Day’s Last Ride (A Waterloo Tale) byhenry lewi,mug of rum,

 

 

   ‘Are my dancing days over?’ That was the first thought that had passed through his mind as the musket ball tore into his thigh. He couldn’t stop his horse as it galloped alongside the others of the Household Brigade. They’d thundered down the slope with their sabres drawn, across the sunken road and as the smoke and the haze cleared they saw and and attacked the flank of the advancing French Corps.  

  The charge had lost its momentum as they engaged the enemy, who had quickly formed themselves into defensive squares to fend off the cavalry, and opened up with volley fire, and it was then when he was hit.  As the adrenaline wore off and the shock set in, Lord Valentine Day, eldest son of the Earl of Luxborough, Lieutenant in the Second Squadron, The 1^st Life Guards, dropped his reins and slumped forward in his saddle.

  It was at that moment when the French Lancers hit them from their left side and the cavalry charge now descended into absolute chaos.  The thunder of the hooves, the noise of the guns, the beating of the French drums, the screams from the wounded, now combined with the smoke from the artillery and muskets now obscuring the visibility on the battlefield, and all added to the absolute confusion, and the men and horses of the Household Cavalry Brigade just milled around, now easy prey to the enemy’s guns and Lancers.  

  The French squares were on their right, the charging enemy lancers to their left, and with the advancing British Columns tight behind, and the French guns in front of them, the Cavalry Brigade had little room to manoeuvre or even retreat, but to survive, retreat they must.

     One of the troopers, a sergeant from his own Cavalry squadron grabbed his reins and now attempted to lead Valentine’s horse away from the battlefield and help the wounded officer back to the British line.   As the trooper steadied his horse and handed back his reins, he simply said to Valentine Day, ‘My Lord, hold the reigns tight in your left hand your sabre in the right,’ and pointing northward, the trooper said ‘just head for the ridge behind that nearest farm,’ and smacking the horse’s rump he sent the wounded Valentine Day on his way back towards the British lines.

   Lord Valentine Day had purchased his first Commission when he was 16 and now aged 22 he was a seasoned veteran, and had fought with Wellington in the Peninsular Campaign; and now his Regiment had followed the Duke to this battlefield, here at Mont-Saint-Jean, just outside Brussels.  

  Three nights ago he had danced throughout the night at the Duchess of Richmond’s Ball and as one of England’s most eligible bachelors there had been no shortage of dance partners, and ‘Oh he so loved to dance,’ and the Duchess’ ball before today’s battle had been absolute heaven, and he had laughed and danced the night away.  

  At a canter his horse took him safely back to the British Lines, joining other retreating members of the Brigade, and throughout this last ride his main thoughts were ‘will I lose my leg, will I be able to ride, and are my dancing days truly over?’  

   Lieutenant The Lord Valentine Day arrived at the ridge where Wellington’s troops were arrayed before him on the reverse slope, and his horse now followed the lines of those wounded troops heading back towards the Field Hospital based at the Coaching Inn of Mont-Saint-Jean.  

  The Inn was crowded with the dead, the dying, and the wounded; and Lord Valentine with help and with some difficulty finally dismounted, and lying outside the Inn patiently waited to be seen; the sounds of the battle, the booming of the cannon, the rattle of musket fire all seemed to be getting very, very close.

  One of the many Regimental Bandsmen who were looking after and tending to the wounded, give him a mug of Rum and Laudanum to ease the pain, and Lord Valentine continued to patiently wait, the pain of his wound somewhat eased by the rum mixture.

  After a delay the attending surgeon who finally examined him and then forcefully probed his wound, said, ‘It’ll do My Lord, by God it’ll do; a simple through and through musket ball wound, looks worse than it is, happily no bones broken,’ and added with a grin ‘no need to cut the leg off, well not today anyway,’ as Lord Valentine asked ‘will I be able to dance again?’

  The surgeon replied with a wry smile, ‘don’t you worry My Lord you’ll live to fight and ride, and of course dance another day.’

  Smiling to himself, Valentine took a further mixture of the Rum and Laudanum for his pain and drifted off to sleep. He awoke with a start, dusk was falling and the battlefield was now strangely quiet, there were no sounds of canon or musket fire, no thunder of hooves from the repeated Cavalry charges; and just then a trooper from his cavalry squadron who had ridden up to the Inn and now recognising Lord Valentine leaned down from his horse saying, ‘My Lord The Colonel, His Grace the Earl presents his compliments and wishes to inform you that the Duke has prevailed, the French are defeated, Boney has fled, and our game is now done.’

 About the author

 

henry is a retired surgeon and member of the Canvey Writers Group. He has published a number of stories on the CafeLit site 

Did you enjoy the story? Would you like to shout us a coffee?. Half of what you pay goes to the author the other half goes tocover  expenses e.g. Maintainingh the web site and setting up The Best of Café Lit book each year.

RUNAWAY SUMMER by Renee Ebert, vodka with tonic and lime on ice

RUNAWAY SUMMER

Bonnie was running again on those chubby toddler’s legs. This time along the curb so really in the road. Julie’s mother, Sandra, shouted out to Bonnie, “Stop! Stop right now.” And Bonnie, ever the comedian pretended she was putting the brakes on by pulling back on her arms, stopping in the middle of the road because she had drifted away from the curb.

“Look at her, Mom.” Julie laughed. “Look at my little runaway. Isn’t she so smart, pretending she’s an automobile?  Look how she stands, straight, her head up, like she’s the wheels and the brake.”

Sandra, mentioned, “Yes and the gas pedal as well,” reminding Julie when Bonnie, not so long ago was close to danger. Both women fell into the memory of Ashley Blackstone who came out last year to Peekskill from California. At that time, Sandra couldn’t see the sense of it.

“Why would a fifteen-year-old girl want to come all the way to upstate New York?” Where were Ashley’s friends? Surely, she didn’t expect friendship from a woman she babysat for when Julie lived on the same street in California.   

At the time, Julie’s typical reflex was to defend her decision to invite the girl, “She’s having some issues with her mom.” To her mother’s questions, Julie said, “Ashley’s really a remarkable girl, reads a lot, only one in her family who thinks about college.”

Leaving out the girl had no friends in Mesa, and was lonely, who came by Julie’s house after school, the year Julie and Mark lived there. Julie selfishly refrained from thinking too deeply on any of it when they lived in San Diego County. Lonely herself and working part time a few hours a week from home; her little corner of the kitchen with its desk, phone and computer weren’t nearly enough stimulation when Bonnie was just two, still in babyhood complete with napping most days.

 Ashley filled her visits with rehashing excruciating hours at middle school, the taunts from boys that she was so skinny, her fears of rejection.  Which Julie mollified by painting for the girl a picture of who she was becoming, her slimness may already be captivating some of the boys and their early adolescent way of dealing with it was to insult her. Julie would say, “typical boy stuff.”

Her laments were there last year, and now, a year after Ashley’s visit, Julie breathed the cooler air of upstate New York where green was the color of the day, remembering, not fondly, the bleached brown of San Diego where the only time spent outside in the summer was midnight with ocean breezes cooling the air in their subdivision.  

Julie recalled her mother pursued the subject of Ashley, Sandra muttering, “she’s trying to move up and out, then.”

“Mom for chrissakes, you sound judgmental.” Julie picked up her three-year-old, kissed her chubby cheek, all the while Bonnie squirmed, saying over and over, “Put me down mommy!” until Julie fished a cookie out of her pocket.

“Just observing.” Sandra quickly added, “It’s nice that she sought you out as a mentor, it’s smart of her. I’ll give her that.” Sandra wiped her prescription sunglasses on the edge of her cotton dress, as she sat back down in her chair, breathing the sweet and cool air of upstate New York. Simultaneously both she and Julie looked over to Bonnie, now complacent in her stroller taking small bites out of the chocolate chip cookie and twisting her head this way and that between bites.

In the quiet, Julie remembered a full summer past and the chaos of moving from west to east coast and to upstate New York; back during the move, Ashley, a blessing as a  mother’s helper and babysitter while Julie and Mark navigated the impossible packing. As bad as it was, she knew the difference when Bill Mason, Mark’s dad showed up to help. Bill did the heavy lifting with Mark and Julie concentrated on wrapping dishes, glasses, folding curtains into boxes. Ashley read to Bonnie, and played games with her, away from the mess; Ashley’s quiet and soothing voice while she read to the baby, lulling her to sleep amid all the bustle at the other end of the house.

“We used to talk, and Ashley shared some small pieces of her homelife. It wasn’t always a good picture; a stepfather resenting Ashley, wanting the time alone with her mother.”

“Ashley’s mother was no prize either, hanging out in the cul-de-sac with all her female buddies, gossiping, chain smoking.”

Sandra studied her daughter’s face. “You didn’t much care for those women down the street, did you?”

Julie gently pushed the stroller back and forth as Bonnie’s eyelids began to slant down, her breathing getting deeper. She marveled at how peaceful, watching her baby’s deep breathing, almost hypnotizing Julie into a quieter place in her mind. “No, I really wasn’t into the party mode at four in the afternoon, with all the raucous dumping of their individual life secrets.” Looking over at her mother, Julie asked, “you think I was a snob with those women, don’t you?”

Sandra was used to the accusations that flung out from her daughter’ subconscious, uncomfortable thoughts that she assigned to her mother whenever they were too painful for her to accept. “Not exactly a book club group or the League of Women Voters.” Sandra now offered; the gathering emotional storm clouds dissipated as quickly as they had begun to brew. Julie laughed, “They were on a different playing field, theirs, not mine or yours.” She said, watching  her little girl nod off.

Julie shook her head at the memory of it, not just the women sitting semicircle in lawn chairs with beer cans in one hand and most of them, a cigarette in the other. As quickly, she thought of Ashely striving for something else. What the ‘else’ was would play out over time. Back in Mesa, then, there was Ashley babysitting: first for the extra money and getting out of her mother’s house and Joe, her stepfather’s way. His occasional snarky remarks Ashley considered hints of what he really felt; she was a nuisance. She was unaware of Joe’s unease with Ashley as evidence of his own fading youth.

Ashely bonded with Julie all the time while her husband worked long hours somewhere downtown in La Jolla. Ashley only fourteen sensed Julie understood when she complained about school and her mother.

After the move east, Julie did not find the bond that remained as unusual, and a few texts here and there from the girl remarking on how great it would be to travel east. In late spring last year, Julie relented, inviting her to come to New York.

She didn’t forget her mother’s reaction, Sandra’s head quirked up as she met her daughter’s eyes, “you think that’s wise?” And to forestall what might be a sharp zinger back, she added, “it’s a long way, can they afford to pay her airfare?”

“I don’t see a problem.” Julie’s knee jerk reaction was to justify having Ashley visit, but Sandra picked up on her daughter’s feelings of awkwardness, having a girl she hardly knew travel three thousand miles to stay with her. Secretly, Julie admitted the bond between them was tenuous.

The month went by quickly; late June and Ashley touched down in upstate New York airport, here and real and now. Julie quickly identified the girl though grown several inches taller and slimmer. She waved and after a confused and strained look on the girl’s face, an equally enthusiastic wave back. This is good, Julie thought, we’ll have time to reacquaint and she’s older now, it will be easier. She said these things to herself as she threw a quick look over to her mother. Sandra smiled sincerely toward the girl who encompassed them both in an awkward group hug, her message that she wanted to be a part of whatever they were.

The time jumped out at them, back home from the airport and making dinner.

“I like this one boy in my history class.” Ashley sipped her iced tea and continued, “he’s taller than me, can you believe? That’s really happening, the boys are all getting taller.”

Julie spooned some pudding into Bonnie’s eager mouth while banging her plastic sippy cup. “Does he live nearby? Do you go out on dates?” She spoke over the din of Bonnie’s cup.

“One date so far, Saturday movie, almost a premier but it featured one of the cast that had a small part, so not one of the main actors.”

Typical California faux Hollywood Julie thought as she wiped Bonnie’s face and dislodged her from the highchair. “I’m going to get her cleaned up and settled, she’ll sleep soon with a full tummy.” She smiled at her toddler and kissed her chubby cheek, looking over at Ashley who was silent, absently cutting her remaining salad. “You can come with us?”

Ashley perked up at the invitation, Julie hesitating to ask if she might be tired from the flight but the girl seemed glad to go upstairs, helped with Bonnie’s bath. Ashley continued talking about Jason through the evening, sharing the minutia of the first date.

 

Julie felt a strain from the first, she might not admit it to her mother, but it was there. Ashley was nervous, spoke rapidly to get it all said, shared, seeking comment, approval. The days began to have a sameness about them; Ashley vying for time and attention, Bonnie, tugging on her mother’s leg for a cookie, to share her new toy, wanting sometimes to be held and hugged. Ashley tried to conceal the strained and tightened lips, jealous of the attention Bonnie garnered from her mother, and Ashley covetous of Julie’s waning attention.

Sandra came by and it helped a bit; conversation could flow more easily between the girl and her mentor when Sandra rushed to capture Bonnie away from something hot or sharp. And Julie was glad for the distraction, though glimpsed more than once, her mother’s eyes squinted as she discerned the way things were shaping up. Julie hated to have her mother right in her assessment, could hear her mother’s thoughts, that girl wants something you cannot give her; the home she never had.

A ten-day visit, Sandra predicably signaled might be a bit longish, not family and not a best friend. Julie was glad for once of Mark’s late work schedule, dinner was full of conversation when he did get home earlier and Julie purposely stretched dinner to later, after Bonnie was asleep. The days were planned for parks and picnics near shallow brooks. They took turns with pushing Bonnie in the swing, but the strain had begun to announce itself. Work at her home office escalated for Julie with more research and writing and phone when Bonnie napped, and Ashley pulled into a sullen teenage sulk.

It was near dinner time, the sun was behind a cloud and the breeze had stepped up reviving all of them, Bonnie most of all, discovering the art of running, she laughed and fell a lot on the grass until she found the convenience of the sidewalk’s even ground and buzzed by Julie more than once.

“And my friend Tiffany, she can be annoying, always thinking everyone wants to hear about her and her boyfriend. It’s embarrassing.”

Julie looked up at her, more of the scowl creeping into her brow these last few days. “Do you try to change the subject? You know, ask her about a movie you both saw?” Julie asked.

“She wouldn’t go for that. The best I can think is make up stories about my new boyfriend—.”

Julie interrupted, held up her hand as Bonnie ran by her nearer the street. “Wait.” As she snatched Bonnie from stepping down off the curb. Bonnie spread out a toddler’s giggle as she delighted in being caught. “Bonnie! Not in the street.” Julie held Bonnie’s face, forcing her to look into her mother’s eyes. “Do you hear me?”

Bonnie nodded yes. But the game was on as she ran to the yard, then back to her mother, then to Ashley who rubbed Bonnie’s head absently as she talked on. “I wish graduation was this year.”

Ashley was full into her story about another boy presenting himself as a rival when she and her boyfriend were taking turns surfing on his board. The other boy was Steven Foy from their neighborhood, a year older who got to drive his father’s Subaru. “He clunked down on the sand, and I was busy reading for my English class, David Copperfield.”

“Were you friends with one another?” Julie and Ashley walked along the side street away from the swings with Bonnie, who repeatedly ran away and came back.

“He’s nice but older so I’m not sure about how to talk to him. He’s going to Community college next year and will transfer to U.C. in two years.”

“That sounds promising. You can see him for a year until the transfer if you decide to go to Community college as well. I think you should.”

Bonnie interrupted her mother’s thoughts when she bumped up against her leg, then Ashley’s as she looked from one to the other to notice her standing on one foot. “Look mommy, look at me.”

“What did you say, you said something?” Ashley looked down at Bonnie, “Shush Bonnie, mommy’s talking with Ashley.”

Julie collected her thoughts, “Did you decide on which community college?”

“It’s early yet, I guess, but MiraCosta maybe or Southwestern.” Bonnie was trying to stand on Ashley’s feet. “Stop Bonnie, that hurts on my bare feet.” She dusted off the dirt and firmly held the little girl away. “Just stop.”

Julie swooped Bonnie up and told her No in a firm enough voice, and the toddler’s face contorted to a semi frown then a pretend howl of insult at her mother’s annoyance with her, then the fake crying into her mother’s shoulder.

Things quieted down after the mutual fussing of Ashley and Bonnie, and Julie found herself retreating inward to weigh what was happening, but then relenting on bad feelings toward Ashley, acknowledging that she had as much a right to be impatient with Bonnie. She brought her conscious meanderings into light, relating the incident to her mother later that day. Sandra’s remark was casual, “We all get flustered,” further smoothed out the rough edges coming from Ashley.

Yet Julie became more aware of “things” as she called them. Ashley eager for the night or the nap that meant more time with Julie and without interruption from Bonnie. Though she was understanding and respectful of Julie’s part time work at her desk in the kitchen when she browsed through the novels in the bookcase, choosing and reading rapidly everything from Julie’s college English Lit collection to the new stuff Julie got from her book club.

There was one thing that stuck about Ashely, that she spent less time directly with Bonnie; little and halfhearted efforts, except to read out loud or show Bonnie how to push or pull a toy. She watched more than engaged while Julie did the heavy lifting, showing Bonnie how to match the cutouts and fit them into a toddler puzzle.

 Bonnie sensed this shift in Ashley, acted out an irritability, fussing more when she wanted something, looking to her mother and now, almost never at Ashely. Julie didn’t leave Bonnie in Ashley’s care as she used to, no quick trips to the grocery store for some ingredient  for a meal.

Instead, Bonnie and Ashley now joined Julie, a nuisance of strapping in Bonnie, unstrapping to go into the store because the last time she left them both in the car, Julie returned to find Ashley, arms folded, face red, looking down and angry and Bonnie’s face streaked with tears, her chest heaving with deep breathing that Julie knew had been crying and sobs just minutes before.

Things got quiet.

“Jeff called and we talked a long time. He says he misses me.” Ashley was buoyant for the first time in days. “He asked me a dozen times when would I be coming back. I played it out a little, saying I might be staying till school starts.” Julie heard a sound reminiscent of Ashley’s mother, a tawdry sound that signaled she was about to share an intimate moment she’d had with Ashley’s stepfather at one of the times that Julie joined the neighborhood women with their beer and cigarettes.

The silence filled up a larger and awkward moment as Julie processed the idea of Ashley adding another month to her visit. “What did Jeff say to that?” She avoided any personal remark sensing the girl was actually wanting to stay, and at the same time wondered why that would be, then remembering Ashley saying how her stepfather made it clear he’d like to see her gone. But Ashely’s perception was quick knowing Julie wanted the visit to end.

“Let’s get out in the fresh air, the temperature is perfect, 78 degrees.” Julie grabbed a light sweater for Bonnie in case temperatures dropped. Bonnie was like a pup on a leash as she ran around in rings, making up a sing song chant, “going out, we’re going out.” Julie snagged her toddler’s hand as they filed out, Ashley’s face was stone, her eyes looking angrily at Bonnie’s restlessness, who tugged on her mother to let her go.

“Ashley would you take her hand for a moment? I want to drop Bonnie’s sweater into the backpack on her stroller.” Ashley nodded yes and grabbed the little girl’s hand as they walked rapidly up the hill to the quiet road they used for these excursions. Julie looked up when she heard the sound of cars, the lot was full of tables, some sort of gathering, cars parked on the flat land and some real traffic with cars passing one another. Too many people crowded near where they walked, Julie searching for Ashley and Bonnie. Julie saw Ashely let go of Bonnie’s hand as she ran forward toward the traffic. Julie’s scream came out of a frozen throat as she sprang forward, reaching Bonnie in three steps, grabbing Bonnie where a car’s speed and power had almost brushed her head.

There were no words to follow. Julie turned back from the street, with Bonnie in her stroller, walked briskly toward the house. Her phone in hand she speed dialed the airline. No words as she opened the closet door in the guest room and began to carefully place Ashely’s clothes on the bed near an opened suitcase. Ashley silently began to fold her sundresses, piled her T-shirts carefully on one side of the suitcase, wrapped  her shoes in plastic bags. Her eyes were downcast. 

ll ended as quickly as things began. Ashely’s face was tearstained as she walked toward the airline outside check in and parked her bag for the attendant to place a tag on it. Julie stood apart, alone while her mother looked on from inside the car. Julie hugged Ashley, more dismissive than she wanted to admit.  “Have a safe trip.” As Julie pulled away from the girl.

 

 

About the author

 

 

enee Ebert has a BA from Georgetown University and a Masters in public health from UCLA. When she is not writing, she raises funds for nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and internationally. Her most recent work is support for street children in Nairobi and incarcerated women and children in Cairo.

 

It all ended as quickly as things began. Ashely’s face was tearstained as she walked toward the airline outside check in and parked her bag for the attendant to place a tag on it. Julie stood apart, alone while her mother looked on from inside the car. Julie hugged Ashley, more dismissive than she wanted to admit.  “Have a safe trip.” As Julie pulled away from the girl.

 

 

 

 

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On The Nightstand by Louisa Prince.kard, flat white in a travel thermos coffee cup.

 

On The Nightstand

Check-in complete—my iPhone landed on my duvet. Its screen glowed with my boarding pass, and I frowned.

How many pants will I need? Two shirts or one?

I scanned the pile of clothes spread across my bed, the lightbulb casting the scene before me into harsh view. My phone buzzed from beneath the mound; I rummaged under shorts, t-shirts and an array of cute crop-tops until I found it, opened my messages and read the brightly lit text “Pk U @ 7.”

Mark, my on-again, off-again boyfriend, had set a new record for brevity. I clicked the thumbs-up icon, and my gaze froze on the timestamp—11:34 PM. I sucked in a breath.

For three years, we'd lived in fragments of pixelated video calls and packages left on my doorstep. I swallowed, always waiting as postponed dreams stacked up like junk mail on my hallway console.

I need sleep more than options.

With one sweep, I shoved everything into the small suitcase; its fabric groaned while  its zipper rasped shut. It wobbled when I placed it beside my bedside table.

Before snuggling under the covers, I took one last glance towards my nightstand and the small blue booklet that lay beside my phone. The gold print of the emu and kangaroo on the Australian coat of arms gleamed on its surface. I reached across and turned off the lamp.

Eight hours and eleven minutes later, I squinted at my watch—7:45 AM flashed on its face.

My lightweight coat did little to protect me from the morning chill while I waited for Mark to arrive. I closed my eyes, warm air brushed across my face, and frangipanis pierced the frigid air. The whisper of palm trees swaying in the breeze and rhythmic crashing of waves until shattered by a sharp metallic shriek.

I scowled towards the beaten-up sedan pulling into the curb.

 “Cutting it fine, aren’t we?” I mumbled, my case landing on the back seat with a thud.

His laughter filled the cabin. “Don’t panic, you already checked in, didn’t you? A quick bag-drop and we’re all set … we’ll make it with time to spare.”

I settled into my seat with a sigh. The constant hum of passing traffic lulled me to sleep, interrupted by a curse from Mark, earning my glare.

“Last minute packing again?” He grinned.

I yawned, “Yeah, couldn’t help it.”

We jerked forward, and my knuckles whitened, gripping my small travel bag. The vehicle swaying while he swerved through crowded lanes, leaving a trail of blaring horns in his wake.

“What are you doing?”

“Need petrol,” he said, pulling into the last service station before the airport turnoff.

I glanced at my watch when the hollow clunk drew me to the door he’d disappeared through. Time clicked over in slow motion. Heat blossomed up my neck while I watched him stride into the kiosk and hand over his card as if he had all the time in the world.

“You couldn’t have gotten that yesterday?” I asked when he re-entered the car.

Shifting to gaze out the window, I watched the morning traffic backed up along the Tullamarine Freeway, heading towards the city. Us moving the other way.

Mark’s voice jolted me.

“Bloody drongo … can you go any slower?” He gestured at the vehicle in front.

“Thought you said we had plenty of time?” I asked.

His huff, reminiscent of a large cat, made me chuckle. I smiled when we passed the enormous billboard, Welcome to Tullamarine Airport, written across its facade.

I glanced at the dashboard clock. Wow that’s tight.

“Told ya,” Mark said, pulling into the first available bay of the short-term carpark.

 Wheels rattled while we traversed the uneven surface, surrounded by wafting exhaust fumes, following the marked pathways towards the terminal. The trill of reversing vehicles and metallic clunks echoed through the undercover carpark, vanishing when we emerged onto the crosswalk. Moments later, we burst through sliding doors and reached the nearest counter. I flopped onto the cool surface, gasping for breath, and smiled.

The woman behind the desk glanced at Mark, then back at me. “Passport?” She asked.

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I fumbled in my carry bag.

A blue flash flared in my mind—a coat of arms, familiar and official. The nightstand.

My gut twisted.

Oh Crap.

Shuffling feet swallowed her words. I turned toward Mark’s retreating form, one hand on the counter, but didn’t move.

Abouto the author

 

 

 

Louisa Prince is a Melbourne-based writer and self-proclaimed late bloomer whose stories often explore themes of family and health. Her work has appeared in CafeLit Magazine, New Plains Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, Sky Island Journal and elsewhere. 

Did you enjoy the story? Would you like to shout us a coffee?. Half of what you pay goes to the author the oher half goes to expense se.g. Maintaining hthe web site and setting up The Best of Café Lit book each year.

The Great Divide by Barry Garelick ,hot chocolate

 

 

The journey from Michigan to San Francisco took five days starting in late September and arriving in early October. Daniel sat in the back seat of his older brother Michael’s car; his sister-in-law Beth sat in front most of the way. It was 1971 when the interstate they rode on was full of young people hitch-hiking, some with signs stating their intended destinations and others with none, signifying anywhere but here.

The never-ending corn-laden farms of Iowa and Nebraska eventually gave way to the desolate plains of Wyoming and then wound upward into the Rockies where at the peak Michael announced, “Across the great divide!” Their descent took them into Utah and Salt Lake City, and they continued to Lake Tahoe and into California, through forests and gold country, almond farms and lemon and orange groves until all traces of agriculture disappeared. Now they passed by small towns and then the growing suburbs north of Berkeley until they saw the rising skyline of San Francisco across the San Francisco Bay.

Along the way Daniel wrote postcards to people he knew at school and to Debby, a girl who became involved with Daniel during the summer months after he had graduated despite knowing his plans to leave for San Francisco. He thought they would be together again he had told her. The postcards contained impressions about things he saw and heard in the towns where they stopped for gas or stayed for the night: a hardware store in Iowa City that had a timeless look, conversations he overheard in Omaha about Vietnam, a young man in uniform he saw kissing his girl friend goodbye before boarding a Greyhound at the outskirts of Cheyenne.

Over the five-day journey Daniel noticed that his brother no longer seemed brotherly and his sister-in-law was distant. One year earlier they seemed much happier when Daniel had visited them in San Francisco. Once into the welcoming familiarity of San Francisco they resembled their past selves, though not completely.

Daniel rented a room in a residence club – one of several boarding type hotels in San Francisco that would eventually disappear over the years. Michael had been in the same one when he first arrived four years earlier. Daniel’s room was small with a window that looked out onto an alleyway. The light in the room was diffused making it seem like it was gray and overcast outside, even when the sun was out. After helping Daniel move in, Michael gave Daniel the phone number of the friend where he and Beth would be staying. “We’ll be in touch,” he said and was out the door.

The residence club was populated by a mix of young and old. The young were mostly from other places, either for school or, like Daniel, in a collective escape from home. Others were from the area, working until they were settled enough to find apartments of their own.

The older people were mostly men who sat in the downstairs TV lounge most evenings and ranged in age from thirties to sixties. Many were divorced, looking to get new footing, others were recovering alcoholics who attended AA meetings. A few others were refugees from mental institutions that had been closed due to a law ending involuntary commitment. The closings were meant to start a shift to community care that as far as Daniel could tell did not exist.

***

Daniel spent his days looking for work and evenings talking with people at the residence club. No one measured up to the friends he had left behind. A burly person, known as Big John and slightly older than Daniel held court in his room almost every night. He said he was in medical school, wanting to go into psychiatry. Daniel heard from others that Big John was a liar and made his money selling grass. He talked about “the establishment” among other political topics, coming back to the large anti-Vietnam war demonstration in Golden Gate Park earlier that year and ending on the note that communism was the answer, and you can’t trust the government.

On Friday night of his first week there, Daniel was considering going up to Big John’s room when he stopped in front of the TV lounge. The same few men were there that night. One man seated away from the others saw Daniel; he waved to him, patting a seat beside him. “Come on in,” he said. “I’ve seen you here; you’re new here, aren’t you?”

The man had been drinking and asked more questions about Daniel without waiting for any answers. He talked to Daniel about his experience as a captain in the Army during the second world war. “There was a battle,” he said. “A big one.” It wasn’t clear where it occurred and he rambled about mud-soaked ground that made it almost impossible to march in and other details that Daniel couldn’t follow until he paused and looked at Daniel.

“I was in charge of a platoon. They did anything I told them to do. I told them, ‘Follow me!’ and they did. And they died.” The man covered his eyes and cried softly. Daniel sat and nodded, at a loss for what to say, not realizing that all he needed to do was listen.

The man stopped crying and looked at Danield. “Was your dad in the war?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“The Pacific. He fought on Iwo Jima.”

“Then he knows. Did he drink a lot?”

“Off and on.”

The man reached for a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his eyes.

“Do you love him?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good.”

After that night, the man known by the residents as Mr. Hadley always greeted Daniel warmly whenever he happened to see him.

***

Towards the end of his second week there, Michael left a phone message for Daniel that he picked up at the front desk; he would be in Daniel’s neighborhood on Friday and would come by around noon. The message said nothing more.

Michael arrived at one thirty and did not look happy. He wore a scowl that reminded Daniel of his father at dinnertime sometimes when he would think of something that had made him angry. No one at the table knew what he was thinking.

They stood in silence for a moment and sat down, Daniel on the bed, and Michael in the chair by the desk.

“How’s the job search going?” Michael asked.

“Not well.”

“Where are you looking?”

“Frame shops, art galleries. And typing work.” Michael continued scowling. “Even Kelly Girl but I’m not getting calls for temp work.” Michael’s scowl grew deeper.

“Work is pretty hard to find right now,” Michael said. “I don’t know why the hell you wanted to come to San Francisco and what you think you’re going to do here. And if you expect me to help you out, you’re wrong. You don’t have to follow everything I do, you know. Think for yourself for a change. Maybe you should have stayed in Ann Arbor. It’s obvious you miss it.”

“What are you so pissed about?” Daniel said. “I never expected you to help me out. And anyway, you told me last year what a great place San Francisco is and practically encouraged me to come.”

Michael continued as if Daniel hadn’t spoken. “Beth and I had a rough time on our trip back east. We visited her parents in Maryland. Her father said he wanted nothing more to do with her and that I was no better than a bum. Not the greatest trip. We fight a lot now.”

“He disowned her?”

“He never said it outright. But I would say he has.”

Daniel tried to think of something to say. He thought of mentioning how one night when they stopped for the night somewhere in Nebraska he heard Beth cry in her sleep. Best he not bring it up, he thought. 

Two people could be heard talking outside, their voices fading as they walked further away. When they had passed, Michael asked, “What did I say about San Francisco to encourage you to come?”

“Something you wrote in a letter. It was after my visit last year. About San Francisco undergoing a renaissance, full of people becoming artisans, musicians, writers; that you can do anything here.”

“Sounds like how I saw the world back then.”

“You don’t anymore?”

“I guess I do, in the back of my mind.”

“Are you working?”

“Driving a cab again. I did it for a few months last year after I quit teaching.” Michael scratched the back of his hand, a nervous habit that had left a rough looking patch. “Anyway, Beth and I want to take you out on your birthday next week. It’s a nice Basque restaurant.”

 “To tell you the truth, I forgot about my birthday,” Daniel said.

“We’ll come by about six or so.”

            “Sounds good. Talk with you later, then.”

“Yeah. Talk to you later.”

The promise of further talk was to remain their way of saying goodbye for years to come.

***

After Michael left, Daniel considered either going to sleep or crying. He did neither. Instead, he walked around the city along streets he was starting to know. His meandering took him through Chinatown and eventually North Beach where he stopped at the Caffé Trieste. He knew nothing of its past as a haven for poets, writers, and artists. One of the walls was crowded with photographs of people who had visited the café, some singing, some who looked like celebrities, though he recognized no one.

He ordered a hot chocolate and looked around for a place to sit. Almost every table was occupied, mostly by people who looked like they didn’t want to be bothered. He sat at a table across from a girl with long black hair who bore a remarkable resemblance to Debby,

The girl at the table was deep into reading a book, occasionally writing in a notebook, and looking out into space. Her name was Jennifer she told him after he sat down and said he had recently arrived. Her tone was not exactly warm, but she resembled Debby and didn’t tell him to leave her alone, which was enough to give Daniel a hazy sense of confidence.

“What are you reading?”

She held the book up for him to see: “Revolutionary Letters” by Diane di Prima.

“Who’s Diane di Prima?”

“A poet.”

“Do you write poems?”

She nodded and went back to reading.  

“I just got here; I’ve been here about two weeks.”

“So you said. From where?”

“Detroit. Ann Arbor actually, the last four years.” He waited in case she would say something. She reminded him of Debby’s long silences before answering questions.

“Did you come here alone?”

“No; I came over with my brother and sister-in-law.”

“You were all moving together?”

“Well, yes and no. They’ve lived here about four years. They were returning from a cross-country trip, going to country music festivals. My brother plays country fiddle. He’s a musician. Or wants to be. Well, anyway, they stopped at my parents, so I rode back with them. I was going to fly but my father convinced me to wait for them.”

Daniel knew she wasn’t interested in such details. She went back to her reading, and he looked at the photos on the wall once again.

“What do you do for work?” he asked.

“I’m a therapist.” She brushed her hair back from her forehead; he could see now that she was about five years older. “I also make jewelry,” she added. “What about you?”

“I’m looking for work.”

“Any particular kind?”

“No,” he said. “Picture framing. I used to do framing for my father. He has an art gallery. Whatever work I can find, actually. Like typing. I’m a fast typist. I don’t want anything too taxing. I want to write. I’ll write at night.”

Those were his plans, simply stated as he had told his father in answer to the traditional question fathers ask their sons after graduation. His father knew one part of the plan: to move to San Francisco.

“Get a job and write at night?” his father had said. “Some plans. What kind of job?”

“Picture framing.”

“Framing? You can do that here. For me; in the gallery.” His father scowled and went into the kitchen where he poured himself a scotch and talked to Daniel’s mother who was making dinner. Daniel overheard their hushed conversation. His mother said she should never have let Daniel go to University of Michigan; he should have stayed at home and gone to Wayne State. “No,” Daniel heard him say. “That wouldn’t have made any difference at all.”

He returned to the living room, his face in a grimace from the scotch burning his throat and looked at Daniel. “I’ve always told you that you can do what you want with your life. I’m talking to you like a man. If you want to go to San Francisco I can’t stop you. But why not wait until Michael and Beth come here? They’ll be here next week. You could ride back with them to San Francisco. In the meantime, you can work framing pictures in the gallery; make some money for your trip. Doesn’t that make sense?”  He didn’t wait for an answer. “Yeah, it makes sense,” his father had said.

***

“What do you write?” Jennifer asked.

“Stories, mostly.”

“What about?”

He thought about this for a moment; so long, in fact, that it looked like she was about to go back to her reading.

“I write about people in transition, between various stages of change. I was writing postcards on the trip out with various impressions of what I saw. I want people to eventually send them back to me and I’ll weave the thoughts into a story.”

“What kind of story?” Jennifer rested her chin on her hand.

Other than having confidence that his disparate postcard messages would tell a story, he hadn’t given much thought to what the story might look like. “A history, a time capsule about things going on now that will eventually disappear and things that will remain.”

“It’s a bit vague,” she said. “Is there any conflict in the story?”

“The whole country is nothing but conflict, between the way things were and the changes happening around us.” He went on, trying to put into words that so far had only been ideas in his head and which sounded better unspoken.

“It’s hard to write about changes when you’re in the middle of them,” she said.

“Good point.”

She smiled faintly and went back to reading.

“Sorry to be so rambly,” he said.

“I’m used to it. I’m a therapist; rambling is good.”

Daniel looked around the cafe; only a few people were left, scattered at various tables. The conversation was over, he knew.

After a moment he stood up, “Thank you for listening,” he said. She smiled her faint smile once again. He looked back when he reached the door and saw her still reading.

***

It was late afternoon when Daniel returned to the residence club. He stopped at the front desk to see if he had any mail; he had none. When he turned around, he saw Mr. Hadley standing behind him.

“Expecting to hear from someone? Let me guess. Your parents?”

“No. I talked to them a few days ago.”

“Your girlfriend?”

“Good guess.”

“I’m pretty good at guessing. Girl you left behind?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Yeah, I know how that is. Anyway, good you talked to your parents. My kids don’t talk to me.” He smiled as if nothing could deter his good mood.

“You out walking?” Mr. Hadley asked.

“Yeah, I was walking.”

“Well, this is a nice town for it. How do you like it? You miss home?”

“In some ways.”

“Yeah, I know all about that. I know a lot of things,” he said. “I’m sorry. I’m talking too much. I can tell.”

“That’s OK, Mr. Hadley.”

“You OK? Everything alright?”

“I suppose. It just doesn’t feel that way sometimes.”

“I know how that is,” he said. “About new places not as good as the last. This place’ll grow on you. And you’ll do fine. You’re a good kid. Don’t let anyone tell you different.”

***

In his room, Daniel sat at his desk and looked at the sheet of paper in his typewriter – the, beginning of a letter to Debby. It was in response to a letter she sent describing the courses she was now taking. She was now ensconced in the fall semester, as were all his friends who had received his postcards. He now meant nothing to them other than someone out in a world they would soon be out in as well.

He wanted to tell Debby the story that the postcard observations were trying to tell. His thoughts about it now seemed momentarily clear.

It was about a migration, he would tell her, about crossing the great divide. It was about people looking for a new life. Not like the pioneers of old; this was a different type of crossing. The newcomers were displacing those who remembered the history of the places now being occupied, bringing a new vision of what the world was about.

He tried to imagine Debby’s thoughts on this. She would think he was trying to make some kind of sense of a world gone crazy and there was some truth in that. It was best that he just tell her he missed her and loved her and keep the thoughts about the great divide in his head, he decided; undisturbed and untarnished. An unspoken history in an America divided by a war.  

About the author

 

 

 

BIO: Barry Garelick writes about time, memory, and people who are facing transitions in their lives. His fiction is published in Cafe Lit, Opiate, and Fiction on the Web. He lives in Morro Bay, California with his wife.

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