Just in Need of a Friend

Chapter Four

The elderly man, whose name I learned was Henry, and I entered the cemetery as the rest of the town stirred awake. Vehicles passed by, carrying passengers to school and work, going on about with their days like usually. It was a short walk from the entrance to grave of Henry’s wife, and I stood while Henry pulled out a stool he had left behind the gravestone.

“Oh, Margret!” he exclaimed once he had seated himself, “happy anniversary, my darling.”

I stood at the end of the grave watching Henry. I felt a bit awkward, but I didn’t know if I should leave.

“I brought some food for the squirrels to come and keep you company,” he said as he pulled out a bag of bread crumbs from his pocket. I observed Henry sprinkle the crumbs onto the ground on top of the grave. On the way here, we had stopped at a flower shop, and Henry bought a dozen red roses, which he now placed at the base of the tombstone.

“Young man, come here,” Henry spoke to me, “come, come.” His hand motioned me over quickly.

“Yes?” I said once I was standing next to him.

“You see her?” he pointed to a picture on the headstone, “that’s her there. That’s my beautiful wife.” He let out a small chuckle and grinned wildly. “That’s her. That’s my Margret. Isn’t she beautiful?”

The picture showed an elderly woman smiling at the person holding the camera, but it was printed in black and white, so her physical features were hard to distinguish. “Yes, she is very pretty. You must miss her greatly.”

“Oh, I do. Every day, I wake up, always hoping that she’ll be asleep next to me, or downstairs cooking breakfast, or even lying in that horrid hospital bed where I could still hold her. I miss her greatly.” He started to sniffle, so he pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his nose.

I put my arm on his shoulder in attempt to comfort him. He didn’t resist. We stayed like that for several minutes.

After some time had passed, Henry looked up at me and smiled weakly. “I think it’s time for me to go back home now. I may come visit her later, but I think I should go for now.”

“Alright,” I whispered.

I helped Henry gather his things and put the stool back where it belonged. When we were finished, he looked at me and smiled gently.

“Thank you for coming here with me. I don’t get many visits, but seeing you today was very nice.”

“It was very nice to meet you Henry,” I stated.

“As was it to you,” he remarked. “Don’t you have school to go to? You are still going, not dropping out, are you? It’s a shame to see so many good minds drop out.”

“I do have school, yes, but I will be going later today,” I glanced towards a tree that stood further into the graveyard, “I just have to visit someone first.”

“Oh, you didn’t just come here with me, you are also visiting someone. Well then,” Henry walked towards the roses he had laid down next to Margret’s gravestone, “take this.” He placed one of the roses in my hand.

“Oh,” I was at a loss for words, “thank you.”

Henry smiled sweetly at me, “thank you for staying with me.”

On that last comment, Henry began to hike down the path to leave the cemetery. I watched him slowly walk down the road until he was out of sight, then I turned and headed further into the graveyard.

Only about fifty meters away was the gravesite that I came here for.

“Hello,” I whispered softly.

After placing the rose Henry gave me at the base of a displayed picture next to the tombstone, I sat a few feet away. A tear began to roll down my cheek as I inspected the items surrounding the headstone. There was a small engraved stone that read, “If tears could build a stairway, and memories a lane. I would walk right up to Heaven and bring you back again.” Another, larger, stone sat next to it, and within its stained glass design, the words “I love you!” sat.

I laid down backwards, letting many tears stream into my ruffled hair.

“I miss you so much!” I cried out into the air.

A breeze stirred up and old dead leaves blew onto me. The sky was brightening from the sun, and there were birds chirping along. I envied the beauty in the world since my world was dark with despair.

I felt my eyelids begin to grow heavy, so rolled up in a ball on my side. “I miss you so much, Mom!” I whispered and let myself drift asleep.