We all have a grand time as we pass around the food and catch up with one another. Our server finally takes away all the empty plates and places a bowl of fortune cookies down in the centre of the table. We all reach for one. My phone rings and I pull my hand away from the bowl of sweet cookie goodness. I pull it out and check the caller ID. Stanley?
"Hey, guys, I gotta take this." I step away and hurry out of the restaurant.
"Hello?" I answer.
"Hello?" A female voice softly asks on the other side.
"Hi, who is this?" I ask, crossing my arms slightly.
"Hi, I'm Patricia- Patty Uris, Stanley's wife." She introduces herself.
"Ah, well, hello. What can I do for you?" I ask, swallowing hard, instantly dreading the call.
"I've been thinking about this call for a day. What would I say if I called you, who you even were?" She begins to ramble in a nervous manner.
"Patty, what is it?" I ask softly, cutting her off
"You were the first number saved in his phone, his emergency contact even. I thought he could be cheating but he would never. Besides, your area code is from Michigan." She continues on.
"Patty, you're rambling," I speak up slightly.
"I wasn't going to make this call but you clearly were someone important to him. Yesterday, Stanley... passed." She finally gets to her point and my heart shatters.
"What? But how?" I ask breathlessly as the tears fill my eyes.
"It was so awful, he was in the bathtub and-" She cuts off as she chokes on her own tears. I can hear her racked sobs over the phone.
"You don't need to continue." I shake my head as my voice cracks.
"I just- how could he do such a thing?" She asks, crying now.
"I'm so sorry." I cry out. "When is his... service?"
"In a week." She answers as she slowly calms herself.
"Might I be able to come, please?" I squeak out my request.
"Yes, Stanley's friend is always welcome." She shakily answers after a moment's hesitation.
"We were friends from Derry. He wasn't cheating on you, Stan would never." I ease her worries as I swallow hard. I'm barely even able to let the words out.
"I didn't think he would." She agrees.
"He was such a great guy. I still remember helping him practice reading the Torah for his Bar Mitzvah." I smile sadly at the memory as some tears run down my face.
"Stan was absolutely amazing." She agrees.
"Thank you for letting me know." I wipe my eyes.
"Of course, you should know. I hope to see you at the service." She says.
"I will be there with unconditional support for you and his family through this tough time. You will send me the address, yes?" I ask.
"Of course. God bless." She hangs up. I look down at my phone in shock and cover my mouth with my hand. I let the pain run through my body as I fall onto the curb and sit with my knees close to my chest. Stan can't really be dead, I can't accept that.
YOU ARE READING
All Alone | Stanley Uris
Adventure"That's what adults do. They only think about their problems... And when they don't have any, they make one up. Us kids, we can see the reality of life more than they can, and that's what's truly terrifying. Something they'll never want to come to t...
