March, 2020.
Social distancing has provided him with an unexpected opportunity: a little house-cleaning.
In the attic, brushing aside dust and cobwebs, he discovers an old briefcase.
He opens it to find pieces of paper with words written on them, in a child’s scrawl. 1/
Social distancing has provided him with an unexpected opportunity: a little house-cleaning.
In the attic, brushing aside dust and cobwebs, he discovers an old briefcase.
He opens it to find pieces of paper with words written on them, in a child’s scrawl. 1/
He doesn’t know what the papers mean, but they seem very old. They’re yellowed with age.
He flips through them, glimpsing words here and there.
“HELLO”
“YES I DO”
“SICK?”
The last one is smudged, as if water spilled on it.
He looks upon it, and wonders... 2/
He flips through them, glimpsing words here and there.
“HELLO”
“YES I DO”
“SICK?”
The last one is smudged, as if water spilled on it.
He looks upon it, and wonders... 2/
October, 1918.
A little boy, Arthur, lives with his father in an apartment building in New York. His father is a doctor.
These are strange times.
Arthur doesn’t know exactly why he can’t go out to play, but he has been confined to the apartment for a week now. 3/
A little boy, Arthur, lives with his father in an apartment building in New York. His father is a doctor.
These are strange times.
Arthur doesn’t know exactly why he can’t go out to play, but he has been confined to the apartment for a week now. 3/
Arthur’s father eats breakfast with him every morning, then puts on his protective mask and leaves for the day.
Arthur is supposed to study and review his work with his father when he returns.
But he gets bored quickly. He plays with his toys. He reads.
He daydreams. 4/
Arthur is supposed to study and review his work with his father when he returns.
But he gets bored quickly. He plays with his toys. He reads.
He daydreams. 4/
One day he is sitting in his room, on his bed, arranging toy soldiers for a mighty battle. He happens to look out his window, and then he sees her.
In the building across from his, a little girl is sitting by her window and looking down at something.
Reading perhaps? 5/
In the building across from his, a little girl is sitting by her window and looking down at something.
Reading perhaps? 5/
Arthur is overjoyed to see someone else his age. She looks beautiful to him. Like a princess in the comics he reads.
He feels a wave of shyness but his loneliness overwhelms it.
He starts knocking on his window but it is nailed shut, and she is too far away to hear. 6/
He feels a wave of shyness but his loneliness overwhelms it.
He starts knocking on his window but it is nailed shut, and she is too far away to hear. 6/
Thinking fast, Arthur grabs a piece of paper from his sketchbook and writes in big letters, HELLO.
He holds the sheet of paper up to the glass and waves wildly.
The little girl keeps looking down, and he thinks perhaps she won’t see him.
But then she looks up. 7/
He holds the sheet of paper up to the glass and waves wildly.
The little girl keeps looking down, and he thinks perhaps she won’t see him.
But then she looks up. 7/
He notices her squinting at his sign, and wonders if he wrote too small. But then a large smile blossoms on her face.
She disappears from her window, and he presses his face to the glass, nose squished, wondering where she went.
A few moments later, she returns. 8/
She disappears from her window, and he presses his face to the glass, nose squished, wondering where she went.
A few moments later, she returns. 8/
She offers him a shy wave, then holds up a sign of her own. Her handwriting is neat. He squints as he reads.
“Hello, who are you?”
Thrilled with the prospect of interacting with another human being, never mind one with lovely strawberry blonde hair, he writes feverishly. 9/
“Hello, who are you?”
Thrilled with the prospect of interacting with another human being, never mind one with lovely strawberry blonde hair, he writes feverishly. 9/
I’M ARTHUR HILL. WHAT’S YOUR NAME?
I’m Adeline Miller.
I LIKE THE YANKEES.
I like to read.
ME TOO! WHAT BOOKS?
Little Women. You?
SHERLOCK HOMES.
It’s Holmes, with an L.
I KNEW THAT!
He laughs, and she smiles, before waving goodbye and disappearing from the window. 10/
I’m Adeline Miller.
I LIKE THE YANKEES.
I like to read.
ME TOO! WHAT BOOKS?
Little Women. You?
SHERLOCK HOMES.
It’s Holmes, with an L.
I KNEW THAT!
He laughs, and she smiles, before waving goodbye and disappearing from the window. 10/
Later that evening, after they eat dinner together, Arthur’s father asks him how his day went.
Arthur tells him about his new friend.
His father smiles, and says that’s wonderful. He then opens his newspaper, and says nothing more.
Arthur isn’t allowed to read the paper. 11/
Arthur tells him about his new friend.
His father smiles, and says that’s wonderful. He then opens his newspaper, and says nothing more.
Arthur isn’t allowed to read the paper. 11/
Sometimes Arthur knows his father isn’t reading. Sometimes he’s just using the newspaper to hide his face.
Arthur sees his father’s shoulders shake gently, and he knows he’s crying.
Arthur wonders if the tears are for his mother. Perhaps they’re for the sick people. 12/
Arthur sees his father’s shoulders shake gently, and he knows he’s crying.
Arthur wonders if the tears are for his mother. Perhaps they’re for the sick people. 12/
Before he goes to bed, he looks to the window. The little girl isn’t there, but a sign is in the window.
“Goodnight!”
Arthur smiles, lying back. His heart is beating fast.
When his mother was alive, she would read stories to him.
Now he’s writing his own story. 13/
“Goodnight!”
Arthur smiles, lying back. His heart is beating fast.
When his mother was alive, she would read stories to him.
Now he’s writing his own story. 13/
In the weeks that follow, Arthur and Adeline “talk” as much as they can.
He learns about her.
Both her parents are alive. She has a younger brother named Bobby. She wants to learn ballet.
She loves the color purple, and marigolds.
He tells her his hopes and dreams. 14/
He learns about her.
Both her parents are alive. She has a younger brother named Bobby. She wants to learn ballet.
She loves the color purple, and marigolds.
He tells her his hopes and dreams. 14/
He reuses the same papers over and over again, erasing and writing new messages.
One day his father brings him a stack of blank papers. Arthur is overjoyed.
He and Adeline promise each other that they will meet someday soon, when the sickness is all over.
Plans are made. 15/
One day his father brings him a stack of blank papers. Arthur is overjoyed.
He and Adeline promise each other that they will meet someday soon, when the sickness is all over.
Plans are made. 15/
One day Arthur is at his window and he notices that Adeline doesn’t look like herself. Her long strawberry blonde hair is disheveled.
Her eyes are dull, like a light has gone out inside her, dark circles beneath them.
“Sorry Arthur,” her note says, “too tired today.” 16/
Her eyes are dull, like a light has gone out inside her, dark circles beneath them.
“Sorry Arthur,” her note says, “too tired today.” 16/
Arthur’s father has told him stories of the sickness, the flu. With a lump in his throat, his heart sinking, he holds up his sign.
SICK?
The little girl doesn’t write back.
She looks at him, across the space between them, and nods sadly.
Arthur feels a hot rush of tears. 17/
SICK?
The little girl doesn’t write back.
She looks at him, across the space between them, and nods sadly.
Arthur feels a hot rush of tears. 17/
He lowers his gaze, watching his tears hit his sign and smudge the letters.
For the first time in weeks, he doesn’t know what to write. He bites his lip and looks back to her, tears streaming.
She smiles wistfully, mouthing words to him slowly.
“I’m sorry, Arthur.” 18/
For the first time in weeks, he doesn’t know what to write. He bites his lip and looks back to her, tears streaming.
She smiles wistfully, mouthing words to him slowly.
“I’m sorry, Arthur.” 18/
He writes to her for the last time.
YOU WILL GET BETTER.
She nods slowly.
His lower lip is quivering, as he writes again.
I WILL MISS YOU.
She smiles sadly at this, and mouths to him again. “Thank you.”
Leaning forward, she kisses the glass lightly, before she leaves. 19/
YOU WILL GET BETTER.
She nods slowly.
His lower lip is quivering, as he writes again.
I WILL MISS YOU.
She smiles sadly at this, and mouths to him again. “Thank you.”
Leaning forward, she kisses the glass lightly, before she leaves. 19/
Arthur is devastated.
When his father gets home that evening, he immediately asks what’s wrong.
Arthur flings himself into his father’s arms, and sobs as he tells him what happened.
His father rubs his back reassuringly, then sets him down and looks into his eyes. 20/
When his father gets home that evening, he immediately asks what’s wrong.
Arthur flings himself into his father’s arms, and sobs as he tells him what happened.
His father rubs his back reassuringly, then sets him down and looks into his eyes. 20/
“Arthur, do you know why your mother and I chose your name? You were named for a king. A just and good king, who was brave, and very wise.
The world is changing Arthur. Adeline is a good girl, a strong kid.
I’m so sorry this happened, but we must keep moving forward.” 21/
The world is changing Arthur. Adeline is a good girl, a strong kid.
I’m so sorry this happened, but we must keep moving forward.” 21/
Arthur nods, still sniffling. His father continues.
“You know Arthur, when your mom died, I thought the sun would never rise for me again. But I have you, and I see her in you, every day.
When the sickness hit this city, I thought the world was ending. But it didn’t.” 22/
“You know Arthur, when your mom died, I thought the sun would never rise for me again. But I have you, and I see her in you, every day.
When the sickness hit this city, I thought the world was ending. But it didn’t.” 22/
“I see brave people Arthur, kind people, ordinary people, doing extraordinary things every day. And it gives me faith.
All we have in these times is each other.
So keep your faith, good King Arthur. I just know you’ll see Adeline again, somehow.”
Arthur hugs him tight. 23/
All we have in these times is each other.
So keep your faith, good King Arthur. I just know you’ll see Adeline again, somehow.”
Arthur hugs him tight. 23/
As the days pass, Arthur learns to live with his grief.
He keeps a vigil at his window daily, but Adeline doesn’t return.
Then, one day, Arthur’s father doesn’t come home. The little boy is brave and makes his own dinner.
But his heart is pounding.
He doesn’t sleep. 24/
He keeps a vigil at his window daily, but Adeline doesn’t return.
Then, one day, Arthur’s father doesn’t come home. The little boy is brave and makes his own dinner.
But his heart is pounding.
He doesn’t sleep. 24/
The next morning, no sign of his father. Nor the morning after that.
Arthur is panicked. He is out of food. He doesn’t know where to go.
He weeps, in his bed.
That evening, there’s a loud knock at the door. A man and woman are there when he opens it. 25/
Arthur is panicked. He is out of food. He doesn’t know where to go.
He weeps, in his bed.
That evening, there’s a loud knock at the door. A man and woman are there when he opens it. 25/
It’s his aunt and uncle from Maine. They tell him his father isn’t coming home, not for a long time.
He’s going to live with them now.
Arthur knows in his heart that his father is gone forever.
The little boy now feels truly alone. 26/
He’s going to live with them now.
Arthur knows in his heart that his father is gone forever.
The little boy now feels truly alone. 26/
The years pass. The world recovers.
Arthur grows up under the care of his aunt and uncle.
Finally, one day, he journeys back to the city. There is one thought that has lingered within him for all these years.
One hope that still burns brightly.
He makes inquiries. 27/
Arthur grows up under the care of his aunt and uncle.
Finally, one day, he journeys back to the city. There is one thought that has lingered within him for all these years.
One hope that still burns brightly.
He makes inquiries. 27/
His inquiries lead him Upstate, and he journeys to Troy, NY.
He spends several days asking around town, and then he finally finds the Millers.
It’s a small house, meticulously well-kept.
He stands on the street outside, his heart beating fast, his mind racing. 28/
He spends several days asking around town, and then he finally finds the Millers.
It’s a small house, meticulously well-kept.
He stands on the street outside, his heart beating fast, his mind racing. 28/
He’s afraid to find out if his dream really died all those years ago.
Maybe it’s better not to know.
And then he sees her.
Unmistakable.
Her face, behind a window on the second floor, framed by long strawberry blonde hair. 29/
Maybe it’s better not to know.
And then he sees her.
Unmistakable.
Her face, behind a window on the second floor, framed by long strawberry blonde hair. 29/
She looks down and her eyes widen as she sees him, a brilliant smile blossoming on her lips.
She flings open the window, and he hears her voice for the very first time.
“Arthur Gates! Is it really you?”
He smiles, and holds up a bouquet of marigolds. 30/
She flings open the window, and he hears her voice for the very first time.
“Arthur Gates! Is it really you?”
He smiles, and holds up a bouquet of marigolds. 30/
March 2020,
He looks down at the papers, wondering what they mean. His wife comes up behind him and asks if they’re junk.
He says yes... but something tells him to hold onto them.
His wife quirks a brow, but he can’t explain it.
He puts the papers back in the briefcase. 31/
He looks down at the papers, wondering what they mean. His wife comes up behind him and asks if they’re junk.
He says yes... but something tells him to hold onto them.
His wife quirks a brow, but he can’t explain it.
He puts the papers back in the briefcase. 31/
Later that day, he stands in a hallway, looking at an old photo on the wall.
It’s his great grandparents, Arty and Addy.
He feels ... moved.
His phone buzzes. A message from his wife downstairs: “Hola! Coming down?”
A digital note pressed to a digital window.
He smiles.
It’s his great grandparents, Arty and Addy.
He feels ... moved.
His phone buzzes. A message from his wife downstairs: “Hola! Coming down?”
A digital note pressed to a digital window.
He smiles.
((Fictional story about the connections that sustain us. Also I changed the little boy’s name in between drafts, from Gates to Hill. That’s why she says a different name at the end. Oops. 🙄))
