a long time ago

a long time ago

fiction
edward w pritchard

Two very elderly women are standing in front of a smaller brick house talking. Usually the younger woman, Charlotte, 81, wouldn't  be outside but it was so sunny and temperate today that she walked across the two yards and knocked on her neighbors, Connie Flander's front door. It's 9:15 AM and already  87 degrees.

The two women are talking about Eric Jaggers again. Eric was Connie's boyfriend back in junior high school in 1946. One Friday night back then Connie caught Eric under the bleachers at the old stadium, now a Wal Mart, with Charlotte Johnson.

Families long dispersed and both women usually alone, the two women stood in the hot sun and talked about Eric Jaggers, disappeared from both their lives for 65 years and dead these last fifteen years. 

"Eric had that wiry black wavy hair; he was part Greek", said Charlotte.

"I am sorry I slapped you" said Mrs. Flanders.

"You never slapped me, I blocked it with my hand" said Charlotte.

"Your hands were trying to close your shirt young lady", admonished Connie Flanders.

Both laughed, "Maybe true, I can't remember", said Charlotte.

Soon the hot sun drove both women inside their respective homes for the day. But soon again, the heat and warm will drive one of the two to knock on her neighbors door and talk again about the men in their lives.
end