Annabelle Lee...

Recently, I had a little nostalgia running through my veins, so I decided to take a 3 hour drive back to the little town where I grew up. It's been almost 12 years since I left town in search of a better life.

My little town was so far back in the country they used to have to pipe the sunlight in. As I drove into town I saw some new buildings and many of the old places I used to frequent as a teenager.

Past my old church, the high school where I met all my friends, and the house that I grew up in. Freshly painted, but still looked like I remembered.

I drove down to the one streetlight center of town and went into my favorite old restaurant to have some lunch. I was sitting at the same booth that I called mine back then.

All of a sudden, I heard this voice from my past say, "hello Billy!"
I turned and to my amazement there stood Annabelle Lee. She was my first love. All through high school we were a couple. I stood up, gave her a kiss on the cheek and asked her to join me.

We started with some small talk and then began to reminisce about the past. We talked about our school days. Teachers and classes, Friday night football games, holding hands, our first kiss under the bleachers at halftime. Watching the submarine races up on Beattys Ridge.

We talked for over an hour. She looked at her watch and told me she had to pick up her kids from school. I asked how long had she been married. Her smile turned into a frown and said she was married for 6 years before she got divorced. She asked if I was married and I told her that I could never find anyone who compared to her so I never married. A beautiful smile came back to her face.

She stood up, gave me a kiss on the cheek and walked out the door. I spent the rest of the day meeting with old friends and teammates from our high school days. All the time I couldn't get Annabelle Lee off my mind.

The next day I was feeling so bad. I never even asked her for her number or address. I did remember where the house she grew up in was so I took a gamble and drove to her old address. I walked up to the door, rang the bell, and I immediately recognized her mother, a little more grey hair, but that was understandable.

She looked at me and said, "Billy, so good to see you." She asked what I was doing there and I said, "I was wondering if you could give me directions to Annabelles house or possibly her phone number. I told her I had seen Annabelle yesterday and forgot to ask her for the information.

The color drained from Annabelles mothers face. Her eyes fell to the floor and then she looked up and said, "Why would you want to hurt me this way?"

Annabelle died in a car accident over two years ago....