Johnny Mathis can be heard flowing throughout the little
house on the hill beside the tracks. She’s just twenty years of age but life
aged her a bit more than her years. She sat in front of a mirror carefully
applying her make up carful not to use too much, just enough to cover tiny
lines. She chose ruby red for her lips, her favorite and hopefully his too. It
would be her first date since the war ended and some men who fought came back
home to find a wife. She wanted more than anything to be a wife, a good wife
like her mother had been for quite some time. You see dad died awhile back
while working in a tank factory they never did find out how, but a lot went on
back then that remained secrets. Standing in front of her mirror, she adjusted
her nylons and smoothed out her dress which showed just how nice her figure
was. Just then there was a knock at the door, it was him. She took a deep
breath and opened the door; He was even more handsome than his picture. She got
lost in his blue eyes for a second before saying hello, he tipped his hat and
smiled causing her to feel a bit flushed which she hoped he hadn’t noticed. He
looked so serious in his dress uniform, but she liked it very much. He held out
his arm which she took as they walked to the waiting taxi.
It was a nice ride into the city that gave them a chance to
get to know each other a little more than the dozens of letters they exchanged
during the war. She had been at a USO dance just as the war was starting where
on the bulletin board was a sign-up sheet to write letters to our soldiers overseas.
There were pictures and a brief story about each soldier, and she went straight
to his picture as there was just something about his face that showed kindness
to her and she wanted to get to know him. They shared many stories about each
other over the time he was gone and when she learned he was coming home, she
truly felt a connection that he said he also felt. The taxi stopped at a
restaurant he had picked, he said he wanted to surprise her and once inside she
was exactly that. Never in her life had she seen such glamour and beauty.
She didn’t know exactly how long they stayed there but hours
passed, and they were the last people to leave. He suggested they have a night
cap at a local club that stayed open into the wee hours of the morning. They
drank wine and danced to the music of a talented trio until they announced last
call. She rested her head on his shoulder in the taxi ride home where he took
her hand and asked her if shed consider another date? She didn’t speak but her
slightly parted ruby lips gently kissed him giving him the answer he had hoped
for. He walked her to the door and said he would call. She stood on her porch
the noise of a train waking her from a beautiful dream as the taxi pulled away
as that handsome, kind and loving man waved goodbye, but only for a brief
moment in time.
