Saturday Blast From The Past-Hidden Letters

Hidden Letters



"I got to find something hidden once. It's not all it's cracked up to be. It happens in an instant and then you can't take it back, can't un-find it." Frank said as his fingers tapped the remnants of a cigarette against the ashtray.

John watched Frank drain his glass, watched the lines deepen around eyes searching for the waitress. He knew Frank was about the same age as his dad, but he couldn't quite think of them as members of the same generation.

"I used to be laundry boy, it was my chore", Frank said as he slid the waitress a five and waved off the change. "Things between us were pretty good I thought. The novelty had worn off and we'd settled into the day to day sharing of lives." He paused to chuckle to himself. He looked right at John for the first time as he said, "you never really know a person." He stopped to light another cigarette. John watched him and wondered what the laundry had to do with it.

Frank started up with his story again almost as if he were talking to no one in particular, just pausing to drag now and then while looking at a spot somewhere between the ashtray and the back of John's seat. "We used to split the chores in the house since we both worked the same hours. I got laundry. One day I'm putting her clothes away and there, sticking out from under her emergency underwear was what looked like some envelopes." He looked right at John again. "You ever just suddenly know something? Just know it in an instant without any good reason?"

John gave a slight shrug unsure whether or not to respond. Frank went back to looking at the spot in between and continued, "I just saw the smallest corner of a few envelopes sticking out, just the tiniest bit, but I knew. I knew what it meant in an instant. I knew it wasn't some left over souvenirs from birthdays gone by. I don't know how long I stood there and stared at those corners. But I had to know for sure. I knew in every part of me what was in there but I had to see it with my eyes. I had to prove it. Had anyone suggested such a thing to me I wouldn't have believed it remotely possible. But I could feel the truth of it. It even made me feel guilty how certain I was, like I was selling her short for not giving her the benefit of the doubt. I had to give her that didn't I?"

He took a couple drags off his cigarette and then put it out. John felt lucky. Grateful for what he had. Sarah was solid. He'd known her since his sophomore year of college. Sweet and honest, he could always count on her. He knew that their impending marriage would stand the test of time. He knew they had something special.

Frank raised his glass and before draining it off and said, "Be careful how hard you hold on. Things can change in an instant in spite of how much you think you know."

They both looked up at the young brunette walking towards them. She slid in next to John and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Hey Sarah, how was shopping?" John asked as he put his arm around her.

"Oh not bad, I didn't spend too much if that's what you want to know," she joked. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything?"

"No not at all, in fact I was just getting ready to leave anyway. You two have a good one and I'll see you Monday, John." Frank got up and they watched him walk away.

"He always seems sort of sad, even when he's laughing," she said as she watched the door he went through. She turned back and noticed John was just looking at her. "What are you looking at?"

"I'm just looking is all," John said but he didn't look away from the brown eyes that had become so familiar.

"You look like you've never seen me before or something, what's the matter?"

"Oh nothing. Just thinking. Did you ever wonder if you really knew me?" he asked.

"What? After five years I think I know you. What's gotten into you anyway? Maybe I should drive. C'mon, let's go." They got up and walked out through the door that Frank had taken moments before. John looked at her and said, "Yeah, maybe you should drive."