After we finished off Chester’s stash of high grade whiskey, Abraham and I feasted on a meal of roasted chicken and potatoes. The two of us slobbered on the hot food and after a bit, Abraham excused himself as I continued eating, finding myself sucking the last shred of chicken from a bone when he strolled back in, joining me at our table. Abraham’s voice was just above a whisper as he leaned across the table, “It’s about time to get out of this shithole but ‘afore we go, best you be paying your last respects up on that hill.” He nodded to the side and I knew what he meant. I swiped away the grease from my lips, looking into the eyes of the man across from me. “Alright,” I drawled, buzzed from both the food and the booze. We scraped our chairs out from underneath the table as Abraham called out to Chester, busy at his never ending chore of wiping down the bar. “We’re leaving ya now, Old Timer!” Abraham kept walking as Chester pulled his rag to a stop, glaring at me, “Jake, you understand once you walk out that door, you be on your own. And when your belly shrivels to nothing and the want of thirst brings ya crawling back, what you will find is my boot on your backside.” I wavered a little, saying to Chester, “There be nothing here for me. Those I knew aside from you, is gone now.” Chester faltered as I said nothing else, heading to the silhouette pausing at the door. Abraham slung the door and we disappeared over the threshold. Once outside, Abraham steered us along the sunbaked walk. The ting of his spurs was rhythmic, echoing off the flat board structure of vacate shops. After a bit, the shops disappeared, leaving in its place a wide trail. Abraham slowed, “Seeing that this is your piece of shit town, where can a couple of fellas find a flower in this dead nothingness.” His question registered yesterday’s memories filed with fluttering butterflies and droning bees, “Up yonder be the meadow and I’ll gather what she liked there.” Abraham pitched his black hat off his forehead, gazing past my face. “Let’s get this done.” She was fourth in a line of nine, eight up from the first column of headstones. Abraham watched Jake make his way over to where he needed to go, holding the bunch of flowers in his hand. He was too far away to hear Jake’s words but Abraham saw that his lips were moving as he dropped each flower one by one. A tear fell and he let it run its course over his weathered face. Best face the new knowing closure, he thought as Jake started toward him. Together, the two set out into the dwindling sunlight, ready for the challenges that lie ahead.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 02:55:24 +0000
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