Hand in Hand

a short story on a topic that fascinates and scares me to death.

                I came into the fast food restaurant first. I ordered a plain hamburger and water and sat down in the back of the place, looking past the empty tables and booths, towards the door, waiting for his arrival. He comes in a couple of minutes later, wearing a black suit jacket and a tie. He sits down across from me and flashes a quick smile.

                “Hey, Joe, what do ya know?” He says.

I give a small chuckle and take a bite of my hamburger saying, “I get that all the time.”

                “I know,” He replies with a small laugh.

For several moments, we sit together in silence. Though I’ve never been met him personally before, it’s a comfortable silence; one best friends would share.

                I finish my meal and break the silence with, “So, this is it, eh?”

He nods with a small smile.

                “Do I get a chance to say good-bye to anyone?”

                “No,” He says. “You don’t need to.”

                “But I need tell everyone something.” I object, not with much enthusiasm, though.

                “They all know what you want to tell them.”

                “Does anybody get a chance to say good-bye?” I asked.

He shrugs and says, “There are exceptions.”

                “Like?”

                “Well, sometimes people have bad moments before it’s time. Those kind of cases.”

                “But not me?”

He shakes his head. “No, you had a good moment with everyone. It’s better this way.”

                I nod and say, “There’s a lot I haven’t done yet.”

                “I know. I get that all the time. But, Joe, look at it this way. There’s a lot you wouldn’t have done anyway. You were never going to go to Mars or be a millionaire. There’s always something everyone wants to do, and most of the time it never gets done.”

                “Any exceptions in that category?” I ask.

                “Never.” He simply states.

There is another couple moments of comfortable silence and then I say, “Have I wasted my life?”

                “Do you think you have?” He asks.

I think for a moment and then shake my head. “No, it’s been a good life.”

                He smiles wider. “Then it wasn’t wasted.”

I smile back at him. He makes me feel comfortable and at ease.

                “Are you ready?” He asks me.

                “Why? Got somewhere to be?” I jokingly reply.

He laughs and taps the bulge in his jacket pocket. Underneath there is, undoubtedly, a notebook full of names. “Oh yeah,” he says.

                “Is anyone ever ready?” I ask.

                “Never.” He simply states again. “Are you scared, Joe?”

                “Terrified.” I laugh.

                “It’s a waste of time to tell you not to be, but don’t be. There’s no reason to.”

                “Is this it?” I ask, the question that has always been on my mind has left my lips and I’m happy it’s out there.

                He thinks for a moment and then says, “I’ll let that be a surprise.”

We laugh for a moment and then we stand up, me taking his lead.

                “Will you hold my hand?” I ask, not ashamed or embarrassed to.

                “Of course,” He says.

And we leave, hand in hand, out the door.

Reviews

[Domenic Luciani]

It was a really great story! I think the dialogue could have flowed a bit more smoothly, but overall, it made a good plot for a short story.