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Don had always been a big fish in a small pond. As a respected and experienced builder,
Don employed most of the men in the community, holding many contracts
for town, school, and church boards.
His now-grown children had attended school in
the town. Don and Lena went to the local Methodist church, and Don was active
city council meetings. Life was good.
His wife Lena experienced an inexplicable fall during the church bazaar,
dropping a plate full of cupcakes. The
local GP, Dr. Bill Nelson, referred her to the University Hospital, where Lena
and Don learned she had Stage 4 brain cancer.
Ultimately,
Don and Lena moved to be close to the Cancer Treatment Center in
Arizona.
From the back yard of their new home, Don stared across
the desert at the glorious sunset. The land line connecting him to his life now lay in a hospital bed,
hooked up to monitors. Oh, Lena…. He sighed
and returned to his empty house.
My
brother Robert lived in our small town and life changed for all when he was
diagnosed with brain cancer. That feeling
of emptiness comes through in this short story.
I really don't know who supplied this week's words and they are excellent! Starting this month, Elephant's Child will providing words until the beginning of November when Delores at Under the Porch Light will take over. Phew, I hope I have that right!