The Letter
(August 1985)
Ennis sat at the table, holding the envelope in his hand. It was hot, even for early in the morning. He took the folded up piece of paper out of the envelope. He opened it up, but then he put it back down and fixed himself a cup of that ancient instant coffee. He put it down to cool a bit, and picked up the letter and began to read.
Dear Ennis,
I am writing to say how sorry I am for everything that I put you though these past few weeks. I should never have driven like that up the mountain, I should never have driven all the way out there to meet my friend, I am sorry for many of the things I have said. I am no one to try to teach you any kind of lesson.
I have grown so fond of you, but I know it’s so hard for you to even talk to anyone. I know I could never ever replace your friend. I don’t mean to even try at all.
If you are ever ready, I will be here. That is all I wanted to say. Man, can’t believe that I just wrote this in a letter.
TomEnnis read the letter three times, then he carefully folded it back up and put in back it the envelope. It was really hot now inside the trailer. Ennis went into the bathroom and took a long cool shower. But his hands were shaking and he kept dropping the bar of soap. He got dressed in his oldest, most faded pair of jeans, with holes all over, he had forgotten to do the wash these past couple of weeks so that was all he had left to wear. He diligently made the bed, and then he walked towards the closet. He opened the door. The shirts were there. He sighed, a long deep sigh. He sat down on the chair and sat there looking at the shirts for a while. It was stifling hot inside the trailer even though all the windows were open.
Ennis got up and closed the closet door. He walked over to the door of the trailer. He stepped outside. The sun was burning. He looked over at Tom’s trailer. Tom was now outside, sitting on the steps of his trailer, with a cup of coffee and a cigarette in his hand. He sat there looking straight ahead, straight at the lilac bush that was shaking the other night.
A large truck rolled by, breaking the stillness. Tom turned and stared right at Ennis.
Ennis looked back at him. He knew it was time to decide.