better attention on my part.

This is one of those things that inspires me to write myself... I am always grateful for that.

Thanks Max. I'm glad you enjoyed it. That means a lot to me, especially from one whom I respect so much.
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#6
(8 hours ago)Moon68 Wrote: ... That means a lot to me, especially from one whom I respect so much.

Now it is you who are being kind.

I never seek respect... I fear it as a trust I might not understand well enough to live up to.
To have it is an honor not to be accepted casually, to lose it is a tragedy which often signals foolishness.
Respect can be problematic...

Your story speaks of love deeply held, and gracefully manifested.
Such beauty in relationship is to be cherished, perhaps even worshipped.
It's loss cuts deeply, leaving a wound that seems never to heal fully.
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#7
Oh Moon68, that hits so close to home.

I have been on the rescuer side so, so many times, afterwards thinking about the person’s life experiences and what happened for them to be in this situation.

A great story can trigger a lot of emotions and memories that are relatable in so many different ways.

Thank you for this.

Tecate
If it’s hot, wet and sticky and it’s not yours, don’t touch it!
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#8
(8 hours ago)Tecate Wrote: Oh Moon68, that hits so close to home.

I have been on the rescuer side so, so many times, afterwards thinking about the person’s life experiences and what happened for them to be in this situation.

A great story can trigger a lot of emotions and memories that are relatable in so many different ways.

Thank you for this.

Tecate

Thank you so much for your kind words Tecate. I'm humbled that my words were able to connect with you.
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#9
Same reply. Awesome! Sad. Acronym game is calling lol!
Be kind to everyone!
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#10
(7 hours ago)Quantum12 Wrote: Same reply. Awesome! Sad. Acronym game is calling lol!

I had the last reply on the Acronym game  Duh
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