A Father's Day Visit
It was a lovely Sunday in mid June, sunny with a light sea breeze. The Jasmine was in bloom and it’s heavenly scent filled the air. It was right around noon and I was making my way home after my hour walk.
This is one of my favorite walks. It starts out through a beautiful neighborhood on a street with homes built during different eras. It then takes me to the coastal highway for a few blocks where I make a left down a wide, paved, tree-lined passage to an uber wealthy neighborhood. That street takes me up a hill with beautiful ocean views. At its dead end is the trail head of a path through a small nature preserve. The trail drops down toward the edge of a bluff that’s about 500 to 600 feet above a rocky beach.
It ends at a small Nature Center, at this point I’m heading back home.This part of my walk is along a street that is set back from the bluff. On the bluff side there is one restaurant thriving and another that has been shuttered since well before the pandemic. In between these are several residences and an empty lot that has hurricane fencing along the street edge of the lot.
The other side of the road has 10 to 12 residences, high end luxury condos. There are two properties that have three condos each. These condos are massive, three story units with second and third stories set back in a terraced fashion into the hillside. Every property on both sides of this street enjoy spectacular, 180 degree plus ocean views.
As I approached this area I was walking on the bluff side and I see an older gentleman across the street, standing in his driveway looking like he was waiting for someone. He was a nice looking man, slim build and nicely dressed. He wore khaki pants, a madras shirt and had quality leather shoes and belt. He was well groomed and overall made a smart appearance. He looked to be in his late seventies - early eighties.
He noticed me and called out but cars were passing and I couldn’t make out what he was saying, (my hearing isn’t what it used to be). I crossed the street and we had a chat. He claimed that he hated that hurricane fence and I replied that it may prevent a car from going over the side. He said there was a time a car almost went over but the rear wheel was caught and tangled in the fencing and it had to be winched back up over the edge.
I laughingly suggested if he didn’t like the fence he could write a letter to our city Public Works Department and complain. He chuckled and said he didn’t think he could write a letter anymore, he was afraid he would mix his languages. I did detect an eastern european accent while we were talking. Sounded like German, Polish or maybe Hungarian.He then told me he lived in the condo on the left of where we were standing. He said he was 84 and he had lived there for thirty years.I told him I thought that was great.
We never exchanged names but he told me he was waiting to see his daughter Betty. I saw him smiling and looking down the street where a 50ish couple were getting boxes and bubble wrap out of their BMW. I said “I hope you have a great visit” and resumed my walk home. I noticed the woman had been staring at us and was still looking at me as I was about to pass them. She abruptly asked me if I had been talking to someone, I said yes, the older gentleman that lives in that condo (I pointed to the building) and I noticed the man was gone. She was looking at me oddly and I said “He told me he’s waiting to see his daughter Betty”.
With that her face crumpled into tears. and I thought OMG what did I say. She told me “Only my dad ever called me Betty, I go by Liz or Elizabeth. He died a year ago today, Father’s Day. We’re here today to pack up the last of his things”. She was crying softly and I told her that he looked great and he was so happy to see her. I was really flustered and was praying I wasn’t saying the wrong thing but then she hugged me and thanked me. I wished her well and went on my way.
Continuing my walk home I pondered the question: How many other strangers have I chatted with that weren’t really there ?
Patricia H. Wilson © 2023 All rights reserved.
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I'm not a writer, constructive criticisms are welcome, gratuitous insults not so much.
I like short stories so I really liked it. it merged a few story elements together with a surprise ending.
Thank you, dev.
I assume that was meant for me. Nice story. I liked it.
Thank you, cj.
You made me cry
Great story. I really loved the ending
meh, no beer in the fridge makes you cry...
you be quiet
boo hoo hoo...
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this is between Dev and me. What we have you will never have. So stay on the sidelines and just watch. Don't talk
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Me too.
I don't cry...I whine until Mr Giggles makes a run to the liquor store
good luck with that...
I had to carefully monitor the ex's alcohol intake because there was so much irish in her...
Let me be the first to credit someone who takes a daily one hour walk.
Thank you, I try to make it daily but sometimes work gets in the way.
I enjoyed reading it, could picture the descriptions - the ending was an unexpected surprise.
Thanks, Buzz.
That's why I posted it in Veronica's group.
Understandable. When I finished reading your story I thought about Veronica's ghost stories.
Nice story.
Thanks for taking time to read it, JR.
Nicely done, pat.
I enjoyed that you mixed yesterday, today and perhaps the future. Never set boundries they inhibit adventure both physical and of the mind.
Thank you, Kavika, I appreciate your words, they give me something to think about.
One of the most beautiful stories I've seen from you in years - thank you so much Pat.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it !
Spooky.
My Mother always said that right after my Grandmother died, one night she woke up and saw her sitting on the end of her bed.
Thank you, Ender. I've heard of people having that experience. About 40 years ago I had a cat that was killed by a car. That night she appeared on my bed. I remember trying to wake my husband but couldn't seem to. I think it was a dream.
Mr G claimed he saw my mom sitting on the edge of his bed a few times after she passed
Morning Pat..great story and a good one to read while having my morning cuppa and toast and Vegemite..
Thanks, shona. I looked into Vegemite after hearing your praises. It's in my cart on Amazon, lol.
Morning...well this will be a whole new experience for you..
Best way to have it..is:
Wait for the toast to cool down so the butter does not melt into it..only use butter forget margarine or any other gunk..
Put a good coating of butter on the toast..then a gentle smear all over the butter with Veggie..use enough so you can still see the butter through it..
Don't slather the veggie on like I have seen been done over there, then they complain it's like paint striper or axle grease...to which we nearly declared war on you mob..🤣🤣
We live on the stuff..if we ran out of Vegemite there would be riots across the country..🤣
Forget Marmite...poor man's Vegemite and it tastes like it..🤢
Absolutely !
ugh...
the only food that looks the same after it's passed thru the digestive system...
Morning Devangie... whatttt...not our Vegie!!!...geez if that's what your digestive system looks like you must be really crook..
If anything it's more like your peanut butter..gross stuff and then you put jelly with it!!..huh now that is plain off like prawns in the sun...
Toasted muffin and vegie this morning... can't beat it..
You don't like peanut butter?!?!?!?
are you some kind of commie?!!?!?
Morning Trouty...🤣🤣
On the news last night.. some American tourists were attacked by a kangaroo over in WA...
Probably said something nasty about Vegemite...I rest my case..🦘🦘
apparently peanut butter doesn't stick to the roof of your mouth down under...
Morning devangy... nothing sticks to us mob..🐨🦘😁
meh, you know I love all the other misfits from the crown...
That was wonderful. Thank you for blessing my group with it.
Thank you, Veronica for your nice complement.
I liked it
Thank you, charger.
Pat...I apologize for the derail upthread
No worries.
I'm glad sandy cleaned up the mess.
me, too
the last person that was constantly cleaning up after me, divorced me...
don't look now...but that looks like a process server coming your way
oh crap...
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not too shabby young lady
Thank you, Iggy !
... and speaking of dead spirits that disappear.
it makes one wonder if this could happen to anyone, and not even realize it when it did...
Great story, great ending !!
Thank you so much, Waykwabu.
Locking the article, it's run it's course. Thank you to everyone who stopped by. I really appreciate your time and kind words. And you especially dev, for all the bumps, lol.