Memories Can Hurt

Memories Can Hurt

Ed swept the barn, lost in thought. There weren’t as many chores these days, only the one cow, Betsy, and she was more of a pet. He looked to see what was left, as his look reached Betsy, she mooed, as if to say, “Enough! Take me outside!” He chuckled.

Putting the broom away, he got her lead and started over. He and Betsy had been together a long time, but he had been here longer. Off his thoughts went again, all the way back to when he and Katherine started out, so full of hope.

Together they had built up a good dairy business. It was long hard work and they thrived on it. After Alice and Jimmy were born, Katherine spent more time with them. Suddenly Ed’s mind popped back to a day he came in and found Katherine teaching Alice and Jimmy how to jump out of the loft into the piles of straw below. He’d joined right in, such a wonderful memory.

Ed sighed, Katherine gone these many years, Alice married, family of her own, Jimmy running the business from the big new complex. He saw them often, but it wasn’t the same. More social, less fun. Betsy mooed again, this time sounding impatient.

Ed looked up, then up further. As he put the lead on Betsy, suddenly he got a childish grin on his face, dropping her lead, he climbed into the loft. Almost giddy, he ran to the edge and jumped off into the pile of straw.

When he regained consciousness, Betsy was standing over him, licking his face. Sitting up, he realized his left arm might actually be broken. Reaching up, he stroked Betsy’s soft face.

“Just a little slip back in time girl,” he said, hauling himself up and leading Betsy out.