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Mark wiped the sweat off his forhead and looked down at his work. Only two more hours, then the day would be done and he could go home. Picking up his welder, he bent back to it.
"Excuse Me." The soft voice behind him, made him spin around in surprise. Very few peple could get that coulse without him hearing. Standing before him was a man, old and wrinkled with whispy white hair.
" Do you have a moment?" asked the man, looking up at Mark with solem eyes.
"What do you need?"
"Just a peice on my door fixed. nothing much." Mark looked back at his project, then at the old man.
"Alright. I can do that." THe two of them made thier way through the shop.
"This is it." The old man stopped infront of an old camper, worn with travel. " The part here that catches the door has finally worn off, and I was hoping you could make a new one, if it isn't too much trouble." Mark nodded. he had made the part before, and there was something about this fellow that made him want to help him.
"So where are you from?" Mark asked, just trying to make small talk while working on the piece.
"Nowhere."
"What?" the old man smiled sadly.
"That camper is my home. I come from nowhere, and am going nowhere." mark put his tools down.
"Nowhere? Don't you have someone to visit? A wife, children, friends?" the other man sighed.
" A wife I had. Beautiful and kind, but time is cruel and took her away. My children, and grandchildren spend the time arguing amongst themselves about who will get what of mine when I go. " He smiles slyly to himself. " Little do they know that there's nothing left to get."
"But, what about friends? surely there's someone who you could go see?"
The old man's smile faded, and he stared into space, looking into the past.
"they're gone. All of them. I'm ninety two years old boy, not many men live that long. " He focused back on Mark. " How's that part coming?"
Mark finished attaching the part, then stood up facing the old man. "So where will you go?"
" White horse, I think. I haven't been there in a while."
"Alone?"
"Not totally. I have Blue. Here Blue!" at his calling, a large black dog came to the window of the camper. " A dog is a man's best friend." He smiled at Mark, shook his hand, and left.
Mark walked slowly back to his shop. Alone. So alone! with no one. He couldn't fathom being so alone. he shuddered and walked quicker. Later that evening when he got home, he stood in the door way, looking at his house. His wife was baking, the kids were playing, the dog slept infront of the fire place. He walked up to his wife and wrapped his arms around her. "I love you" he said, and watched an old camper roll by out the window.
- Title: Nothing left to get.
- Artist: Keladrey
- Description: This old man is real. I met him once, Staying in an old camper park at a run down motel. His story stuck with me. No place to go, no one to go to, alone. just waiting to die really, the only thing worth living for anymore is his dog.
- Date: 11/26/2009
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Comments (2 Comments)
- Harbor Mist - 05/03/2012
- wow this is a very interesting story! I really enjoyed it!
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