[HAL2016] IT ALL MEANS JACK

[gordi]

IT ALL MEANS JACK

I remember hearing a story about a guy called Jack.
He lived around here I think?
The story starts with Jack and his family gathered around a camp-fire.... not unlike ours...

“It was back in... let me see... When was it...’91 maybe?
Anyways, back in those days things were a lot... simpler around here.”

Jack briefly glanced up from the mug of coffee he’d been aimlessly stirring and looked around the faces of the people gathered around the fire; Uncle Jim, Bradley, the Twins, Mum and Dad, old Ted and his pal Harry.

”You see, time can... do things to a man, it can make him stronger, it can make him weaker. It can fill his heart with fond memories or it can just as easily snatch them away.
I don’t... uhm...  drink anymore by the way.

Well, you all know well that I grew up around here, and spent my time in these very woods or down by the river there with a fishing line in my hand.

And... well, that was where I met my Kate.

No more than a boy really, I didn’t have a clue what to say or do... but when you see them... when you meet your own true... well, your heart skips a beat and then starts poundin’ and you just know that they’re the one for you and somehow you find a way to, you know... you just.. just fumble through and then suddenly they’re right there with you.

They’re right beside you, in your life and in your heart.

Their stuff starts appearing in your house and before you know it... it’s their house too and you start to realise that it just wouldn’t be the same without them.”

Jack glanced up again and could see that everyone was staring intently at him.
It made him feel slightly ill-at-ease but, well it had been his idea to have this cook-out and camp-fire thing in the first place and he had sorta started the story-telling part too, so...

”She was so pretty! With her little blue dress and the ribbons in her hair, knees all muddy from runnin’ down the trail there. I can still see her sparklin’ green eyes and her smile to this day.”

A small tear caught the flickering orange fire-light as it formed at the corner of Jack’s eye, and he feigned flicking away a bug so he could wipe it clear without anyone seeing.
He sucked in one long heavy breath, took a single gulp of his coffee, and then carried on;

”We, uhm... we got married when she was still in her teens, and we settled right here in Mum & Dad’s old place.”
 Jack gave a thankful and thoughtful nod to his Dad who started glassing over before steeling himself and nodding right back.

”Sure, it needed a lot of work, but I was young and strong then, and Kate was so good with all the house work and stuff. It wasn’t too long before we had it kind of homely and warm.
I remember that Christmas when Uncle Jim brought Bradley and the twins over for the very first time!
They were chasin’ the dog down through the trees and the chickens were goin’ crazy and you were shoutin’ and hollerin’ at them, with Harry & Ted lookin’ over the fence to see what the hell was goin’ on.
It was like a crazy house!
I remember we got the big old oil-drum barbecue and set it up on the porch because the clouds were building up and we thought it might rain? Mum wanted to cook in the kitchen, but I was pretty determined back then and I insisted that I was havin’ myself a BBQ!

So, I cracked open the beer and Bradley there started singin’ and strummin’ on his guitar, I think Harry had his harmonica? That’s how I remember it anyways... I suppose that all means “Jack” now.

Jack held back another tear and shuffled uneasily from foot to foot as he glanced up once again.
Looking in turn at Mum & Dad, Uncle Jim, Bradley & the Twins, Old Harry and finally Ted.

”I, uh... I guess that’s why I asked you all to come here tonight. You see... it was all... my fault.
I got drunk that night and Kate got angry with me and stomped off into the woods. I lashed out at the porch-rail, but I missed and lost my balance... I fell against the Oil-Drum and I guess I kind of blacked out.
The fire musta gotten hold of the place then... it was all tinder dry at the end of the summer, and well... I never saw my Kate again.

That was 25 years ago...
25 years ago... tonight as it happens, and I just wanted the chance to put things right and to apologise to you all.

Jacks tears were flowing now and he couldn’t properly see through them, so he took out a handkerchief, blew his nose and wiped his eyes clear before looking up again...
The fire was gone, as were all of the ghosts of his lost family and friends from that fateful night.

As he stood there cold and alone, he started sobbing openly, as he had done at this time every year...

When suddenly, for the first time in 25 years, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see, just standing there...
A beautiful girl, in a blue dress, with green eyes and ribbons in her hair, and she was smiling.

They hugged like never before, and she led him across the lawns to Mum & Dad’s old place, which was all homely and warm... again.

The End.