The Camelot Proposal

The Camelot Proposal

Suzanne Marsh

The old man stared silently at the castle, it was his dream. His Cumberland Spaniel, walked freely over the grounds. The old man begins his story of how he made his dream come true, the happiness and the heart break of building his castle. He continued to stare at the stone castle as he began:

“I began this project over sixty years ago. I purchased the land for four hundred and fifty

dollars, I was fifteen at the time. It began with the idea of a cottage but it grew into a

life long project. My dad and mom signed the papers for the land since I was fifteen.

Dad would come out here with me as we began to build. Those stone steps between the first

and second floor, he did.

As time sped by Dad began to slow down, so I carried on with my project. Then I met

the love of my life, Phoebe. I remember the first time I saw my vision of loveliness, we had a

class together in college. She was beautiful, oval face surround by a mass of flaming red hair.

Green eyes and svelte figure topped this vision off. I was shy and had no idea how to

approach her. That was my freshman year, I was shy but by my sophomore year, my

attitude changed from shy to confident. We had another class together and as soon as

she walked in, I strode over to her and asked her for a date. Phoebe, just smiled at me.

I took that for a no, and resigned myself to the future without her in it. But if nothing

else I was persistent, I finally convinced her that I really wanted to take her out.

That was the beginning. We dated until our senior year, then like most couples

we had a fight. That fight ended in neither of us speaking to the other. It broke my

heart to see her with other guys, her green eyes dancing, her flaming red hair flying as

she danced each dance at the hop. I knew if I wanted her back I was going to have to do

the gentlemanly thing and apologize. It was months before she consented to go out again.

I did not under any circumstances want to lose her again. I went to a jeweler in Florence

Colorado and picked out the biggest diamond ring that I could afford, it was over a carat.

I decided to take her out to the castle, I had not taken her there before but just

seemed like the right time and place. As we drove through Rye, Colorado I took her

small hand in mine and held it. It seemed like the natural thing to do at that point in time.

I pulled off the side of the road, asked her to close her eyes and led her over the drawbridge

up the stairs to the first floor. There in front of the large wooden column I dropped to my

knee. I took her hand and asked her to be my wife. It all felt so right to me.

We married a year later, she was twenty one and I was twenty two. During the time

just before we married, I built a small cabin, up on the mountain. It was there we

honeymooned. It was the beginning of a wonderful life of adventure for both of us. At dusk

we would walk hand in hand toward the castle. I was still building it at the time, each rock

a testimony to our love. The drawbridge was already in place and the first floor complete,

I was now working on the second floor. I had built a saw mill, I cut my own timber. Most

of the wooden floor was from trees I cut down in the National Forest.

Then the children began to come. My dream of the castle was still up most in my mind.

Phoebe was hard put to keep me home, I wanted to work on the castle every moment of

every day. She was so beautiful and patient. We had seven children”, he states as the

tears begin to form in his eyes. “One boy passed on at four years of age. It was heartbreaking

for Phoebe and I. Losing a child is like losing a glimmer of love and hope. Phoebe and I

faced it together just as we always faced things.

Each stone that I placed was an expression my love for Phoebe and our large family.

As I sit here now, looking up at the mountains I can't think of any place I would rather be.

There is peace here that I can't find anywhere else. Phoebe said more than once that this

is a lifetime project and dream. I have moved each stone. I wanted a medieval castle.

I want to be a self styled King Arthur and Phoebe my Guinevere. That is still my plan.

The children are all grown. My oldest son has a black stallion that he rides, Phoebe has

a horse as does my daughters. Growing old here with my queen Guinevere is a dream of

the Camelot that I will finish before I die; at least that is my plan. Funny how times plays

tricks on a man. When you are a young strapping man, then middle age sets in; now I am

in the twilight of my life.

See, over there, I am building a passage way from the front to the drawbridge. Every

single stone I have lifted and placed just exactly where I want it to be. I just wish

the my sweetheart was still here but then again if she were she would not have wanted

me to argue with the state to be sure that this castle does not collect any money from

the poor folks that come here to visit. Some of those stained glass windows have names

of folks who donated money so I can continue to build.”

His eyes begin to mist as he continues, “Phoebe, my sweet darling Guinevere passed

away two years ago from cancer. We both had cancer the same year yet I survived,

but my love did not.”

The old man, then rises from his chair, beckons his Cumberland Spaniel, together they walk into

the sunset of life. His castle is almost complete as is his life.