Twelve Stories About Devotion

As I walked and got nearer to her, she did not seem to notice me at all. There was no glance in my direction, and I did not have the courage to say anything myself. I finished my walk and went home scolding myself.

  On the next day, almost the same scenario repeated itself. I could not believe it. There she was, wearing the same clothing as before, with her car parked nearby, as before. She was looking through binoculars, as before. Today, I had decided, if she was there, I would rev up my courage and speak to her. To my great chagrin, I didn't do it. I had walked by her as before and she had not noticed me, as before. I had not been able to say anything, as before. During the ten minutes that it took for me to walk home, I called myself all the insulting names that I could think of, including stupid, moron, imbecile, and spineless.

  I felt I had lost my chance to meet the girl of my dreams. I believed she could not possibly be there on next day. But she was! I began my walk. As I got nearer and nearer to where she was, viewing the superlative scenery, I got within a couple of feet of where she was standing. Suddenly she turned to me, and said, "Aren't you going to say something?"

  Her statement, had come completely by surprise. "I . ., I . ." I couldn't finish my sentence. "My name is Margaret Wendelken," she said. "People call me Maggie. You're Arthur Hillman. I've been wanting to meet you. I've taken several hours off from work in order to do this. One of us should have had the courage to say something on the first day!"

  "You know me?" I said.

  "Yes, I work for Hamilton Products in Bennington. We are currently using your manual on Ace Office Works. The instructor, Alexander Smithford, told the class that you live near here, and walk in this rest area every day. Your manual has a picture and a short biography of you. I noted that you are not married."

  "I'm happy to know you, Maggie," I managed to articulate with some difficulty. "My nickname is Alex. I've been coming here several days hoping that we would meet," I continued.

  "I know that," she said. "And each day I lost some time at work because of it!"

  "I'm not very gregarious," I said. "It's hard for me to initiate a conversation."

  "I see that," she said smiling! "And I've been coming here hoping that one day you'd open up."

  "Do you live nearby," I asked.

  "In Troy," she responded. "Your home is about halfway between Troy and Bennington. There are some elegant eating places in the two cities. I see a cute car in your driveway. Are the seats comfortable?"

  I smiled. "You know about my Smart Car," I asked?

  "Yes, but I've never ridden in one."

  "I'd be happy to give you a demonstration of how the seats feel," I said bravely.

  "My, you're bold," she exclaimed! "I've been carrying a little slip of paper with my address and phone number on it," she said. "I'd like to have you phone me."

  "I'll do that tonight," I said.

  "Just a quick thought," she said. "Your technical writing is excellent. I'm sure you could write a true to life story as well."

  "Thanks for the suggestion," I responded. "I'll try it!"

  "I'm late for work. I have to leave now," she stated.

  I watched as she walked to her car, entered and drove off. Smiling, she waved as she went by me. I waved back.

  On this day, my walk home was a cheerful one. I couldn't get over the fact that she said I had been bold. I had never thought of myself that way. I wondered where I had had the audacity to initiate a conversation with a woman that I had never met before!

  This is the story of how we met.

  The Girl In Red

  My name is Meg Taylor. I am the girl in red! I caught the bouquet! The bride's name was Mrs. David Turner at the time the picture was taken. That morning it had been Gina Lopez. In the picture, her sister, Maria is standing to my left. When Gina threw the bouquet, she was hoping I would catch it. Maria had a better chance to do this than I did, but when the bouquet came toward us, Maria deliberately threw her arms down to her side, thus allowing me to catch it. Is there a story behind this?

  The reason that Maria had intentionally fluffed the catch is because Gina had told her what I had done for her and David a few weeks back. Here is the rest of the story:

  A year before the wedding, I introduced David to Gina at my birthday party. At the time Gina and I were friends, not best friends, but enough to say we were fairly close. I was pleased when she and David began dating. For them, it had been the legendary, love at first sight! They immediately set a wedding date for the following month!

  Sadly, the couple was involved in an auto accident in which they were both seriously injured. A drunk driver had crossed the center line and hit their car virtually head on. Gina was hospitalized with several broken bones. David's injuries were more serious. In addition to broken bones, he had suffered a severe head trauma. The bones presented no problems for healing, the head wound resulted in loss of memory. It was sadly discovered that he had no recognition for Gina nor recollection of their planned wedding.

  In an effort to have David regain his memory, Gina met with him at his apartment on many occasions. She talked to him about how they had met, what they had done together, the dreams for the future they had fabricated. Despite heroic efforts in these endeavors, there was never the slightest twinge of recollection in David's mind. Though bright and cheerful when Gina was speaking to David, she'd shed tears uncontrollably at home.

  "Gina," I said to her one day, "May I try?"

  "I've tried everything that it is possible to try," she replied.

  "I know! But I'm a new voice, a new face, a different set of words. I knew him before you did, and I may strike a new note that you may not have tried. Even the slightest recollection of anything would be a start."

  "You are such a dear friend for wanting to do this, Meg," she said. "Of course, you may try! There is nothing that can be lost that isn't gone already."

  The next time Gina visited David, she and I went together. She introduced me to David and went into another room during the time that I spent with him.

  "David," I said. "Do you remember me? I'm Meg Myers. I introduced you to Gina at my birthday party."

  "I'm sorry, Meg," he responded. "I don't remember knowing you, and I have no recollection of the party."

  We continued our talk for a little while but realized that I wasn't getting anywhere. I decided to go home and see if I could devise a better plan than I had used today. Gina dropped me off at my home.

  Before leaving David, he had said one thing that bothered me. "I like you better than the other lady he said. I'd be happy to meet with you again." I thought it best not to repeat this remark to Gina.

  I did come up with a plan over the next couple of days. I asked Gina if she would tell me some of the places they had gone to, and some of the things they had done. She gave me a short list. I told her that I'd like to see David again. She readily agreed and said that she would not come with me next times I met with him.

  During my next visit, he and I went to Westside Park. Gina said this park had been a favorite of theirs. We walked around, but David never said that he recognized anything.

  There was a waterfall nearby and we went to the railing from which we could view it. Again, there was no sign of recognition.

  It was getting late, so I suggested that we meet again the following day to visit more places. He happily agreed.

  "Before you go," he said," I need to tell you that I like you very much. Seeing you today has been like turning on the sunshine on a gloomy day."

  "Thank you," I replied. "I'm glad." I knew I was treading on dangerous territory, but felt that continuing to help David should be my most important objective.

  We checked off some additional places from the list on the next day. As before, there was no result. We agreed to meet again. As we parted, he said, "Meg, I love you!" Greatly surprised with this turn of events, I said something inconsequential and hastily departed.

  I liked David a good deal. Loving him, I felt, woul
d not be difficult. But, I could not respond to his overtures of engaging in a deeper relationship. I thought of the event horizon in space. This is an imaginary boundary that marks the limits of a black hole. Crossing this line meant doom for planets and stars. If I stepped over this domestic event horizon, it would represent disaster for me, and also, as well, for several other persons. I must not do this!

  "Good afternoon, dear," David said as I met with him the next time, "I've been looking forward to seeing you. Where are we going today? When we get back, I have a very important question to ask you!"

  I had a good idea what the question was! "We're going to a place not far from here," I said. "We won't be long."

  I drove with him to a small copse of trees near the city limits. I parked on the road. We exited from the car. Using a sheet of directions that Gina had given me, I found a large oak tree. At eye level, I saw some initials carved on the tree. Pointing to them, I asked David, "Do these initials mean anything to you?"

  He stared at them. "GL and DT," he murmured. "What do they mean?"

  "Gina Lopez; David Turner," I replied.

  Continuing to stare, he repeated the letters to himself several times.

  "Do you remember carving these," I asked?

  Seemingly in a trance, he kept staring at them, Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a small penknife. He opened the single blade and began refreshing the carved areas.

  "GL DT," he kept repeating.

  Suddenly, he loudly said,