We're All Mortals Here

Jeremiah Ford was dressed in his Sunday best for the first time in what must have been years. The button on his trousers threatened to burst at any moment, his shoes were a half size too small, and it took him all of thirty minutes to remember how tie a necktie. Just as he was about to make for the door lightening struck somewhere outside, startling the button right off his slacks and down the hall. He swore as he chased it down and tried to sew it back on. His shaking right hand denied him the repair so he finally found a safety pin and hoped for the lined with pictures of ‘The Immortal Ford Brothers’, stopping briefly to take down the photo of their last venture, taken as they ascended Mt. Everest for the second time, then headed out the door and across town to St. Mary’s beneath a pelting blanket of sadness, thunder, and lightening.

            “Today we remember Isaac Ford; Beloved father, husband, and the younger half of the legendary Ford brothers. I’ve known Isaac and Jeremiah since their youth; watched and prayed over the two as they conquered fear and any challenges the world could offer time after time….,” Began the preacher, just barely audible over the storm outside. Jeremiah was sitting between his two nephews and their families, trying with all the will he could muster to focus on the rows of pictures surrounding his brother’s black and silver casket. Nearly each one of them held a memory of greatness, capturing either Isaac or the two of them in one triumphic moment after another. There was one from their safari back in ’72, where Isaac claimed first blood and bagged a lion. Jeremiah smiled, remembering that he had killed a bigger one the next morning. Beside the Everest picture was one of the two of them sky boarding, over, then onto and down the Alps. They had had so much fun that time that they had sworn to do it again for years. Beside that one, there was one that Jeremiah had taken of his brother during the running of the bulls in Spain. The look on Isaac’s face was truly priceless. It had been the only time he had ever seen his little brother scared. He might have been being sarcastic though. Sarcasm had been Isaac’s way.

            It had been that same year, some thirty years ago that they began to earn worldwide fame as the ‘Immortal Ford Brothers; Adventure Extraordinaires.’ In their third feature in the magazine, the National Geographic had boasted that Hemingway’s ghost lived on in the two and that they were invincible. Indeed they were of Hemingway stock; Burly, manly men, always seeking something to pit themselves against. Isaac had taken the compliment to heart and tried his hand at writing for awhile, but couldn’t sit (or stand) still long enough to finish anything. He gave that up soon enough and instead, talked Jeremiah into attempting the adventures that lined Hemingway’s stories and life. Jeremiah nearly chuckled again when he remembered his response. “O.K. little brother, that’s fine, as long as we leave the bear out of it.”

            A few broken bones and concussions, as well as a few thousand stitches and dirty britches aside, they had chalked up more than 50 adventures in, above, beneath, through, and over the world spotlight, cheating death constantly, even in their fifties. They had always gone together, neither one of them ever missing an chance to play roulette with death, until two weeks ago, when Jeremiah decided to sit out the fifth trip to Africa, because he thought he was coming down with something. Four days after Isaac left, Jeremiah received a phone call saying his brother had been snakebit, and had died before he could reach a hospital for help.

            The immortal duo had been destroyed with a snakebite. Jeremiah blamed himself, as did everyone else. His oldest nephew and laura, Isaac’s wife, had barely said a word to him except to work out the details of the funeral and cremation. When Jeremiah returned from Africa with his brothers body, Laura had simply slapped him. Jeremiah looked down at the sweat stained piece of paper in his coat pocket. On it, where Isaac’s last words. “Couldn’t find that bear, but I found a snake. Love Isaac.” Smartass, thought Jeremiah as he wept. Indeed Isaac had killed the snake, a ten foot Black Mamba, but all too late. Jeremiah had the snake brought back too, so that even in death, his brother would not be denied his trophy.

                There was a crash of lightening and a boom.

 “…Ladies and gentlemen let us not think of mortality and immortality, because in truth, that is something no one on this earth can explain or comprehend.. We can only remember, and rejoice in the legacy Isaac has left behind. Now he is carving a new trail in the heavens, because he had already left his mark across this world.….”

                Jeremiah had no use for the preachers words today. The storm outside echoed his pain. He was saturated with hatred and guilt. He should have been there. If he had just gone, just went without even a second thought, his brother would be alive, and they would have returned home victorious yet again, soaked in glory and pride. After the funeral , He watched hundreds of people pass by his brothers casket and pay their respects. Friends, family, and complete strangers had come to mourn with the Ford’s. He sat in his chair and blankly shook each hand that came by, not even bothering to look into their eyes. When nearly everyone had gone, he stood beside Isaacs casket for hours, just staring. He does look good. Strong and handsome. Goodbye little brother, He thought.

                Thirteen days later, Jeremiah stood in the open doorway of a plane flying somewhere above the Alps. Strapped to his chest were half of his brother’s ashes, strapped to his feet was his Isaac’s prize board. This is for you, what we always wanted to do again brother.  He lept, soaring for what seemed like an eternity over the beautiful white mountains.  He looked to his left and right from time to time, half expecting to see Isaac in that ridiculous red jumpsuit and yellow goggles, but it was only him. He checked his altitude. Just a little more time. He thought back to the last time they had hit this mountain, and of all the other great adventures, and closed his eyes. He felt untouchable once again. Smiling, he pulled the cord to his parachute; but it was tangled and would not release. He closed his eyes and grasped the ashes with a sense of peace. The brothers fell gracefully to the earth together. 

Reviews

[Riding the Rainbow]

How can I say? Yeah, I can say this. YOU WROTE AN AMAZING PIECE. It touched my heart and I can relate to Jeremiah's pain to lose someone so close to your heart. You really described the storm inside his heart so thank you for writing it on paper.

[A.J.]

thank u very much for reading! :)

[Riding the Rainbow]

You're welcome;)

[Catlen]

What am I going to do with you, A.J? I was in such a gleeful mood today and here you go again making me all sad! ;) I loved it! Can I make a few suggestions? Can you change the font from the beginning till denied his trophy? It's too compact and a bit tiring to the eye. Or leave a few spaces between the paragraphs. I noted down a few mistakes for you.

how tie a necktie --> how to tie a necktie
make for the door lightening struck --> make for the door, lightning struck
and lightening--> and lightning
He might have been being sarcastic though--> He might have been sarcastic though
writing for awhile--> for a while
missing an chance --> a chance
laura--> Laura
brothers body, --> brother's body
crash of lightening --> lightning
for the preachers --> preacher's
He watched hundreds of people pass by his brothers casket --> he watched...his brother's
with the Ford’s--> with the Fords
beside Isaacs --> beside Isaac's

[A.J.]

perhaps I should take 'er a bit easier on the writers blood. lol! thank u!