only the names have changed

only the names have changed

fiction
Edward w Pritchard


It's one of those steady rains outside pattering on the roof that takes a man back across 1000 generations to one's ancestors when folks died young, slept lightly at night in a communal shelter and were gently awoken to light rains in the morning. Back then there was no time for misunderstanding between a man and a woman or too much introspection.

Last Christmas a wife of a friend ask me to a Seasonal party. Alone at the House I hadn't visited in a long time I saw an open chair in the living room next to a very pretty woman. I came to find out it was Dottie who I hadn't thought of for a long time but only knew in connection to numerous stories about her and her near perfect husband Al who when we were young always had the newest car, biggest house, best job and most ideal children. In those days I only saw Dottie and Al at Holidays as friends of a friend but if other times someone spoke of them it was always good news of abundance and cheerful tidings.

In about a minute I came to find out Al the husband was out and the new Husband now was Wally who was at this moment in Time the most perfect and timely man indeed. Dottie now more stunning than ever went on and on for a few minutes about Wally a little nervous to have me sitting so close to Her until I got up and moved on searching about for another beautiful, kind and demur sixty year old woman to sit by it being the Holidays and all.

What's up with Guy and Ralna from the Lawrence Welk show getting divorced and being estranged anyway? You remember they were singers on the Welk variety show back in 1972, she with the gorgeous long dark hair and his hair was wavy like an insurance salesman's wearing a polyester suit or a TV evangelist but for a time they were inseparable. You know the ideal couple for a while at least one of them thought. Guy and Ralna sang many a love song on TV and it was good to see Young people happy, in Love and they were an inspiration for American audiences struggling with life's problems.

Tonight it seems like it's raining everywhere across this big old World, clear to the unexplored side of the Moon. Guy from the Lawrence Welk show has a new Wife these days, they have been married thirty years or more and him and Ralna only sing " Love the One your With" at Welk reunions or at Branson; once on a Welk special I heard old Guy say that he was glad Ralna and Wife number two were friends.

Our glory days; we knew secretly originally then what would happen but even now some of us keep our illusions. Pipe Dreams of blushing Brides, cheerful Women in the morning and light Spring rains that patter on for half a Century without change.

Me in a light blue leisure suit and Moody old Ralna off nowhere singing to the choir. "Love is Blue"  indeed; with me listening to the Mystic Moods Orchestra play " Stormy Weekend", eat fancy cheese alone in the early morning rain, and remembering gently back across one thousand previous lifetimes from ancient Ur in Iraq to Akron, Ohio 1976.