Clues
Parked by the side of the road, smoking his last cigarette, and sitting in the dirt by a dried up creek bed, Harry watched as the tiny trickle of water disappeared three feet short of where he sat. No fanfare, no parade, the water just disappeared into the fine, yellow grains of sand, out here in the middle of no where. He knew he was watching a perfect reflection of his life. Like many others, he had rushed to get here, and now, he sits alone, invisible to everything but the heat in the hot dessert sands. Unfortunately, unlike the water in the dried river bed, there is no one watching him disappear. He figures he blew this one. He has spent the better half of his life accomplishing nothing. He watched the curious , large, black bird circle overhead while wondering if we only get one chance....one life. This is when Harry contemplates leavening himself a clue to find, if in fact, he does come back again. The story takes a strange turn when he has decided to leave his clues in the Library of Congress as a short story, appropriately titled ‘Clues’. As I say, the story takes an awkward, yet exciting twist when on a sunny day, he is sharing his newest story with people sitting at his wife’s bar, and just as luck would have it, a young lady looks at him and asks the one question he had never thought of…”have you looked this time?” he looked back at her, and asked “what do you mean?”. She smiled, and said “ I really like your story, but I’m curious, have you looked in the Library of Congress to see if there is a book titled ‘Clues’ in this life, you know, this time?” He almost forgot to breath, when he considered the ramifications of her question. What if there is a book, this time! The story ends with him standing outside the Library of Congress, in Washington D.C. as he contemplates entering the building. He finally enters and meanders through the rows and rows of volumes half not wanting to find the answer. There doesn’t have to be a book. If one is not there, it proves nothing. Hell, I just thought of the idea this time, in this life, didn’t I? His mind raced as he rounded the corner of the ‘C’ isle. He slowly walked down the rows of intellect while searching for the end to his mystery. As he approached the ‘Clu’ section, he could see many books and paper backs begging to be read. Then it happened, there in front of him was a bright yellow row of approximately 12, slender, hard back books with the name of ‘Clues’ on the spine. They were a set of volumes. From ‘Clues, volume I, to Clues, volume 12’. Is it possible he started the ‘Clues’ books twelve life times ago? Just then, a small woman of slight build approached him and smiled as she said, “we don’t know who the author is, they are not signed, and there is no clue.” I am told the last one was put in this rack without anyone knowing it. We have been told for as long as anyone can remember, that’s how they all came to be here for our enjoyment. Do you know anything about them?” she asked while looking up and smiling. Or as I like to think, am I talking to the author?...please tell me, for I am quite old and as many, I fear the unknown.” to be continued. RJ
with a smile, he turned to reply, when his gaze was halted. He looked over the woman's white hair to see a line of approximately thirty persons standing behind her. They too, were intently waiting for his reply. Before he could answer, the frail book tender explained. "you see, we kind of have a club. We have been waiting a long time. Sonny down there at the end of the line, is one hundred years old today! We have been waiting for you to come again so we could catch you in the act! We were taking turns waiting. Not a night went by that at least one of us was here, waiting for the unknown author." With that, she gently took his arm and led him past the waiting line of well wishers. Some where crying as they passed. The crowd watched as she led him to the center of the massive library, and sat him at a grand, central table........that night, Harry knew his life was going to change forever; for as Thelma raised the phone, spoke a few excited words, and hung up, she smiled in silence as Harry, much like a small boy in bewilderment, scanned the smiling faces surrounding the great, shinny table. to be continued. RJ
The massive wooden doors flung open as throngs of people ran into the library...Harry turned quickly in Thelma's direction and just a quickly, Thelma smiled and said "don't worry, their in the club too!" to be continued. RJ