He Remembered

2023Remembered (Approx. 200 wds.)


He Remembered

Paul Lerner, 90 years old, sat in his enclosed patio. Outside, it was a gray and gloomy day with a forecast of rain. He remembered. It was on a day like this that she had said, “Let’s go for a walk.”

This was during the onset of Covid when oldsters like them had been told to shelter in place. “It’s going to rain,” he’d said.

“Maybe it won’t. We’ll put on our hats and jackets. Let’s get out of the house.”

“Alright,” he said.

They left the house and walked to the pond that was ten minutes from their house. As they approached the pond, an egret, perhaps made aware of them, had taken flight and soared across the pond. “That was worth coming out for,” she’d said/

“Yes, it was.”

It started to rain lightly. He took her hand and they slowly walked, two old folk. He glanced at her. She was smiling. To him, she wasn’t an old lady. She was lovely. He had never loved her more. Hand in hand, they walked back in the rain. He remembered.

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