From Now On
(July 1986)
“We oughta go on a trip, I know, how ‘bout New York?” Tom asked, with a grin on his face. “We’ll see a Broadway show” he said, looking at the glossy magazine in his lap.
“Naw, not me” Ennis replied. “Too old.”
“You ain’t too old. If an aging guy like me can go, you sure can too” Tom said, as he reached over and took Ennis’s hand.
Ennis looked at him but didn’t answer. They were sitting on the lawn chairs in front of Tom’s trailer. It was a warm summer evening, the sun was setting and the sky was a brilliant ruby red.
“It’ll be good for us, keep us young, to see a new place. We really oughta go…..it’ll keep us young….”
Ennis stared at the mountains, dark shadows in front of the glowing sky. If only it was that easy, just go to a new place and stay young forever, if only…
“Ya know” Ennis said slowly. “I don’t know, maybe,..... it’s time, but not so far, not New York. But maybe....it’s time….”
Tom squeezed Ennis’s hand. “I think it is …”
(186 words)