Fiction – Serendipity – Seeking Intelligent Life on Earth

WEDNESDAY WONDERING

When A Regular Guy Goes Missing, by Rich Paschall

It was just about time for Tiffany’s favorite customer to arrive, so she took a spot at the server’s station. That was located at the end of a long bar. There, between the bar and the back wall, was an area for water, extra glasses and silverware. Neatly tucked into an alcove was a computer with a touch screen. On the modern device, the waitresses could place their orders which would go back to the kitchen or alert the bar tender of something to prepare. They also had a spot to bring dirty dishes for handsome young Hispanic bus boys to take to the back kitchen. It was not unusual for a waitress to be there, but Tiffany was there for a particular reason.

From the end of the bar, at the server’s station, one could look down the length of the Wild West Restaurant and Sports Bar and see the front door. When Tiffany’s favorite customer arrived promptly at 1 pm, Tiffany planned to direct him to a table that was in her serving area. If he sat outside that area, she would have to let one of the others wait on Harold. She just did not like that idea.

Tiffany had started working at the restaurant and bar three years earlier. She was in her earlier 30’s then and had a friendly and energetic way that got her hired by the hard-working managers. After a while, she became a favorite waitress for many of the regular patrons. She usually worked through the lunch hour and into the early evening. Sometimes she covered on a later shift where drunken patrons tipped her well. Despite that, she still preferred the afternoons.

After she was well established at the restaurant, a retired gentlemen from the Midwest became a regular Wednesday and Saturday afternoon customer. He was very punctual, arriving right at 1 pm each time. Tiffany knew his order and he was easy to serve. When Tiffany had left for a few months to try a new, and allegedly exciting place, she found she missed the atmosphere and the friends at the Wild West. She did not realize how much like family they were until she went away. The customers were nice, the managers were fair and friendly and the other waitresses were like sisters. When she got the opportunity, she returned.

Harold started coming to the Wild West Restaurant and Sports bar shortly after he had left the cold Midwest climate for sunny retirement on the Gulf Coast of Florida. He liked the Soup and Sandwich special each Wednesday and Saturday so he quickly made that part of his schedule. You see, Harold was very well-organized and when he put something on his schedule, you could depend that he would follow through on it. That’s why all of the employees knew Harold was about to walk in the door.

Tiffany had a sweet spot for Harold, as the saying goes. Even though he did not say a lot, she found him rather endearing. She looked forward to his dependability as well as his smile. It just sort of indicated that there was some order in the world. Despite the lack of conversation, she knew he appreciated these twice weekly visits

When the front door opened at 1 pm, Tiffany was ready with a smile, but the patron was not Harold. Nevertheless, she politely smiled as a young man took a seat where Tiffany had planned to place Harold. It was OK, there were other places for Harold that he would like. A few empty tables had a good view of one of the televisions. So, she brought the young man water and a menu and returned to the server’s station. She tried to watch the door diligently, but the lunch crowd kept taking her away from her post.

At 13:30 it was apparent something was wrong. Time had gone by quickly before Tiffany realized Harold was late. He always came through the door at the exact minute. Some days she was convinced he waited around outside for a few minutes so he could be precisely on time at 1 pm. This particular Wednesday he was not there at 1, 1:30 or at 2. Harold did not arrive for lunch.

Tiffany’s disappointment was noticeable to her coworkers. She liked how nicely Harold fit into the routine, and now he was missing. Could he have gone to another restaurant? Could he have scheduled some place new? Could she have lost her favorite customer? Questions swirled through her head. What could possibly be the answer? Perhaps he was sick. Perhaps he had an accident. Perhaps he was stuck at home and had to make his own lunch. Whatever was the issue, she hoped Harold was doing well and had good food.

At that very hour Harold was indeed having lunch. A middle-aged nurse, who looked like she had not slept for a day or two, was hanging a fresh bag to feed Harold intravenously directly with the stomach tube. It was not the sort of meal he was used to on a Wednesday afternoon, but it seems he was in no position to object as the stroke had left him rather speechless. Today’s meal definitely was not on his schedule.

Note: The next Harold story appears Friday.
Previously: “Missing Monday,” “Sunshine, Spring Training and Survival.”

COLORFUL WISHES ON THE TREE BY THE GATE: #WRITEPHOTO Marilyn Armstrong

Thursday photo prompt: Colorful Wishes #writephoto

Charlene was delighted with her tree. Everywhere else, when someone had a statement to make, it was always stupid toilet paper. All over the tree and then it would drizzle or rain and for weeks, the tree looked like it had some kind of hideous fungus on it.

She had done a much better job. Bright, colorful. It was a cheerful, happy tree and what started with anger, ended in art. She barely remembered why she started “fixing” the tree. She thought something had made her angry and she wanted to show the world, but before she was even a quarter of the way through it, the project had morphed into Art.

Brianna was going to be really surprised when she stepped out of the house that morning. Not a single sheet of toilet paper. Just bright colors swinging gaily from the little tree by the gate.

Charlene giggled all the way home. Surprise!

MISSING MONDAY – RICH PASCHALL

If you have been stopping by this space for a while you may recall a series of stories about Harold, the retired planner from the Midwest. He tried to organize all of his time with care, but life had a way of throwing up little distractions along the way. Then came something he did not plan, a major detour. Links to the original stories follow this unexpected event:

In Need of a Plan, Rich Paschall, Sunday Night Blog

Bill rolled over to take a look at the alarm clock. It was almost 8:30 so he decided to spring into action. He never set the alarm clock. He saw no need. He was retired and had always longed for the time when the alarm clock was not to be used to alarm him out of his sleep. Some days he got up by 7:30 am, other days it was 10. It depended largely on how late he stayed up reading or watching television.

Since he needed to make a call at 9 am, the affable retiree rushed about the house in a rather disorderly fashion, leaving a bit of a mess in his wake. That did not bother him as there would be plenty of time later to clean up the place. Now he was making coffee and giving just the slightest thought as to what he would buy today at the supermarket.

The only thing Bill tried to be punctual at all week was the Monday call to his neighbor, Harold, who lived just a few doors down. The way Bill saw it, old Harold probably relied on the weekly call.

The Midwest planner from down the block seemed to know no one and had little contact with the world. Bill was convinced he was doing Harold a big favor. He did not know exactly how Harold felt about the weekly sojourn to the giant Publix supermarket, however. It must have been a Monday highlight for the newly retired neighbor and new friend.

A very quiet neighborhood — The quiet neighborhood

A quick glance out the window revealed a perfect Florida morning. Bill loved this area of Florida. In honesty, he settled there because the property values were quite depressed in Sarasota County after the big recession, and he got a good deal in a good neighborhood of old timers, like himself.

Now it was time to help out an old guy who needed a friend, so he called Harold on his AARP phone and waited for his tentative voice to respond. Bill was quite amused as he thought of the same surprised tone Harold had each Monday morning when he answered the phone.

Much to the amazement of Bill, there was no response. He let the phone ring a long time before giving up. “I wonder what the old guy is up to this morning,” Bill thought. So he decided to wander down the street and ring Harold’s doorbell.

As he went up the steps to the front door, a voice called out. “You ain’t gonna find no body at home, young man,” Harold’s next door neighbor called out as Bill chuckled to himself. Not too many people referred to him as “young man.” In fact, no one did. He turned around and walked in the direction of a woman who did seem to be a lot older than Bill or Harold.

Mabel Crockett was well into her eighties but still rather spry. She kept up on the neighbors by frequently finding an excuse to do things around the outside of the house. It was unnecessary as there was an Association to deal with maintenance and yard work, but she liked checking up on things.

“So where is old Harold this morning?” Bill asked in a cheery tone.

“They carted him off pretty early, I reckon,” Mabel said in a deep southern drawl.

“What?” an astounded Bill exclaimed.

“Well I ain’t one to meddle in other folks’ affairs,” she lied, “but I seen that Sunday paper still settin’ there on that landing he calls a porch, so I just took a walk over there. In the back I could see he was, uh, just layin’ there on the ground in that screened in patio. So I went on home, dialed 911, and it’s a good thing.”

“Good thing?” Bill questioned.

“Why, he was still breathin’ when they loaded him into that big ol’ ambulance. Leastwise, I think he was still breathing. The young feller drivin’ that big vehicle said he still seemed kinda fresh.”

“Fresh? That seems a strange way to put it,” Bill said with a rather incredulous tone.

“Well, I guess it was because he couldn’t a been layin’ there too long. Anyways, they said they was taking him over to the general hospital. Right over here a piece,” she said pointing to the south.

“Oh my,” Bill responded with a great deal of concern. He said good-bye to the old woman and rushed to his car.

When he arrived at the general hospital, he went right to the emergency room and inquired about Harold. His questions only got questions in return. “What time did he arrive? What was the problem? Did he come by ambulance or did someone bring him?”

Finally, the woman without the answers invited him to take a seat and someone would come out shortly. By “shortly” she must have meant an hour.

After the long wait, a nurse with a clipboard in hand appeared. “Are you here about the elderly gentlemen who had a stroke?”

“Stroke!” Bill exclaimed as he got all choked up about someone he barely knew.

“Yes,” she said calmly. “Are you the next of kin?”

“No.”

“A relative perhaps?”

“No.”

“Do you know who is next of kin or related somehow?”

“No.”

“Do you know who his doctor is?”

The series of questions went on until Bill finally explained that he was just a neighbor. In fact, Bill did not even know Harold’s last name. The nurse looked disappointed but thanked Bill anyway and went back to her station. Bill followed.

“Excuse me, nurse, will I be able to see him?” Bill inquired.

“No, only immediate family,” she explained.

“But we don’t know if he has immediate family,” Bill said with a sense of urgency.

“I’m sorry,” she said as if she has had to say that a thousand times before.

As he left the hospital Bill realized that the master planner from the Midwest had no plan for this. Although Bill rarely planned anything, he decided he better go home and make one.

Note: The next “Harold story” appears Friday.

Related: The first series of “Harold stories” in order: “Soup and Sandwich,” “The Case With The Missing Egg,” “Come Monday, It Will Be Alright,” “A Tuesday Mystery,” “A Tuesday Fantasy With Harold,” “A Wild West Wednesday,” “A Library Lesson,” “Harold and the Tiny Wizard,” “At The Old Ballgame,“ “The Saturday Schedule.“ Click on any title to jump to that story.

THE PROMISE OF LOVE

The Reality, by Rich Paschall

When George made his visit to South America to meet the handsome young man, Jon noticed their large age difference. He decided it did not matter if George would help him. After all, this could be a way out of his situation in the poor suburb of the large South American city. So late each night he would steal the WiFi signal from a neighbor in the apartment next door and talk with George. This way he kept him close to his heart.

Jon was tired of being poor. He was sad he could not buy nice clothes and jewelry. He was unhappy with his dismal living conditions. He was heartbroken he could not help his mother with her expenses. He just wanted to get out.

Since his time in an acrobatic troupe did not result in much money, Jon took one job, then another. Nothing satisfied him as he always worked long hours for little money. He could not spend much time at the gym. He could not enjoy the nightlife of the nearby city.

“Help me, George,” Jon pleaded one night. “I want to keep going to the gym. I want to have enough food to eat. Please send me a little money.” Jon’s stories may have been a bit of an exaggeration, but he was certainly very poor. He was determined to tell George whatever seemed to convince him to send some money.

“OK, Jon. I will send you something on payday. Do not worry.” The periodic investment in the handsome Hispanic man seemed to bind them together, as least George thought so.

Jon also thought they were bound together, not just by a few US Dollars, but also by his constant declarations of friendship and love.

When a few months had passed since George’s impulsive visit, Jon wondered if the time was right to push his plan further along. One warm night, Jon stood on the roof of his building and looked down on the poor buildings below, with their cheap block constructions, and old metal roofs. It was a depressing site.

The bright lights of the city in the distance were a reminder he had not achieved his goal. He could wait no longer. This was the night for action. He called George.

“We should get married, George,” Jon declared with confidence.

“What?” George said in a surprised voice that shook Jon a little.

“You should come here to marry me and we can live together in America.” Jon waited for a reply, but there was nothing for a long minute. Then George said Jon only wanted a way to come to America. He did not actually want George.

The response upset Jon. As he lay in bed in his tiny apartment, he decided he must not lose George now, after all the time he invested. So he spent weeks declaring his love and asking for marriage without success. George said he had no other boyfriend, so Jon did not understand why they could not be married.

When Jon felt the situation lasted too long he said to George, “You must tell me if we are boyfriends or no. If you will not marry me, I must find another boyfriend.”

The conversation that followed last a long time, and after Jon insisted over and over he would be a good roommate and stay “as long as God wills,” George finally agreed.

Jon immediately researched what they needed to do to get married. George gathered the documents Jon requested and sent them express. The papers were filed and the waiting game began. Almost the entire summer went by before Jon got the marriage license.

George came as promised. The wedding was held with only one friend of Jon’s in attendance to take pictures, and a translator for George to know what was happening. When the ceremony was done, George, Jon and his friend Vanessa all went into the city to celebrate. After just two married nights together, George was gone.

The long process of getting a visa began. Jon could not believe the complexity of the procedure or the number of documents he had to send to George.

“I have to get certified translations into English, Jon. Then I will submit all. You must be patient.” It was hard to be patient, but George sent a little money every month and Jon could buy the food he wanted.

When the process had gone from Immigration, to the State Department, to the American embassy in Jon’s country, the nervous young man met with his good friend, Vanessa.

Jon told her everything that had transpired and they seemed to be getting near a decision.

“And you will leave here to go to this strange place you have told to me?” Vanessa said.

“Yes, of course,” Jon said. He could see the disappointment in Vanessa’s eyes. He could not tell if this was because he might leave his close friend or because he would leave his country for a foreign land.

“Are you crazy? You are with him only a few days and for that you would leave us?” she asked.

“But we are working on this for a year now. It will be my chance for a better life,” Jon said, but Vanessa replied with a look of doubt. After a short silence, she asked the important question.

“Do you think you will stay with this gringo once you get to America and meet other people?”

Jon’s eyes narrowed as he gave the matter serious thought. He placed his right hand over his mouth and rubbed the left side of his face with his fingertips. After almost a minute, he removed the hand from his face, smiled a little and said, “No. Of course not.”

Then Vanessa laughed, but only a little.

Previously, in order: I LOVE YOU (No You Don’t)
A SOUTH AMERICAN LOVE, A Romantic Player
A SOUTH AMERICAN PROPOSAL, The Deal

A SOUTH AMERICAN PROPOSAL

The Deal, by Rich Paschall

After meeting the younger Jon on a language learning website, and seeing him for just four days in person in South America, George was surprised that Jon acted as if they were boyfriends. In fact, Jon asked George several times if he had a boyfriend in America.

“No,” George always said and Jon would smile.

“You should have no other boyfriend,” Jon would say. “We are boyfriends.”

This was astounding to George. Jon lived in South America and George, now in his 50’s, live in a Midwestern USA city. George was all of 30 years older and felt they could not have much in common. But Jon kept reminding George of his visit the previous December and what great fun they had. This should prove their love!

Feeling rather awkward about the whole thing, George thought that perhaps he should break off the daily chat. He could not imagine where this relationship would go and the boyfriend talk just seemed wrong somehow. Jon started to add he loved George and they should be together. Then one day Jon pushed the matter a bit further.

“We should get married, George,” Jon declared.

“What?” a stunned George said.

“You should come here to marry me and we can live together in America.”

After George collected himself, he thought about what he should say. The response was not immediately in his brain.

“You are just saying this because you want to come to America. You do not want to marry me,” George told Jon.

“No that is not true,” Jon protested. “I will be with you as long as God wills.”

So, the conversation continued in a similar manner for a few weeks. Jon would ask for marriage, and George would say “no.”

As time went on Jon seemed to be winning George over to his side, so he demanded an answer one more time. “You must tell me if we are boyfriends or no. If you will not marry me, I must find another boyfriend.”

On the one hand, George could not imagine this was a great idea; on the other, he suddenly felt he did not want to lose Jon. They did indeed have a good time together and maybe they would make good roommates. Perhaps Jon really would stay “as long as God wills.” So they reached an agreement and the deal was made.

To be married in the South American country, George had to send documents with certified Spanish translations to Jon, so he could go to the notary public, more like a Justice of the Peace there, and request permission to marry the foreigner. George waited anxiously for months to hear if their application would be accepted.

“You will come immediately when we have permission, and make the marriage?” Jon asked.

“No, Jon, I must ask for time off work. I will come as soon as possible,” George assured Jon.

From April until late summer, George and Jon waited and chatted like nervous kids. Finally in August Jon sent a message that they would get married on the 15th.

“No,” the startled George replied. “I can not get there so quickly.” They decided on September 2 and the arrangements were made. George would fly to South America again.

On the first day of the trip, George took Jon shopping for clothes and rings for the wedding. On the next day they got married and on the third day they explored the neighborhood around their hotel. George headed home on the fourth day.

Upon his return, George and Jon started the long process to get a spouse visa. They were surprised to learn that after the long and expensive process, there were no guarantees Jon would actually get the visa.

Many documents for Immigration and then for the State Department were required. After that, documents had to be presented to the embassy in South America. Speed was not the government way.

After the marriage was done and the process for immigration was well under way, George finally decided to tell someone about it. So he called on his friend Arthur to meet him at the local bar and grill.

As George detailed the story, Arthur sat quietly with the most incredulous look on his face. When George was finally done with his story, Arthur shook his head and said, “Are you crazy?”

“Well, maybe” George replied rather sheepishly.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this before you ran down there and got married, especially since you were waiting for months to get permission?” Arthur asked.

“Because you would have told me then I was crazy and I shouldn’t do it.”

“You’re right, that’s exactly what I would have said.” Arthur blurted out with a tone somewhere between firmness and annoyance. He kept shaking his head and looking at George as if he had done the dumbest thing in his fifty something years.

“We discussed the matter at length. He will help me and be a good roommate. We have a deal.”

“A deal?” Arthur asked.

“Yeah, isn’t marriage really a deal between two people about friendship and living together?” George asked, as if he wasn’t too sure.

Arthur had a doubting look that George understood. Then he asked George, “Don’t you think this young man is going to leave you once he gets to America and meets other people?”

George’s eyes narrowed as he gave the matter serious thought. He placed his right hand over his mouth and rubbed the left side of his face with his fingertips. After almost a minute, he removed the hand from his face, smiled a little and said, “No. Of course not.”

Then Arthur laughed, but only a little.

Previously, in order: I LOVE YOU (No You Don’t)
A SOUTH AMERICAN LOVE, A Romantic Player
Next: THE PROMISE OF LOVE, The Reality

A SOUTH AMERICAN LOVE

A Romantic Player, by Rich Paschall

Let’s face it, Jon was a bit of a player. In fact, he felt he had to be. How else was a poor boy to get by in the world? He had tried to make it in other ways. Now he had to expand his possibilities in any way he could. He was looking for a way up and out and the present circumstance did not provide it.

By the time Jon had reached his late teens, he decided he must move out of the small South American town where poverty was the only way of life. He dreamed of the big city and when he got his chance to join an acrobatic troupe based in one of the largest cities, he was off. High in the tropical mountains was a city of millions of people and Jon would join the many and hope for a better life.

He could not afford a place in the city, actually, so he took a small apartment in a poor suburb. He kept the place neat and clean so that he could enjoy his few possessions in pleasant surroundings. Jon trained and exercised daily for his job. The troupe performed exhibitions and entered competitions. Sometimes there was money, but for some competitions, there was nothing.

With his youthful good looks and confidence, Jon signed up with a modeling agency. There was little placement for fashion models, but with his cute face and athletic body, they were sure they could get Jon into a certain type of modeling and even film career. Jon was stunned at the suggestion and refused the work. The agency encouraged him to come back if he ever changed his mind.

While standing on the roof of his apartment building and looking down on the rooftops and poor people below, Jon got an idea. He had to meet new people. He had a phone and could easily steal WiFi from inside his apartment, so he decided to meet people and make friends from other areas, even other countries. Since he thought the United States might be a good place, he decided to try to improve his little English and meet Americans. Jon charmed his way into many lives under the guise of trying to learn the language. He was really trying to find friends.

When there were some extra pesos in his pocket, Jon went to an area in the city that was frequented by tourists from other parts of the country and as well as “gringos.” Sometimes Jon went alone, sometimes with friends. They would take a small table or sit at the bar in a popular night spot. There the young and handsome men would accept drinks from older men or women tourists. Sometimes they would get an offer to go back to a hotel for the evening. Jon liked the free drinks, but declined the extra opportunity. None of the people were right for him. He did not want a one night stand, no matter what the offer.

Trolling for "friends" — Trolling for “friends”

While “borrowing” his internet connection from a neighbor, Jon started to become good friends with a few people he met online. One stood out for Jon because he seemed to take a genuine interest in him as a person. Jon talked with George about everything. When chatting online Jon would use a program that would translate messages as they came in. It is true it was not helping Jon learn English, but he did make more friends through faster communication.

George seemed special to Jon. He told him all about the city where he lived. He talked of his job and life. He asked Jon about his life, his job and his interests. No one else wanted to know anything about Jon like George did. Soon Jon wanted to use something other than the language site to communicate.

“Can we use Google or Messenger or something else?” And they did. They followed each other on facebook and called on Messenger.

“Send me the camera, George.”

“What do you mean?’

“I want to see you. I want to see where you live.”

So they made virtual visits until one day things changed. Opportunity for Jon was at hand. George had vacation to use and nowhere to go.

“Come to me, George. I want to see you. Please. I like you so much. Please.”

After a few days of pleading, George was hooked and scheduled a visit to a continent he never dreamed of travelling to.

When George arrived as promised, Jon did not seem to notice, or at least not to care, that George was much older. They went around town like tourists and had a good time seeing the sites by themselves one night, and with some of Jon’s friends the next. They were both pleased with the country, the city and with themselves.

Jon took advantage of the situation by offering to cook their meals rather than go to expensive restaurants. Of course, they had to go to the markets where Jon made sure to get extra dry goods and fresh meats to last past George’s visit. It was OK with George, even though he paid for it all. He recognized what Jon was doing, but buying extra food for Jon was certainly cheaper than eating out every meal. It was a win-win according to George.

When the brief visit was over, and George was at the airport, Jon cornered him down a hall way and told him that he loved him and thanked him for coming. Then Jon looked around to be sure no one was watching before kissing him. George was more than a bit surprised.

The next day Jon met with a favorite girl friend, Vanessa. She asked Jon about the visit of the stranger from America.

“He is very nice,” Jon told her. “I think I will marry him.”

Vanessa looked at him as if she did not understand at first. Finally she spoke.

“What?”

Related: For George’s side of the story, see “I Love You (No You Don’t)”
Next up: A SOUTH AMERICAN PROPOSAL

I LOVE YOU – RICH PASCHALL

No You Don’t, by Rich Paschall

In his early adult life, George was a rather active young man. He kept a moderate social schedule. He met with friends, did a little volunteer work and even joined a bowling team for a few years. As the years wore on, George became less active, saw less of his friends and was mostly invisible to the neighborhood.

As he passed fifty years of age, he kept to himself and seldom visited friends and family. There was little family left actually, and the cousins seemed to have forgotten about old George. This is not to say that George was totally inactive, for that was not the case at all. He did a lot of maintenance on the old house. He spent plenty of time doing gardening in the spring and summer. He even tried to learn a new language online.

He signed up for a language site that had a social component. On the site you could help someone learn your language and someone else could help you learn theirs. The site gave learners the opportunity to ask others for a chat in the language they were learning. Since this was all anonymous, you could decline to chat.

George was not bold enough to ask anyone to chat with him live, but others contacted him when they saw an English speaker on-line and he would always accept. Some visitors came and went quickly but a few became friends as George explained life in his city and heard about theirs. It was all very exciting for the older, single gentleman to be talking with young people around the world. George had a friend in France, Egypt, Russia and Brazil. He also had a friend in another South American country who liked George a lot.

Soon George and Jonathon were friends on Facebook, hanging out on Google+ and talking on Messenger and Skype. They chatted about their countries, cities, jobs. After a while, they were talking everyday, even if only briefly. Both loved the attention they were getting from the other.

When they were nearing the end of a year of friendship in December, George was surprised to learn he could not roll over his remaining four vacation days to the following year. Jon, of course, felt that George should come to South America and spend some time with him. Jon was not originally from the big city where he lived, so he had few friends and no family there. He was excited at the thought that George would visit.

Aside from never having met Jon in person, George felt that the 30 year age difference would mean they would soon be bored with one another. Besides, George never had a desire to go to South America or just about any place else any longer. But Jon was persistent and George decided to be adventurous.

True to his word, Jon was waiting at the airport. He greeted George like a long-lost friend. He spent every minute with him for four days. They traveled around the city like tourists. They spent an evening in the street watching an important soccer match and celebrating with the locals. They spent another evening at something that was like a Christmas market. There they had local beer and too much guava liquor, frequently ordered by one of Jon’s friends.

The weather was perfect the entire time. Jon was nicer than George could ever imagine. He was a good cook and excellent host. The last-minute vacation was one of the best ever.

Upon his return home, Jon called or wrote every day. George thought that when they met in person Jon would see that he was a lot older and the friendship would die down, but in truth the opposite happened. Jon’s enthusiasm for the impulsive visit did not wane.

Not knowing what to make of this friendship, George called on Arthur, an old friend, to discuss the matter. They met at local inn and George proceeded to explain the whole story. He told how they met, how the friendship developed over the year and that he impulsively went to visit. George had never mentioned Jon to anyone before. Now he was telling the entire history.

“By the way,” George said, “he does not want me to mention that we met on the internet because people might get the wrong idea.”

“What idea is that?” Arthur asked.

“I don’t know,” George exclaimed.

“So what’s the problem?” Arthur wanted to know after listening to over 45 minutes about some South American guy he had never met or seen.

“He calls every day or leaves a message to say he loves me and misses me!”

“So?”

“He wants to come here and be with me. He says he will be my prince.”

“Oh,” Arthur responded as if the light bulb just went on.

George went on to detail his responses. “I explained I was not rich and he would have to get a job. Despite my efforts, his English still sucks and he would have to improve. The weather here is very different from his homeland, and he knows no one else here”

“What does he say to all these points,” Arthur inquired.

“I love you! What kind of response is that? Besides, I am too old for him, but he just says we will be together as long as God wills.” George took a deep breath and continued

“So, I told him he just says that because he wants to come to America. Since I like him very much I offered that he could come and stay and I would introduce him around and take him to places where he can meet other young people.”

“And?” Arthur prompted.

“And he said he does not want to meet others, he just wants to be with me. I don’t know what’s wrong with the young man.”

“There is one distinct possibility,” Arthur said with a knowing tone to his comment.

“What?”

“He really loves you,” Arthur said simply.

George looked as his as if he did not understand the words Arthur just said. After a long pause, George finally spoke.

“What?”

Next up: A SOUTH AMERICAN LOVE

When A Regular Guy Goes Missing, by Rich Paschall

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In Need of a Plan, Rich Paschall, Sunday Night Blog

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The Reality, by Rich Paschall

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The Deal, by Rich Paschall

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A Romantic Player, by Rich Paschall

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No You Don’t, by Rich Paschall

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