Sarah's Very Special Day
Posted
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jclane on
5/11/2009 7:58:21 AM
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Every day for ten years now, Sarah made her way down the long, narrow, winding walkway to her roadside mailbox. This the very same mailbox that her late husband, Charlie, and her designed, built and erected only months before his untimely passing.
Recently she found that it required an enormous effort just to coax her aging limbs into carrying her down and back. In previous years, she was as agile as a gazelle. Not only did she have the energy to scurry down to the cross roads; but she had the stamina to sprint back to covered porch and the sanctity of her wicker rocking chair. For the rest of the afternoon she would leave the boring world of "Peach Tree Haven" to the glamorous life styles of "The Ladies Home Journal, "The Erin Falls" Spring Gazette and "Uncle Thomas's Flower and Seed catalogue.
Sarah Blue met Charlie Moon in the spring 1950. It was love at first kiss. Sarah was sweet sixteen.
For the young women of Erin Fall; the County Fair was the time for them to impress the young eligible males who hadn't already fallen for a wicked woman from the big city. Uniondale had the only University and once there no one goes back to the slim pickings of Erin Falls.
Mary-Beth, Suzan and her other friends were very skillful at tantalizing the appetites of any hungry young wolf. Not even the starved would appreciate Sarah's lack of culinary prowess.
As a baby her grandmother once said that she had kissy cheeks. The dimples she was given as baby remained with her as a beautiful teenager. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. It was only natural that she'd be the one to man the first and only "Erin Falls & County Fair, Kissing Booth." Let Mary-Beth and Suzan have their "Banana Custard Cream pie" stand.
Of course Sarah knew that a "kissing booth" would be risky but she would make it perfectly clear that the kisses would be restricted to her dimpled cheeks only.
Spring time in Erin Falls was usually sunny and warm especially the May two-four weekend. Perky flowers appear almost everywhere. Pink and white blossoms adorn the fruit trees. Warm breezes impregnated with Mother Nature's alluring aromas and the distinctive fragrances of freshly baked breads, pies and skillfully decorated cakes, sure to win a top prize.
Strategically placed, just inside the entrance, Sarah erected her booth. Months of planning decorating and went into the construction of Sarah masterpiece.
Even her slogan was a flash of brilliance.
"One kiss on your cheek will make your knees go weak." "A quarter for two, no telling what it will do." "P.S. all proceeds will go to a local charity."
The County Fair is usually a week-long affair. Most of the business closed or move their operation to fair grounds. Only the emergency services such as the "Erin Falls" all volunteer Fire department were on standby and "Sherriff" Homer Dunn and his two deputies patrolled the fair grounds. Hardly anything happened in Erin Falls during the County Fair. Mostly lost children and the occasional fight over someone caught cheating at bingo.
Mabel Dunn, Homers' wife stayed by the switch board. The switch board was recently moved to Mabel's kitchen where she spends most of her days making bread, pies and donuts. Whatever is not consumed by Homer and his number one deputy, Al Dunn; their eldest son, Mabel sold to the restaurant in Erin Falls. "Almost Dunn" Erin Falls greasy spoon and family restaurant was owned and operated by Charmaine Dunn, Al's wife. Sort of like a family business. The name derived from what the local people called Albert Dunn, when he patrolled the fair city. "Here comes Deputy Sherriff almost Dunn;" could be heard as he passed.
Homer and Mabel's second son George Dunn was off fighting in the Korean War. He decided to put his College degree on hold. The enlistment officer convinced him that the Army would pay for his medical degree once his tour of duty was over. For now he served as medical corpsmen in an M.A.S.H unit. Mabel didn't like that much but she always dreamed of having a doctor in the family. Communication from Korea was short coming and it had been a month since George's last letter. Mabel was worried.
The initial set up of the booths was completed and all that was left was the arrival of the crowds. Sarah stepped back and had a good look at her masterpiece. In her mind she was as ready as she would ever be.
The warm breezes carried with them the clear scent of freshly baked goods. Carmel apples, cotton candy and freshly pooped popping corn filled the air. Brightly colored balloons and long bright streamers adorned the archway which leads to the promise that all was ready.
Sarah was momentarily distracted by a pungent odor coming from the livestock area but quickly shook it off when a sweeter fragrance swung from a passing breeze.
As the hands on the giant clock, which overlooked the fairgrounds, signaled the hour, more and more people appeared. Like a swarm of ants encircling a discarded peanut butter sandwich, until hardly a square inch remained. Long lineups appeared at the Ferris wheel, the merry-go-round and the concession stands. Children squealed feverishly every time they saw something new. Hardly a space remained for a sharpshooter to impress his girlfriend by knocking down all of the wooden milk bottles to win her a kewpie-doll.
In the background, the cacophonic sound of the approaching swarm shattered the silence. Ear-to-ear grins adorned their faces as if it was the first time that they had ever attended any thing of such magnitude.
Sarah was ready. She had been ready for weeks now. There had never ever been anything remotely similar to what she had proposed. So there was no way to gage how successful she would be.
Erin Falls was not known as an open-minded society, the thought of having a kissing booth, out in plain sight, would definitely be a reformists' attitude. Sarah's grandmother would surely, "tutu" the idea and exclaims that kissing is what goes on in the privacy of ones home. Any expression of affection in public should not and must not be tolerated even for charity.
For the time being Sarah was content just to watch the children scurry like little mice from booth to booth and from ride to ride. Eventually she would have to invent some cleaver reason why she didn't raise more than her friends.
As the hustle and bustle slowed down to trickle, Sarah allowed her idle mind to wander. Bored by the non-activity of the kissing booth she had propped her right elbow on the table and rested her head in her hand and drifted off into some fantasy land, far, far away.
In her mind a gigantic line of eligible suitors eagerly awaited a kiss from her irresistible lips. As each recipient's place was taken by the next Sarah could hear their heart string snap like guitar strings that were wand to tightly.
By now she was totally engulfed in her fantasy. Everything was a total blur and she relied on her instincts to guide her. She wasn't even aware of what each one of them looked like. As the next one stepped forward she was suddenly mesmerized by a brilliant white light that engulfed him.
The spell was broken by, "Excuse me miss, May I have my kiss?" I have a dollar. "A shiny silver dollar at that" I have had this silver dollar since the very first day I arrived. You see it was given to me by my father when I was born. Will that do?"
There standing in front of her was the most handsome man she had ever seen surrounded by the white light of the afternoon sun.
"I am sorry," she said. I wasn't paying attention. "May I", he said as he placed the silver dollar into her open hand. Without replying she leaned forward and gently placed her lips against his. There on this sunny afternoon it truly was "Love at first kiss."
As all summers do, this one came and past much the same as the others. Except for the County Fair nothing of any significance happened. Sarah had the silver dollar mounted and except for taking a shower it is always around her neck. She hopes someday to see she him again. Not knowing his name and where he was from opened the thought that maybe she had imagined the whole thing. If that was true then where did the silver dollar come from?
Sarah graduated and went off to college. While in high school Sarah got interested in the school newspaper. She won several awards so it was only natural that she'd major in journalism. It was while attending a seminar on criminal law that her life was turned completely upside down; for the second time. Only this time the path would lead to the long narrow, winding walkway to the mailbox.
Sarah wasn't the partying type however she had been burning the midnight oil lately, what with deadlines to meet and articles to write. Last night she decided to take the night off and attended a late night party. Sitting in a stuffy auditorium listening to some boring lawyer talk about himself made her doze off. She just drifted off to the nothingness of total exhaustion.
Suddenly she was brought back to reality by a gentle nudging on her arm and a; "May I have a kiss?" Unfortunately I don't have another silver dollar to give you but I see that you still have the one I gave you."
When she opened her eyes there in front of her was her Prince. It took her several blinks before she realized where she was. "I am so sorry I fell asleep." She yawned. "That is perfectly alright, I tend to bore people with my stories."
"May I have the rest of my life with you," he asked? He beckoned her with an outstretched hand. She placed her tiny hand into his and gently slid into his welcoming arms. From that day forward they seldom parted for more than a few days at a time, right up until his untimely passing.
Sarah Blue and Charlie Moon married three months later. Life was good. Charlie practiced law for more than thirty years. The only writing that Sarah did was to keep a journal and to compose the odd speech for Charlie's seminars. No one fell asleep after that.
Ten years ago Sarah and Charlie bought a little country place which they affectionately named "Blue Moon." This had a double meaning for them. Firstly it was her name and secondly it was his way of answering her question. "Charlie, do you ever think of leaving me?" "Once in a blue Moon," was his answer. One of their last projects together was the mailbox. Oh yes, the night Charlie left, there was the bluest moon ever seen in Erin Falls.
They both knew that it wouldn't be long now because Charlie wasn't well lately but she knew he wanted to fulfill his promise to her.
George Dunn, who did make it back from Korea, became Charlie's doctor shortly after he started his practice. Sarah called him when she discovered Charlie unresponsive and he made her a promise that he would take proper care of him for his last journey.
Sarah spent time with him on that last morning. As she gently kiss him goodbye for the very last time she placed the silver dollar into his right breast pocket. She never discussed with anyone what happened on that morning but every day for the next ten years Sarah made the long journey down to her mailbox. Regardless of the weather or how difficult it was for her, she would not have anyone do it for her.
Then on Sarah's very special day it happened. There in the otherwise empty mailbox, attached to a note bound by a silver ribbon, was the silver dollar. The note read" in a moment or two a special heavenly coach will arrive for you; the silver dollar will be the fare; see you there.
