My greatest pain

The story was told of long ago. Behind walls of stone and bars so cold. Two men sat at tables face to face. Same in age but not of race. One man broken in heart and soul. The other of leg and one arm not shown. Each sitting alone there in his cell. And then there rings the dinner bell. They meet at their tables divided by steel. And begin to converse over their meals. “What brings you in here my boy?” Says the one of heart destroyed. “I see your leg hurt and your arm gone.” The other man sat up with the longest groan. ”You see my love won’t give to me. Instead another man was meant to be. She had been running to him for quite some time. And that is what led to my crime. For once I found out I had to know. I had to find out where she would go. So, one night she left and I followed behind. She thought that I had simply resigned. To my bed early, which I often did. But, on this night I followed to his house and hid. Behind the bush as she went in. And stayed for the longest time with him. I could not even see his face. But I was not going to be disgraced. I am a man of fiercest pride. And, I was going to find out who held my bride. And once I had the chance at him. He would not be able to do it again. So, during the time of my long wait. I decided what would be his fate. I grabbed a stick that laid nearby. And when he came near I closed my eyes. I took the biggest swing at him. I hit him again and again and again. I was in such a fit of rage. That’s what put me in this cage. How about you, what put you here? Have you been here many years?” The first man put down his fork and started. And, the story he told soon imparted. A tale of a gruesome lonely life. Which sounded similar to the first man’s wife. “I come from the shacks way down the road. I travel far and wide carrying my load. But it’s not a heavy burden like most loads you see. As a matter of fact, it’s a relief to me. For I am a man of many pleasures. I do not go around seeking money and treasures. But I go and find love that seems lost. It put me here but it’s worth the cost. For, you see I held the hand of a maid. But she decided she could not stay. She also left me for another man. It hurt so bad when she released my hand. I could not take a pain so sharp. You see, that’s where I found this aching heart. So, I took my vengeance out on her. It now seems like such a blur. I got away and became a traveling man. I could not stay in one place or land. So, I went around from place to place. And found satisfaction in each new face. But, it finally caught up with me. When a man whose face I could not see. Trailed behind and followed his bride. His pain and torment he could not hide. He beat me with such force and anger. I feared my life may be in danger. But I lived to tell the tale. And now I sit alone in this jail. Thinking of the man who beat me bad. And what I would do if I had. The chance to get payback at him. I would make sure he could never do it again. And, here I stare at the top of his head. As his stomach gets full and face is fed.” With that the first man lifted his face. And food fell from his mouth to his plate. He saw a familiar shape of a man. Who had held his very own wife’s hand. With scars and dirt and face beat in. He knew this man in front with him. They both stared, only feet apart. Only bars separating these two scorned hearts. “Why did you do this to me?” From cell number one came the plea. “It wasn’t me you armless elf. Instead, you did this to yourself. For you see, you only just committed this crime. That put you in here doing time. But, your wife’s cell had the bars of many years. Of lonely nights an endless tears. As you left her alone in her bed. And left her to move to others instead. For, you see a lonely heart will find love. And goes to places it never thought of. It has to find the thing that it missed. An embrace, some warmth and a kiss. She never wants to have to beg. Sometimes it cost an arm and a leg. In her case it cost her years of life. The thought alone can cut like a knife. Or in this case a stick of hard wood. I know you would take it back if you could. But let me be honest and put your mind to rest. She was nowhere close to the best. She did speak of a man who owned her heart. She wished that she did not even start. For the man she loved did not love her back. The time she lost she could not keep track. She was not the best, but gave it to him. She simply could not do that again. The love he did not reciprocate. Nor did he ever appreciate. You hurt a leg and lost an arm. But you caused her even greater harm. For she felt like she could not be loved. So, I went beyond and above. Many other women I have been with. But, there was just something about her kiss. The love and passion her and I gave. Is now following her to her grave.“ The man looked at him confused and perplexed. “Let me show you, read this text”. It was a letter she had written man number two. When she simply did not know what else to do. She had watched the battle go on that night. As both men that she held held onto tight. Went on for a very very short time. Before the second man swung and drew the line. To what he thought would’ve been the other man’s death. He beat him till he thought he was out of breath. This brought her sorrow beyond belief. And, no where could she go to find relief. So, her letter that she did send. Was the last thing she did before her own life would end. For she used the stick that the man had found. And beat her self into the ground. ”Why did she send that letter to you? All these years and the things I would do? To support her and keep her in our home. I guess I never realized she was so alone.” This man of one arm and injured leg. Stood up from his table and began to beg. For a sheet of warmth to be brought to him. He would not feel this pain again. When it was brought, he tied it up top. Then around his neck and a box did drop. The other man watched as he hung from high. He finished his meal as he watched him die. He waited a while before he made a call. To the warden who was sitting down the hall. When they came and cleaned up the mess. The man knew his night had been a success. He made another call to the other side of the door. And then walked in a face we had seen before. A face that have been known to both of these men. But only one would see her again. For while one man rages on like a bull. One plate remains on a table, full.