|
The footsteps seemed to merge. Why couldn't she separate them so she could identify the one who was approaching? Now they seemed to be heavy and slid across the floor making a sound reminding her of when she dragged a too full basket of laundry across the floor.
Next, they were the steps of a young person in a hurry. Why couldn't she pull out the proper card from her carefully indexed mind? Now they held a steady tread of one who knows exactly where he was going and no need to hurry, the goal was in sight and everything well in hand. But no, the sound was of someone running and an oc- casional skip and a jump - A child carefree and happy! Sonny - Johnny? Her mind cleared. Someone had come for her. Of course she was ready, this was the time she had been pre- paring and anxiously waiting for. "Just a minute, I'm coming." The whippoorwill kept repeating over and over, its call, the lightning bugs flicked off and on. A peace she had never before felt settled over El Rancho. Evening shadows were slowly creeping from the timber toward the house. Really, she should be getting back to town. Driving that 2 ½ miles was not frightening to her - she knew every inch of the way - the curves - the hills - the bumps. But she had promised not to take a chance by driving after dark. She gave a little laugh. Funny how the family thought she was old! Oh, they didn't say it but with many years of studying people it was fairly easy to read the well-concealed meaning of their words and tone. She knew that they wanted her to give up driving, not that they said so. "Did you take your driving test today," they always tried to use a casual tone, thrown in at an opportune time. "Oh yes, I'm not even restricted to glasses. "Fine, isn't that fine," the enthusiasm was only a bit less than their disappointment. She knew that come September she had a little secret. She was not even going to try to renew her license. She meant to stop while she was winning. No one was going to tell her she was too old and feeble to drive. Oh, no, someday she would nonchalantly say "By the way, I've decided to sell the car so there's no reason I should renew my license." She hoped they wouldn't pretend they thought she was still capable of driving. She was, but no one was going to tell her when to stop. "Grandma, don't you think it would be nice if you moved into an apartment where people would be close if you needed them." That was out of the question, her comfortable little home in Promise City was close enough to friends. She would like it even better to stay here at the farm but she wouldn't worry them by insisting that she stay. "Why don't you close up your house and spend a little time with us?" It was nice to know that they care - "but no thank you, and may I go quickly when the time comes so I won't be a burden to anyone." Of course, she couldn't say that but she knew what she thought. That was between her and God. It must be nearly eight o'clock; the whip-poor-wilis were still calling to each other. A feeling of contentment swept over her, the noise of the crickets, the tree toads, the frogs - how she loved them. Then she heard the footsteps again, "Just a few more minutes," she told herself She pulled her chair to where she could look at the timber. All the old familiar sights met her tired old eyes. "When it is time I'd like to be right here," she thought. She smiled, she could almost hear what they would say, "She was alone" - she was not alone, she was with the surroundings she loved. "Why did we let her drive?" She laughed, "I'd like to have seen them stop me. If she could just tell them how much she loved them. The she heard the footsteps again. Strange - she knew no one was near. Now there seemed to be footsteps of only one, some one she knew well. An unbelievable peace came over her, "Take my hand, Earl, at last, I'm coming to be with you. |