Short stories: Making choices

by Donald Hancock

Three Wishes
Roger was very delicate in his interpretation of Melissa's condition. She was, indeed, pregnant. But in the 1950's one was not free to use the word “pregnant” in polite society. So, as he wrote in his column of the young actress' condition, it was hard for him to deal with it delicately. She was “sans marriage license” and even “sans father of the child”.

Roger had known “Mil”, as he called her, since kindergarten. Their parents had all belonged to the same clubs and often got together for cribbage. Now Melissa was calling Roger at his desk at the newspaper office. “I am devastated, Roger, that you would mention my condition. You know most assuredly that I was a victim of that 'friend of yours' !” She used the last phrase with as much sarcasm in her voice as she could muster.

“I know, Mil, and I know that Monroe can be very persuasive when he puts his mind to it. But he really is a good guy. Whether you can bring yourself to believe it or not, he really loves you. I even think he intends to 'pop the question' when he gets back from his assignment in India.”

“Oh, I do hope you are right, Roger!”

Roger changed the direction of the conversation just slightly by asking, “Does he know about the baby yet, Mil?”

“Oh, I rather suspect so,” she said, again sarcastically. “I am sure he read it in your article, Roger. The London Times does reach New Delhi, you know!  I am kidding you, Rog. We have talked about it several times by post and telephone. He is fully aware that he is the father. He also knows that he is the only one that I have been intimate with.”

“Well, Mil, please let me know how your parents react to what I said. After all, everyone in Theater knows that you are pregnant, so I, as a critic, had to make some comment. I think I was kind!”

“You were very discrete, Roger, and I do thank you for that. I will let you know how my parents respond. So far they have said nothing about the article.”

Two days later Roger was happily surprised when Monroe Culbertson burst into his office with a shout and a grin. “Roger, old boy, I am still alive!”

“Monroe, you made it! I was just talking with Mil...” Roger's voice trailed off as he became embarrassed over the awkwardness of the situation.

“How is she taking it, Roger. I mean really? She tells me that 'she does not hate me', Roger, but I don't want her to marry me unless she loves me. I will support her and my baby for the rest of my life and just stay out of the picture, if that is what she wants. And I do not want to hurt her acting career any more than I have already done.”

“Does she know that you are back?”

“No, Rog, I didn't know if it was safe to show my face. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if her father has an elephant gun loaded for when I show up.”

“Well, why don't we put it to a test, Monroe, if you are game. Come back at 6:00 this afternoon, on the dot. I will make up some pretense to have Mil here too and we will just see how it plays when she sees you. How about it?”

“If you think it will help I will be here! Thanks, Roger old boy!”

Roger called Melissa and asked if she could come by his office to help him sort through some of her old publicity photos that he had found and that somewhere between 5:30 and 5:45 would be good for him. She agreed to come. At 5:45 Melissa knocked on Roger's office door and he jumped up and seated her next to his desk. After a few pleasantries, Roger said, “Mil, I have a confession to make. This isn't about photos at all. It is about you and Monroe. I have a very important question to ask you on Monroe's behalf. Monroe loves you so much that he is willing to support you and your baby indefinitely and anonymously if that is what you want.”

“If he loves me so much why would he want to do that? Why wouldn't he want to marry me?”

“Mil, he loves you too much to let you marry him without love. His own parents did that and he knows how dismal that existence can be. That is why he is willing to have you go on with your career and he remain in the background with no strings attached.”

“But I do love him, Roger. I love him more than my career. There is nothing I want more than to be Mrs. Monroe Culbertson!”

“Then this is what I would like to do, Mil. What I have not told you is that Monroe has just got back in town today. He has been to see me and will be back momentarily. I want you to step into this storage room and be quiet for a few minutes while I talk with him. You can listen to what he says. If what he says sounds good to you just come on out. But if you don't like what he says or you just don't really believe him, just stay in there and I will say I guess you decided not to come. How about that?”

“OK, Roger. That sounds good to me.”

In a few minutes, Monroe knocked on the door and came on in. Roger got up, shook his hand, and said, “Hi, Monroe. Have a seat”. Roger sat and paused for a moment and then said, thoughtfully, “While we wait on Mil I have a question for you. I know you are willing to stay in the background and just give financial support with no strings attached. That would allow you to fulfill your moral responsibility while having a life of your own. Is that what you prefer or would you want something else if you could have anything you wanted?”

“You mean if I could have everything just as I wanted it?”

“Yes, Monroe, what would you choose if you found the genie in the magic lantern?”

“Oh, there is no question what wish I would make, Rog. It would be the same thing that I have wished for every day since the day I first met Mil. It is what I have dreamed of every night. If I had a genie come out of a magic lamp and give me three wishes right now, Roger, it would be to be with Melissa for the rest of my life, to be her husband, and to be the father of our children!”

Roger smiled but said nothing. The door of the storage room squeaked open slowly and from the room came these words, “Your wish is my command, Master!”

Copyright © 2002-2011 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.

Short stories: Music

by Donald Hancock

My Night At The Opera
One of the main reasons that I went to the opera that night was to see the person playing Pagliaccio. He had been a real clown before he studied voice and became an opera star. It was his mother that had encouraged him from an early age to make singing a career. She had heard him singing in the children's choir at church and realized that his voice showed signs of being gifted. But Charles Muntz wanted to be a clown in the circus.

From the first time his folks had taken Charles to the circus he had been fascinated by the movements, situations, and the clothes and make-up of these characters. And so, as soon as he graduated from high school he asked for permission to apply to the Circus School in Sarasota, florida.

His parents were reluctant but finally set him free to go with their blessing and with the financial support that they were able to get together from savings. He was there long enough to learn the essentials and those responsible for the clown acts saw talent in the young man. They took him on tour and he learned quickly. He became very popular with children and parents alike.

But one night he went to bed in a very thoughtful mood. He remembered his mother's early expressions of joy when he sang. He thought how much she had loved opera and how much she knew about the singers over the years. it dawned on him that if she really thought he had potential then she probably was not basing that opinion merely on her pride in him as her own child. She really knew talent when she heard it.

And so Charles decided to test the possibilities. He went to a music store, bought sheet music for a semi classical operetta solo and went to his apartment to begin his experiment.He had chosen the Nelson Eddy favorite "Sweet Heart". He sang it every chance he got by himself and for anyone who would listen. He even worked it into his clown act and the people loved it.

When he felt that he had perfected his presentation he sought out the best voice teacher he could find and asked for an audition. He sang his best for the teacher and the teacher was absolutely ecstatic over his prospects and very eagerly took Charles as a student. After teaching his student all that he felt he needed in order to enter the world of opera, he arranged for an audition at a large opera road company in New York.
As you might suspect, Charles won the audition easily and became a member of the traveling troupe. He had already perfected several opera roles with his teacher and began working immediately on the repertoire that he did not already know.

Of course Charles' mother was beside herself with sheer joy that he had finally taken her direction seriously. She could hardly wait for his first appearance and she and his father flew to Milwaukie to see him in "Tosca". His part was not the starring role but he actually received a more enthusiastic reaction from the audience than did the gentleman singing the more important role.

And this was not a 'fluke' for every audience seemed to take to Charles immediately. There was something from his experience as a clown that seemed to allow him to project humor, humility, joy, and pathos through his voice, facial expression, gestures, and physical posture. Even his timing was enhanced.

On the night that I saw him, as Pagliaccio, it all came out as never before. When he did the really sad song he was so convincing that there was not a dry eye in the house. And when he finished, the whole audience arose as one body and the whole cast abandoned their stage identity for a few moments and turned toward him in applause.

I had dated Charles Muntz several times, beginning as a blind date. I enjoyed his company and was very interested in seeing him again but did not know that he could sing. In fact I had no idea what he did for a living. After several dates he asked me if I would go to the opera with him on the next Saturday evening. I had never been asked to go to the opera on a date before but reluctantly said, "yes". I assumed that he would be with me in the audience since I had no idea that he sang professionally.

He arranged for a mutual friend to pick me up and meet him in a small room back stage. It turned out to be a room with a star on the door and he opened the door dressed in costume. I was confused and impressed at one and the same time. He had a security officer escort me and the friend to what must have been the best seats in the house.

I sat with my mouth open the whole evening. I was so very proud of Charles and so very glad to know that we had a relationship. If I was not in love with him before, I certainly fell in love with him that night at the opera. It wasn't just his celebrity. It was the character that radiated so obviously from every word, gesture, and nuance that came from this gentle clown during that performance.

He asked me that night after the show if I would be his bride. I could hardly get the word "yes" out of my mouth quickly enough. His reaction was a combination of clown expressions that spoke surprise, humility, gratitude, and joy. I could not help myself. I cried and clapped just as I had just a few minutes before as the curtain came down at my first night at the opera. Now I have been his biggest fan for 42 years.

Copyright © 2002-2011 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.

Short stories: Love at first sight

by Donald Hancock

Matchmakers
Her name was Lola. She was one of those girls who tried too hard to look good - too much make up, skirts too short, dresses too tight. In high school, she just did make it through graduation, but she was a natural when she got to secretarial school. She aced every subject.
Lola had a good job and was well thought of by the doctors for whom she worked. They would often jokingly say, "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets!" But she did make a few waves along the way, to the dismay of her bosses. An example of this was the time she ordered the Chairman of the Board of one of the local hospitals out of her office because he had shown disrespect to their janitor. She was right, of course, and was fully supported by the doctors. But there was a lot of pressure placed on the doctors to fire Lola. It was to their credit that they stood by her.
Well, I spoke of that instance to explain why the janitors in the building - six in all - got together to take Lola out to dinner at the swankiest restaurant in town. They also took it upon themselves to provide Lola with an escort for the evening. Each of the men, all of whom happened to be Hispanic, were bringing their wives or girl friends. But they had chosen a very, very handsome young man to be with their "adopted daughter". His name was Julio, and he was every bit as good looking as Ricky Martin. Julio was, like Ricky, from Puerto Rico.

Lola was not at all sure that she liked the idea of a blind date. But she would never do anything that might hurt the feelings of "the boys", as she called them.
She had to work until 6:00 that night and she had to meet the "boys" at the restaurant at 7:00. So she took a change of clothes to work with her.

When she got to the restaurant she really looked good. She had turned lots of heads as she walked down the street.
When she entered the restaurant she saw that the boys had already pulled tables together and were sitting there with their wives. When they saw Lola they all jumped up and showed her to her seat. Julio was holding her chair for her. Before she sat down her eyes met those of Julio. She was not aware of anything else for the next several minutes, nor was Julio. They were both absolutely in a world of their own.

That night was the beginning of Lola's first and only real love. It was the same for Julio. She had been married to her work and Julio had not had time for anything but his job. He was an apprentice plumber and worked very hard at it. He was also a nephew of one of the janitors.
But Lola and Julio both made time for each other after that night, and, after a year of courtship, they had a wonderful wedding. Julio's family came from Puerto Rico. His brother was their best man, but the ushers and groomsmen were the "boys"! Lola's sister was her Maid of Honor but the janitors' wives and girl friends were given places of honor either as attendants or cake servers, etc.

The doctors in the office gave Lola and Julio the Honeymoon of a life time in - Puerto Rico! Julio was given a choice of location and he chose the most beautiful beach in Puerto Rico.
Lola retired very soon to raise a family of three girls and two boys. Julio became a Master Plumber.

The janitors all told their children and grand children the story about the night they worked a miracle of love. One of the "boys", Jose, claimed that he was the main one because he chose the restaurant. Of course, Manuel claimed the prize because he had thought of bringing his nephew, Julio, into the picture. But we know that, in truth, all of the "boys" acted as very special matchmakers on that very magical night at the restaurant.

Copyright © 2002-2011 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.

LOVE LIFE WITH PASSION

by Donald Hancock

"Maw, He's making me mad, Maw. I don't care if he is my cousin, I am absolutely gonna clobber him good if he don't quit right now!"

Sis was always that way with Caleb. He pestered her and she always yelled at him a lot and then tattled to our mother. But down deep I believe she sometimes loved Caleb more than her own brothers.

And when he went to fight the Yankees when he was sixteen, I thought Sis would die a thousand deaths. He
only lived a year into the war and he died an awful death they say - hit by a cannon shot that tore through his arm and shoulder. He bled to death in awful pain.

But during the last month before he was shot, he wrote a letter to my sister that showed how very much he had matured during that year of seeing men on both sides face their Maker. I would like to share that letter with you now. May it bless you as it blessed her.

"My Dear Martha, I sit here tonight and write what my heart is saying as l wait to go on patrol. I find myself amazed at the love I feel for you, my Dear Cousin. You are somehow more than even a sister could be. How we pestered each other as we grew up together.

But it was probably just our way of keeping a little distance lest we be too close for our own welfare. I
could always talk to you when I could not talk to any other. And it is in that vein that I would speak tonight. I feel a deep ache in my heart as though I will shortly be a source of sadness for my dear mother and the others and l know, for you. I do not honestly think that l will live to plant corn and marry and raise kids. It is in my bones that l will die in this agony called war.

But it is not about dying that I would share my deepest thoughts with you, but about living. It is with the utmost gratitude that I thank our God tonight for letting me walk this trail in the last months. For the things I have seen and heard and touched and even smelled have made me love life so very much more.

Seeing the agony of pain has given me such appreciation just for breath and for being able to walk and
talk and even put this pen to paper - such things as I have always taken so much for granted before.

Oh, Dear Martha, just holding a picture before a dying son so that he could say just one last word of love to his mother has made me love you all so much more dearly than I ever thought possible when l was there with you in my care-free days.

In short My Dear Cousin, I would say to all of you and to any one whose eyes might see these lines on some future day: 'Love life with passion. Love your family as a precious gift from Heaven.

See every day as a sparkling jewel and count every man, woman, and child that you are privileged to
know, even for a moment, as a dear and priceless brother and sister and mother and father and wife and child. For, I believe more and more, that somewhere down deep we are really such to each other.

And with that said, My very Dear Martha, I would not have you think for one moment that I fear the end or even that l feel cheated for not being allowed to return to you all - if that, indeed, be the case. Instead, I feel of all men very exceptionally blessed.

For I feel that somehow God has let me see more clearly than I ever thought possible just how wonderful the gift of life truly is, even if it does not see seventeen years. I am as prepared for the life that I will walk beyond the hour of my death as l would have been if l had lived to be seventy.

I thank God. I thank my dear parents. And I thank you. All of you lovingly brought me through my years of becoming. And lastly, I thank the men who have marched with me and have lived and died before me for bringing me to my maturity.

With All My Love I will always be your devoted cousin,
Caleb Prosper III.

And, Dear reader, you are one of those to whom Caleb spoke. You are one "whose eyes might see these lines on some future day." And his word to you, as to Martha, is "Love life with passion and count every man, woman, and child. .as a dear and priceless brother and sister and mother and father and wife and child. .for somewhere down deep we are really such to each other.

Copyright © 2002-2011 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.

First Things First

Short stories: Babies

by Donald Hancock

First things first
It was not the most beautiful house on the block. Nor was the block the most fabulous section of the small town of Hanson, Iowa. But the little house was theirs and it had the little white picket fence that she had always dreamed of.
Mark had come home from Iraq and was now reduced to reserve status. They could finally live the sort of normal life that they had both talked about when they were dating in college.
He had gone into the Military partly because of his patriotism and partly because he had been an officer in R.O.T.C. in college and the offer of an officer's commission and the chance for graduate school later on seemed too good to turn down. So, he and "Sugar", as he called his wife, Marty, decided to get married on the same day that they graduated from college. They had just one month to be together before he had to report for duty.
When Mark returned, he decided against graduate school. He had already lived too many days away from his Sugar - too many days in temporary circumstances. He was ready to truly settle down and live life like normal people do.
He got a job with his uncle at a little automobile repair shop. He had always been good with his hands and had always worked on cars. The job came easy to him.
So, Mark and Marty were living in their little house with a picket fence. Nothing could be finer than this. Then it happened. One day Mark was in the gas station. He saw a bunch of lottery tickets and he remembered the guys in Iraq who used to talk about winning the lottery - $100, $500, $1000. He jokingly said to the cashier lady, "How does this work?"
She said, "You're kidding, right?"
"No," said Mark, "I don't have a clue." She showed him how the different tickets worked. Some you might be an instant winner when you scratched the back and some you had to wait for numbers to be announced later.
Mark thought to himself, "I don't guess $2 is going to break me," so he took a scratch ticket. To his surprise he won $10,000. He was beside himself. He rushed home and decided to have a little fun with Sugar. When she came up to hug him he said, "Sugar, I've got a question for you! What would you want to get if you had a whole $10,000 in your hand right now?"
"Oh, you Old Silly! We won't have any money like that for a long time, if ever!"
"Well, just play with me, Babe. What would you buy if you did have $10,000 in your hand this very minute. He figured she would say get a newer car or go back to school so she could get a better job.
Marty thought for only ten seconds and said, "I got it!"
"What is it Sugar? That red Ford convertible like Jamie's?"
"No."
"Move to a better house?"
"No."
"Get certified to be a C.P.A.?" Now he was joking.
""No! No! No!"
"What then?"
"I would want our baby."
Mark and Marty had always wanted to have at least three kids but had agreed that they would have to wait until they had saved up some money so that their children would not have to see the kind of hard times that they had experienced when their parents had started out with very little.
Mark felt like kicking himself. Her answer shamed him. How could he have thought of a car or anything like that? The money had just made him sort of temporarily crazy, he figured. "Wow, Sugar, you sure got that right! You gave exactly the right answer! So, Mrs. Mark Albright, tonight you are the winner of our $10,000 jackpot prize on the 'Make Your Wish Program!' " With that he presented Marty with the certificate that guaranteed their winnings.
Marty began to cry. "Is this for real, Honey? You're not joking me?"
"I'm not just joking you, Babe, No. I'm not. It's real!"
"So, we really can have our baby right away?"
"Right away? Well, we'll have to wait about nine months if we put in our order right away!"
"Oh. You mess! You know what I mean." With tears in her eyes she said, "But, right away we can start to fix up the extra room and start looking for a baby bed, and..."
Mark hugged Marty and kissed her wet cheek. "Yes, Sugar, we can start looking for those things tomorrow morning. But first, we've got to put in our order!"
 "Yes!" beamed Marty.

Copyright © 2002-2011 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.

Short stories: The ring

by Donald Hancock

THE "CIGAR WRAPPER"
"I can not believe that you did this, Darling!" said Michelle. She was enveloped in a fur that had to have cost at least $5000.

Rob was duly humble. "It was nothing compared to how important you are to me, Michelle. I have waited all my life for the girl of my dreams to come along. You are exactly that - the girl I have always wanted!"

Michelle knew that he was not just saying that to impress her. When they first met, she had asked some mutual friends about him and they said that, even though he was very handsome and popular, he seldom dated the same girl more than once.

Now, after knowing Michelle only three months, he had given her a beautiful engagement ring and had hidden it in the pocket of this fabulous coat. But she did not know that it was there...yet.

"But we have only known each other three months. Are you sure you want to give a present like this? I am not sure that it is even proper for me to accept such an expensive gift!"

"You are probably right, Dear," responded Rob in a very serious and thoughtful voice. "Perhaps we should consider your concern at this point."

Michelle bit her tongue. Perhaps she had said too much. This was the kind of coat that every girl dreams of. She waited as Rob continued.

"After all, we have only known each other for three months, as you said. However, if we were an old married couple, I suppose it would be quite proper for sure."

"Yes, of course," injected Michelle.."but..."

"Also, even if it were a present for our first anniversary?"

"Yes," relented Michelle, "I'll give you that also." She began to smile at his thorough logic, and her mind raced ahead, trying to guess where that logic was headed.

"Now, given the first two examples of the propriety of gifts, try this for size. Suppose we were not married but were already engaged. Would the sable coat be acceptable as a gift from the engagee to the engaged?" Michelle could tell, now, that he was just being playful.

"Well, it might be pushing things a bit, but I think I would have to say that such a situation sounds proper to me." She was engaging in the play now.

For the first time it dawned on Michelle that this whole gift business might actually be more than it appeared to be at first glance.

As she tried to clear her head, Rob came closer and quietly said, "Close your eyes." She complied. "Now, reach your hand into the right coat pocket."

Michelle did so and felt a small, square box. She knew immediately what it was. As she pulled the box from her pocket, she found herself slipping into the spirit of the perfect joke that Rob had just played on her. "Oh Rob! If this is what I think it is, I am not going to be required to give the coat back after all! We did agree that it would be quite proper for me to accept a fine coat if were already engaged. So, since engagement is sealed with having an engagement ring, unless what I have in this box is a set of earrings, I have been technically engaged for at least the last ten minutes. Therefore, you big teddy bear, I accept the coat, I accept the ring - even if it is just the ring off of a cigar, I accept you, I accept living the rest of my life as Mrs. Rob Cochran! That IS what you had in mind, I hope!"

"You read my mind perfectly, My Dear! Now let's take a look at this 'cigar wrapper'!"

Copyright © 2002-2011 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.