I was up late last night and was asleep in my easy chair in the bedroom, and then early Saturday morning, I heard the doorbell ring.
Rising from my chair, I headed for the door and wondered who may be pushing the doorbell several times. When I got to the door, half-dressed and hair uncombed, there stood my friend Jeff from Frog Hollow.
Jeff and I had become friends several years back, and he would often stop by and we would have various talks about life’s highways, and the ups and downs of our walk along this grand road.
He and I shared many stories about those mountains we had climbed and the valley of troubles along the way. Most people have stories to tell in this regard. Jeff and I were no different.
And although he doesn’t stop by often, he most always brings a tale or story that has a specific meaning designed for both of us; it is almost as if there is specific mission to this life.
And this Saturday morning would be no different.
One night many moons ago, we found ourselves sitting at the Potomac Bridge Brewery having a libation and discussion with friends. Out of the blue Jeff told me he had found this sign along a highway and decided to get it for me; he would drop it off tomorrow.
I wondered what sort of sign he would buy for me, and as he stopped by my house the next day, I was extremely touched by the sign and its message.
It read simply:
‘A true love story never ends.’
I was touched beyond measure, since my wife Sheila had died a short while ago. The sign adorns my dining room wall. I thanked Jeff ‘very much’ for his gift.
On this Saturday morning visit, we had our usual conversations about life, morel mushrooms, an old house he had refurbished at the bottom of Lock Hill near Dargan and other pleasantries.
And then he arrived at the point as to why he came by to visit.
Jeff had two friends Dick and Wayne, who like me, had lost their wives Bonnie and Barbara, in the recent past and he had a request of me.
I had written many columns for the local Herald-Mail newspaper and placed several of them in four books. The last book I had written was titled ‘Dargan Boy ~ Stories from a Rockin’ Chair.’ Jeff has all of my books.
In the above-mentioned book, the last story is titled, ‘A love story and brown eyed girl;’ it is a story about Sheila and I, our meeting on a hayride, our lives together, in Antietam Furnace, and her five-year trial with ‘dementia.’
Jeff has always been touched by that story and was the reason he stopped along the road to get me his gifted sign, ‘A true love story never ends.’ It is a gift that I found ‘priceless,’ a treasure.
This gift and message are a constant reminder that ‘true love never ends.’ It speaks well also of Jeff, my friend, who always thinks about other people and their sorrow in life.
And it was for this reason; Jeff had stopped by my house today.
Jeff’s two other friends were going through the same difficulties of losing a loved one and the sadness left behind.
Jeff’s friend Dick lives close by, and he stops to talk with him about his trips to the cemetery to visit his wife’s grave. Another friend, Wayne, is going through the same sorrowful chapter of life as he lost his best friend.
In his Good Samaritan nature, Jeff seemingly has a mission to visit the three of us in an effort to console and acknowledge to each of us that ‘a true love story never ends.’
And today, the real purpose of his visit was to request a book for each of his two friends, so that they may enjoy reading my columns, and especially the last story about ‘A love story and brown eye girl.’
I gladly autographed the two books for him and reminded each recipient of Jeff’s gift and that sign which is proudly displayed on my dining room wall.
This Saturday morning was most special.
It is always a pleasure to have a conversation with Jeff.
And it is good to know when there is a crisis in someone’s life when someone is down, it is always nice to know, someone like Jeff is nearby to pick you up.
So be sure to always answer your doorbell ring.
You may find it comforting.
