The Waterfall

Baseball and Pictures

France, Oregon

11:45 AM, Sunday, January 22nd, 2023

Patty Newman sat in her grandfather's attic, sorting through all the items he had left with the help of her wife, Tess.

"Grandpa lived a full life," Patty remarked. "I just know he's up in the sky with grandma now."

"Murray was a good man," said Tess. "This town won't be the same without him."

Patty pulled a boxed of unsorted photographs off the bottom shelf of the bookcase.

"Photos," she read. "March 1957-October 1958."

"Yeesh. Didn't your grandparents have photo albums?"

"Yes, but the Newmans take so many pictures, there's not enough photo albums in the world."

Patty opened the box and saw a big pile of photos of her grandpa's family. He looked so young in the pictures.

"Just take that home, Patty," said Tess. "We need to finish the house by Friday."

But Patty saw a curious-looking photo resting on top of the pile. It was a photo of Murray and a boy she recognized from other photos as his childhood best friend, Fred. However, in this photo, Fred held Murray how one would carry a newlywed over the threshold. It looked like they were at a party.

"Whatcha' got there?" asked Tess.

Patty flipped over the photo and found some writing on the back.

South Clatsop Homophile Association, February '58 Meeting.

Patty then read the inscription below that, written in different ink.

Patty, I knew this photo would get your attention. You see, I am bisexual. This isn't something I shared with many people. People in my generation rarely discussed sexuality in public or with family, outside of activists. There's more information in the diary under the baseboard behind the parlor TV.

Patty found the diary and brought it into the kitchen, where she and Tess were taking a lunch break.

"This is surprising," said Tess. "I knew he was accepting, but I didn't know he was bi."

"Neither did he, apparently," said Patty, "But Fred helped open his eyes."

Patty read the diary out loud to Tess over their lunch.

~*~

Location: The forest outside France, Oregon

Time: 3:18 PM, Monday, July 15th, 1946

Ten-year-old Murray Newman sat on the bank of the France River, near the base of Berberry Falls. He watched as the wooden sailboat his uncle gifted to him during his Fourth-of-July visit. It was peaceful to watch as the boat floated gracefully down the river.

Suddenly, the boat started going faster. And then over a tiny drop.

"Uh oh," he said to himself. He needed to catch the boat before it got too far away.

He ran towards the bend, hoping he'd get to the boat before it got to the fast part of the river.

But someone pulled the boat out. Murray ran up to the boy who had rescued the tiny vessel.

"Looks like your Navy went AWOL," the boy said.

"Thank you so much," said Murray.

"Name's Fred Stavridis. I'm new in town. I'm starting sixth grade at the Public School next month."