The thing about reflections is no two people see exactly the same thing.
As Henry looks in the mirror, he sees memories.
The first time he wore this shirt was when Mary bought it for his birthday, so many years ago.
It still fits, and he smiles.
Henry is going on a date. 1/
As Henry looks in the mirror, he sees memories.
The first time he wore this shirt was when Mary bought it for his birthday, so many years ago.
It still fits, and he smiles.
Henry is going on a date. 1/
The bow-tie seems a little much at first, but what the heck. He adjusts it carefully, the finishing touch.
“Looking good Hank.” He compliments himself, grinning.
The grin reminds him, almost forgot.
His teeth!
He puts in his dentures, and chuckles.
The doorbell rings. 2/
“Looking good Hank.” He compliments himself, grinning.
The grin reminds him, almost forgot.
His teeth!
He puts in his dentures, and chuckles.
The doorbell rings. 2/
For a moment he contemplates leaving behind his walker. But he’s already fallen twice recently.
“Don’t be a fool Henry.” He can hear Mary’s voice in his head, and see her gently disapproving smile.
He takes the walker, holding on to it carefully as he walks to the door. 3/
“Don’t be a fool Henry.” He can hear Mary’s voice in his head, and see her gently disapproving smile.
He takes the walker, holding on to it carefully as he walks to the door. 3/
Jim is waiting for him with the car.
The independent living facility arranges transport, if you plan ahead.
Henry has been planning this night for weeks. Alternately excited, and terrified.
“Looking good Hank! Dang!” Jim laughs as he helps Henry into the passenger seat. 4/
The independent living facility arranges transport, if you plan ahead.
Henry has been planning this night for weeks. Alternately excited, and terrified.
“Looking good Hank! Dang!” Jim laughs as he helps Henry into the passenger seat. 4/
“Hank, how long has it been since you’ve gone on a date?” Jim quirks a brow, glancing at his elderly passenger.
Henry doesn’t reply.
The truth is, even with the hearing aid, his left ear was always weaker than the right. Ever since the blast from the landmine, decades ago. 5/
Henry doesn’t reply.
The truth is, even with the hearing aid, his left ear was always weaker than the right. Ever since the blast from the landmine, decades ago. 5/
But it isn’t a question of whether or not he can hear Jim. Right now Henry’s mind is far away.
Stepping out of the house took an act of courage he hasn’t been able to summon for years.
He reminds himself why he’s doing this. Not for him.
For Mary.
He promised. 6/
Stepping out of the house took an act of courage he hasn’t been able to summon for years.
He reminds himself why he’s doing this. Not for him.
For Mary.
He promised. 6/
“Earth to Hank...” Jim laughs.
“Oh, hey Jim. Sorry. My hearing ain’t the best.”
“It’s okay Hank. Just remember to listen to the lady you’re meeting. Y’all are going to a fancy restaurant.”
“Oh, it’s just a diner. They got AARP.”
Jim smiles, “Fit for royalty, Hank.” 7/
“Oh, hey Jim. Sorry. My hearing ain’t the best.”
“It’s okay Hank. Just remember to listen to the lady you’re meeting. Y’all are going to a fancy restaurant.”
“Oh, it’s just a diner. They got AARP.”
Jim smiles, “Fit for royalty, Hank.” 7/
The car pulls up in front of the diner.
Henry looks up at the windows of the restaurant. He sees people seated at booths.
His eyesight isn’t what it once was.
He sees a woman sitting alone. Her silhouette instantly familiar.
His lips mouth a name wordlessly.
“Mary.” 8/
Henry looks up at the windows of the restaurant. He sees people seated at booths.
His eyesight isn’t what it once was.
He sees a woman sitting alone. Her silhouette instantly familiar.
His lips mouth a name wordlessly.
“Mary.” 8/
He enters the diner with his walker, grateful for the ramp they have (and most restaurants on the block unfortunately don’t).
Her face lights up as she sees him. She waves.
He smiles his trademark lopsided smile. The one Mary would always kiss on the corner.
Be brave. 9/
Her face lights up as she sees him. She waves.
He smiles his trademark lopsided smile. The one Mary would always kiss on the corner.
Be brave. 9/
He kisses her hand when she offers it, and she smiles warmly.
“Hello Henry, it’s so good to see you. I was worried.”
“Hi Dolores. I’m sorry, I’m late.”
He smiles, and doesn’t tell her about how he almost changed his mind.
Instead, he compliments her, “You look lovely!” 10/
“Hello Henry, it’s so good to see you. I was worried.”
“Hi Dolores. I’m sorry, I’m late.”
He smiles, and doesn’t tell her about how he almost changed his mind.
Instead, he compliments her, “You look lovely!” 10/
“Better late than never, and thank you! You’re such a gentleman!”
He breathes deep, then smiles, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Well, Dolores, thank goodness you don’t know me as well as I do.”
She laughs, and he laughs with her.
Inside him, a quiet storm is stilled. 11/
He breathes deep, then smiles, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Well, Dolores, thank goodness you don’t know me as well as I do.”
She laughs, and he laughs with her.
Inside him, a quiet storm is stilled. 11/
They talk easily, comfortably, into the night.
She orders the fish. He orders meatloaf.
She drinks lemonade. He drinks iced tea.
She finally asks him about Mary. He finally asks her about John.
It’s been ten years for him. Seven years for her.
They both fall silent. 12/
She orders the fish. He orders meatloaf.
She drinks lemonade. He drinks iced tea.
She finally asks him about Mary. He finally asks her about John.
It’s been ten years for him. Seven years for her.
They both fall silent. 12/
“Cancer’s a monster,” Henry finally breaks the silence.
“Yes, yes it is Henry. John died from it too.”
“Lung?”
“Pancreas.”
He nods. “That’s a bad one, I heard. I don’t know much doctorin’. I just know they told me Mary didn’t have much time. So I gotta say goodbye.” 13/
“Yes, yes it is Henry. John died from it too.”
“Lung?”
“Pancreas.”
He nods. “That’s a bad one, I heard. I don’t know much doctorin’. I just know they told me Mary didn’t have much time. So I gotta say goodbye.” 13/
Dolores nods slowly, understandingly. Her eyes are kind, looking steadily at the man sitting across from her through stray strands of long white hair.
His face has been wrinkled by a lifetime of laughter, and tears.
His back is bowed, but his spirit holds itself upright. 14/
His face has been wrinkled by a lifetime of laughter, and tears.
His back is bowed, but his spirit holds itself upright. 14/
Henry looks away from her as the memories wash over him, and the grief is suddenly just as raw as if the edges never blunted... only sharpened.
Tears fill his eyes, and he looks at the rest of the diner. Kids and their families. Bright futures.
Dolores takes his hand. 15/
Tears fill his eyes, and he looks at the rest of the diner. Kids and their families. Bright futures.
Dolores takes his hand. 15/
“It’s okay Henry. I’m not asking you to forget her. I’ll remember her with you. She must have been some kinda lady. Because you’re some kinda guy.”
She smiles, and Henry meets her gaze.
“Thank you.” He says simply, and holds her hand in his.
Be brave.
And move on. 16/
She smiles, and Henry meets her gaze.
“Thank you.” He says simply, and holds her hand in his.
Be brave.
And move on. 16/
Later that night Jim is driving him home.
“So how’d it go Henry? You sly devil, look at ya! I see that smile.”
Henry laughs. “Cut it out Jim. She’s a lady. She’s a real lady.”
Jim nods. “A real lady, huh?”
Henry smiles his lopsided smile, “I’m seeing her again.” 17/
“So how’d it go Henry? You sly devil, look at ya! I see that smile.”
Henry laughs. “Cut it out Jim. She’s a lady. She’s a real lady.”
Jim nods. “A real lady, huh?”
Henry smiles his lopsided smile, “I’m seeing her again.” 17/
The thing about reflections is no two people see exactly the same thing.
As Henry looks in the mirror before bed, he sees an old man in pajamas.
An old man with something to look forward to.
A photograph of Mary smiles up at him from the nightstand.
He smiles back.
Be brave.
As Henry looks in the mirror before bed, he sees an old man in pajamas.
An old man with something to look forward to.
A photograph of Mary smiles up at him from the nightstand.
He smiles back.
Be brave.
