Since We Last Spoke

My eyes must be playing tricks on me. I rubbed at them and looked again. Squinting the figure into focus. That is him. His hair is now white as a cloud and his once youthful face is weathered, but it’s him. 

As he made his way around the pond approaching me, I could see him searching his mind for the memory of my face. He didn’t have to search long.

“Roger? Roger Cook, is that you?!” he exclaimed. 

“It sure is,” I answered. I stood up from the park bench to shake his hand. “Charles Clark, it’s good to see you.”

“Wow, you too. I didn’t know if I would ever see you again. You don’t look a day over sixteen!” he joked. 

I laughed as we both sat down on the bench. “So, how have you been since I left?” My chest felt heavy as I asked. It was hard thinking back to that time. We had been good friends growing up. I think we rode our bikes over every inch of our small town. His mother used to set an extra plate at the dinner table, knowing I would be around.

“All in all, I can’t complain. I admit, the last few years of school were really hard without you there. And I never could bring myself to get back on a bike. After I graduated, I decided to leave town and never really looked back. I met my wife Meredith that first year. We just had our fiftieth anniversary last month.” He reached into his pocket and pulled a few photos out of a worn leather wallet. “Here, these are our sons. They’re smart kids. Both living in Florida now working as nurses.” 

I took the photos from him. The edges were crumpled from years of showing them off. His sons looked just like him. “I wish I could have met them. Any grandkids?”

“No, but I’m sure Meredith is down there badgering them to know when.” He chuckled at the thought. “How have you been since?”

I took a deep breath before answering. “I was really mad when I first realized I was leaving. My life was good there. I was planning to try out for next year's baseball team. I just knew I would have made varsity. And I was finally working up the courage to ask Cindy from science class out. It just didn’t seem fair.” Charles shook his head in agreement. “But I’ve made peace with that. I mean, look at this place. It’s a beautiful place to spend your days.”

He looked around at the park, admiring it. There were people splashing in the shallows of the pond, kids chasing dogs through the grass, and the sky was a blue you didn’t even think was possible. 

“It really is,” he agreed. “Have you been here ever since?” 

“Oh, I’ve bounced around a bit, but I keep coming back here.” I had done some exploring, but this place was always where I came back to. I could sit on this park bench for hours. There was always a warm breeze and the perfect amount of sunshine to kiss your face. 

“Have you seen anyone else from back home?” Charles asked. 

“Remember Jimmy from down the block?” He nodded. “He was the first one I ran into. When I first saw him, he was in rough shape. I think he’s better now, though. And Mrs. Collins. Just saw her not too long ago. She had been my favorite teacher.” Another nod.  

There was always a mix of joy and sadness when recognizing someone from back home. It was good to see Charles, though, even if it brought back painful memories. I thought back to the last time I saw him, the last day I was there. It had been just an ordinary day. We rode our bikes down to the quarry and went swimming with a few other friends before I took my last bike ride back towards home. I took days like that for granted, thinking I would have more. I’m sure most kids do, too.

Charles pulled me from my thoughts when he asked, “Do you see your parents much?”

“Yeah, I see them almost every day now.” 

“That’s great.” He paused before adding, “I bet they missed you.”

I blinked away tears before they could fall. “How were they afterwards?” I asked hesitantly. 

He rubbed at his neck before answering. “They were pretty broken up. My mother tried to help. She’d take them dinners and drive Frank to his t-ball practice sometimes.”

My heart sank at the mention of Frank. I still felt the guilt from leaving him, even if it wasn’t my fault. He needed an older brother to look out for him, and I wasn’t there. 

“He turned out okay,” Charles added, reading my face. 

“Thank you.” I cleared my throat before asking, “Do you mind if I ask how it happened for you? You seem to be handling it okay. Much better than Jimmy had.” Jimmy had still been in the denial phase when I saw him. Not yet ready to accept what had happened to him. I get that. It took me a while as well.

“It was cancer. Stage four. I’m guessing it’s never easy, but I at least knew it was coming. I got to say my goodbyes. The doctor had given me three months, and I made it four.” 

“I’m really sorry Charles.” And I was. He was leaving behind a wife and two sons. It couldn’t be easy for him, no matter how okay he seemed. 

“Thank you Roger. I’m just grateful for the years I got. I’m sorry fate robbed you of so many.”

“I am too. But like I said,” gesturing towards the open park, “I can’t complain.” 

“Oh, I forgot to mention. We named our oldest son Roger,” he said with a grin.

The tears I tried to blink away early flowed freely now. It felt good to know I had not been forgotten.

“I’m sorry that you’re here, but it’s nice to see you old friend.”