I was walking down the beach on one of my daily walks. I have always liked the beach. I love the splash of the waves against the rocks. When I was a child I loved paddling in the sea, making sandcastles. I remember a day at the beach with my family... I was only about 10. I loved smelling the fresh smell of fish and chips. Getting ice cream all over my face.
I sat down; you know I have my hip. It always seems to play up in the wintertime. A few minutes later, a woman about my age sat next to me. She felt familiar... Like I had seen her before. Before I knew it, we were talking. I felt a connection. She seemed so nice, I felt comfortable with her. I asked her for her name.
“Martha” she said happily, her voice weary.
Funny. I thought. She reminded me of a girl I met one summer in secondary school. I loved her so much. Although, we could not be together. Same sex marriage was illegal at the time. It wouldn't've been right. I missed her, still 60 years later. She too was called Martha.
“what’s your name?” she asked, smiling.
“Polly” I replied.
I kept thinking about that girl, the amazing summer we had together. I kept sneaking quick looks at her, trying to find out if it really was the Martha I knew once upon a time. She looked like her. The same eyes... beautiful eyes. The same button nose...
“Excuse me... have we met before? You seem awfully familiar” she exclaimed.
That is when I knew. It was her. It was the girl I had waited my whole life to meet again.
Fast forward a few years, me and Martha got married. We lived a happy life together. She was my world, my love. No longer hiding from people, able to go to the shops hand in hand. Expressing our love freely.
Then, 10 years later, I am in the hospital. Telling our story to her. She cannot remember. It broke my heart to see her fading away.
Forever in my heart, Martha Green, 1937 – 2021.
