If Only

Chapter 7- Just Household Things

The cold, fresh air nips at my toes and bare legs. I shutter as I go down the steps to meet the lady, Ms. Collender.

"Oh, hello youngin'. Didn't expect to see you there." she says in an old, tired, husky voice.

"Hey Ms. Collender." I say, taking the mail as she holds it out. Ms. Collender was an old, old lady, at least in her upper 60's. She was a small, old thing but she was sweeter than sugar. She always baked things for my family. Pies, cookies, old lady things, you know. But lately she was getting slower, older. I knew she should retire. I've told her before. She no longer had a need for this job but she always refused, saying that she's fine and it's good for her to be out and about. And how can I argue with a sweet, little old lady?

"Well, I best get going. Oh, have I told you the story of my grandson visiting me this week?" she asks. She has. Every time she's delivered mail so far.

"No, I don't think you have. Why don't you tell me?" I ask her. In her old age, Ms. Collender had become forgetful. But the story was a good story and it wasn't like I had anything better to do.

"Oh. Alright! Well, it started Monday..." she goes on, explaining the story in details that I've already heard. Her grandson, 24 years old and in college, finally came back from New York to visit her. Since her son and daughter-in-law, her grandson's parents, had died in a plane crash thirteen years ago, she had raised her grandson by herself, getting the job as a mail carrier to support him. When he turned 18 he left for college in New York, she had grown lonely. And now he had come back to see her! She had gone all the way to the airport three hours away to see him as he landed. She talked to me about the wonderful places he described to her and his college life. She explained that they had coffee and bagels at the local coffee shop. How they played a game of cards and that she was so pleased that even after all of these years, her grandson still remembered what he was taught about cards. Play, don't think. Just play. Go with your gut, and play. But play in a way that keeps you ahead.

She went on for minutes and minutes, going over every last detail. Every last detail that I've already heard but didn't quite mind hearing again. She finally came to an end, describing what she felt when he departed back to New York. And that he promised to return in a few months. I've always enjoyed hearing stories and imagining them in my head. I imagine her face at the end, gloomy yet still somehow bright and hopeful. I'm surprised when the story ends and I'm drawn back into reality and find myself sitting cross-legged on the concrete pathway leading to the sidewalk where Ms. Collender stands weighing against the mailbox.

"Well, that settles it. Oh that silly boy, I love him." she sighs. "Well, I best be going. See ya around kiddo."

"Bye!" I call as she hobbles over to the mail truck, hops inside, and drives off. I smile. I've always liked her.

I stare at the mail in my hand as I stand from the cold pathway and dust the tiny pebbles from the bottoms of my feet. I flip through the stack of envelopes and walk through the door, kicking it closed behind me. I start towards the couch and freeze as my eyes lock on a purple envelope that reads "Andy Moss" in the top corner followed by the return information. I pulled it out. It's addressed to us. I sit the pile of mail down and tear open the envelope. It's a letter. I read through it, Andy's voice in my head.

"To: my family.

Hey fam! Andy here! I'm writing for one of my assignments, "write a quick letter to your family"! I just wanted to talk about my college life and my plan to visit soon! I hope this letter gets there before I do or else this will have just been a waste of time.

Anyway, college is great! I've been passing all of my classes, knocking on wood, and I even joined the baseball team! We've won every game so far! Fun, right? Oh, and my favorite class is definitely my science class! We do so many hands-on activities! Oh, and I've made some new friends here in Cali! It's awesome and so much fun! I wish you guys could come to Cali, you'd love it!