Edward Krause had lived over on Milroy Avenue for the past fifty-two years. It was a small house, he and Millie, his wife of fifty-eight years, built in the mid 1890’s. Edward was born in Germany and immigrated with his family to the United States, finally settling in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The couple spoke broken English; pieces of German would often sneak into their conversations. Edward worked as an accountant for the Stanly Saw Mill most of his life. He finally retired ten years ago. There was the traditional going away party; the nice cake, with “Happy Retirement” written across the top with a thick tasteless icing. The Company presented him with the traditional blue tweed jacket with Stanly Saw Mill embroidered above the pocket. The gold watch they gave him stopped ticking a year later.
Millie never worked outside the home. Never having any children of their own, Millie often baby-sat for neighborhood children. As a baby, Annie Colton became Millie’s favorite. Brought to the house every morning, the single mother would leave her until returning from work later in the day. Annie often came to the house and helped with baking cookies
“Where did you put the spoons,” Annie would ask. Her floured covered face would dig through the cupboard drawers. Edward often chuckled. The little girl reminded him of his wife.
Millie would often sit in the living room, brushing the long blonde hair and replacing the tattered bow with a fresh piece of red ribbon. She would take Annie everywhere she went including the Saturday morning shopping. Annie had no grandparents and grew found of Edward and Millie. After Millie became ill, Annie would often come to read a story as Millie lay in bed. Diphtheria had passed through the small village nearly two years ago, taking Millie with it. It left nothing for Edward except the love and memories in a little girl.
At 83, Edwards’s health was beginning to fail. The death of his wife did not change his routine. He continued rising from bed at 6:30 every morning; filling the kettle and putting in on the stove. He needed the hot water to make his morning tea. Then he had to retrieve the morning paper out in the yard. It was the same story nearly every morning. Billy Otter would never throw the rubber band covered paper hard enough. It would land everywhere but on the front porch where it was suppose to be placed.
“Dat damn boy,” he would mumble to himself.
Today the paper was a bit closer. Normally buried somewhere in the rose bushes that lined his sidewalk, but today, it was in the grass next to the porch.
“At least he is getting closer,” he said while bending over to pick up the news. He would take the bundle and slap it against his leg, attempting to shake loose the grass clippings and any early morning dew.
By the time he got back inside, the teakettle was whistling, announcing that it was ready for Edwards fresh brew. He would butter a single piece of toast; the memory of Millie prevented him from putting too much of the desired smudge of strawberry preserves on it. He would get a glass of water and quickly take his morning pills. His ritual would bring him to the living room where his easy chair awaits him. Edwards chair sat next to a large bay window. This window gave him the vantage point of seeing anyone who would travel the sidewalk. With his breakfast and tea sitting neatly on the table, he would sit down and begin reading. Other than an occasional glance out the window, checking on the passer bys, the next half hour was consumed in reading his paper.
“Dem Damn Republicans.”
The headlines read, “Eisenhower defeats Stevenson.” The Republican Party always triggered sharp criticism from Edward. His German patriotism would show through whenever there was the mention of the Republicans, especially Eisenhower. He had been pulling for Adlai Stevenson to take the presidency away from “Old Ike”, as he often referred to him. The comics became his finishing dessert; Beetle Bailey furnished the laughs.
Other than the morning paper, the only other pleasure, for Edward, was his daily walk to Grand View the largest park in the City. It lay in the heart of the community and covered an entire city block. Lilac bushes lined the entire park. The first few weeks of spring, the bushes would fill the air with the sweet aroma of its flowers. Thirty-five large Maple trees lined the paths throughout the park. The huge Maples gave the, well cared for, flowerbeds the needed shade from the summers heat. The grass, cut weekly, creating the perfect playground for the local children. Four water fountains were place next to small rest areas, throughout the park.
Edward would neatly adjust his tie and part the thin silver hair down the middle, as he had done some many times during his life. He would take the old thin coat from the closet and carefully slide his arms into the sleeve. The years had taken its toll on the tweed jacket. The embroidery had fallen off and the patch on the right elbow had become loose. He would fill the inside pocket with Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit. The side pocket he would story an old folded handkerchief. Before leaving on his walk, he would make sure the curtains were drawn, keeping the coolness in the house during his afternoon stroll. Heading out the front door, he would turn and give a gentle pull on the door, making sure he had closed it all the way.
Reaching the front gate, Annie Colton joined Edward. She walked over to join Edward on his daily outing. She never missed the opportunity to go to the park and play with her friend
The short thin framed body, slightly bowed from age, began the walk down the sidewalk. Milroy Avenue was one of the busier streets in town; much care was to be taken in crossing the intersections. Holding Annie’s hand, Edwards each step carefully calculated, as not to step on any protruding crack. He had fallen last winter, which left a few aches and pains. His cane offered most of the support he needed as he made his journey.
“Are you doing ok?” Annie would ask.
“Hmmmm, I am not sure I would want to race you today.” He chuckled
Each lawn along the way, lined the excursion with some type of flower or bush and a new scent. Mrs. Begley had petunias planted alone the outer edge of her sidewalk. The fragrance became stronger during late summer. Mrs. Martins maintained a group of rose bushes that surrounded the two elm trees that sat in her front yard. Mr. Jensen’s sidewalk, lined with trellises covered with tall vines of Sweet Peas. During the mid summer walk the flowers were in full bloom, adding to the portrait of aromas that painted the summer air.
Our walk continued, only to stop to pick up an occasional candy wrapper that someone at thrown to one side. Edward placed the unsightly trash in the pocket of the tweed jacket, they would then be on their way again. Voices of children could be heard a block away. Annie and Edward made their entrance into the park at the same place every day. They created a well-worn path between two large Lilac bushes. Edward headed directly to the trashcan that sat next to his park bench and emptied his pockets. The many trips to the local park merited ownership to this particular bench that sat next to one of the water fountains. He maintained his area with great care and pride, not allowing anyone to put trash anywhere, other than the trash can.
Annie would join her friends for an after noon of fun. Edward would sit on his bench and greet everyone who would stop to catch their breath or refreshed themselves with a drink of the ice cold water the fountain had to offer. There was a stranger than make his way over to the bench. The man was tall, well dressed; he carried a trench coat under his arms. He quietly sat down next to Edward, not saying a word. His eyes scanned the playground, appearing to search for someone.
“Do you come here often?” Edward asked
The stranger remained silent. He crossed his legs, carefully laying his coat over his lap. The stranger’s attention remained focused on the children in the playground.
“Hello Mr. Krause,” a voice yelled out as three small children made their way to get a drink of water. The stranger’s eyes followed the children to the fountain. He was paying special attention to Annie.
“Did you come to watch up play?” one of the voices asked.
“Of course I did,” Edward said as he carefully hung his cane on the back of the bench.
There was no movement from the strangers as the children congregated around Edward. The stranger’s attention continued to focus on Annie. Where Annie would move, so would the eyes of the stranger.
“Do you bring the gum with you today Mr. Krause?” Annie asked
“I sure did,” Edward responded, reaching into the breast pocket of the jacket to retrieve the Juicy Fruit he placed there earlier.
“How bout you….Wanna stick?” Edward said, reaching out to offer the stranger a piece of gum.
With no response from the stranger, Edward began observing the activities on the playground. In an open area at the far end of the park, some of older kids had a game of touch football going on. The older kids were good about keeping the rough games to the far end of the park. Experiences often yielded one of the younger kids getting hurt if the games became too close.
The game of Hide and Go Seek, with ten of the local children, had the stranger’s full attention. Annie Colton was a part of the game. She was wearing her pink dress today. I notice that, her long blonde hair, drawn back into two ponytails. Today her mother used yellow ribbons.
The children had all congregated at the large maple tree at the center of the park. Billy Otter put his head against his arm on the large trees.
“One, two, three, four….…,” he counted loudly.
Bodies scattered in every direction, searching for their favorite place to hide. He paused for awhile and announced,
“Here I come ready or not.”
Billy would slowly move away from the tree, not to move too far. Allowing someone to sneak back to the home base and become free would be a mark against him. The activity went on for nearly an hour. Everyone got their turn to count and search for all the others that were in hiding. The small group finally took a break, heading for a drink of ice-cold water the fountain offered. After getting her drink, Annie had come to sit on the bench between the stranger and Edward.
“How are you feeling today?” she said looking at Edward.
“I am just fine.”
The stranger placed his arm on the back of the park bench, just behind Annie. He listened attentively to the conversation. His face carried no expression. As protective as Edward had become for Annie over the years, the stranger did not create the expected concern.
“Do you want to play with us Edward?” she asked.
“Oh my, I am too old for such fun! You go ahead and enjoy yourself.”
The stranger stood up, walked to the fountain, took a small sip of water, turned and stood in one place. He again focused his attention to the game as they once again began playing.
“It’s your turn,” Billy announced, pointing at Annie.
“No it’s not, it’s your turn and I get to hide.” Annie retorted.
Billy conceded and began his counting once again. “One, two, three, four…....” Bodies once again scrambled in every direction of the park. The stranger watched carefully as Annie made her way across the playground. She was heading for a new hiding place across the street from the park. She cut through the flowerbeds that lie next to the busy street. She ran between two-parked cars, in her attempt to get to the other side.
The sound of squealing tires filled the air as panic overtook the park. Everyone ran to the flowerbed next to the street. Edward sat on the park bench for a second. He reached for his cane from the back of the bench. Rushing to see what had happened, holding his chest, his walk became fragile. Making his way through the crowd, he could see Annie’s lifeless body lying in the flowerbed. In her hast to get to the other side, she had not looked for on coming traffic. A passing motorist, speeding through the area caught Annie’s small body and threw it to one side. There were cries of terror from the crowd.
The stranger had slowly gotten up from the bench; placed his coat over his shoulders, and made his way to where the young Annie lay. Her body in her pink blood stained dress, just lay there. Edward made his way into the flowerbed, removing his jacket; he placed it over the lifeless body. The stranger knelt down beside Annie, took her hand into his. Looking up at Edward, he offered his hand. Edward gently laid his cane where the little girl laid, and took the strangers hand. Slowly rising from their knee the three walked away.
The End