She sat on the porch in a rocking chair that like her faded with age,no one ever noticed
her as she sat watching the world go by each day.The paper boy was the only one
who took the time to speak to her, little did he realise how much his smile meant to
the elderly woman as he handed her the morning paper and stopped to spend a moment to
talk to her.Over the years she had remembered his birthdays and always gave him a small gift
which his mother told him not to expect as "she may not be able to afford it on a pension".
He looked up at the blackening clouds as he folded the papers ready for the morning run
and carefully tucked the jar of jam his mother had given him to give to his friend.Maybe she
was old and kinda kept to herself but she was nice to talk to and didnt make fun of his red hair
like so many others did.He looked over to the porch as he arrived at her gate and stared at
the empty rocker ... was she okay, should he knock and check? The noise of the thunder stopped his
train of thought as he put the jam into the letter box and pulled his hood on and hurried to finsh
his paper run. Wet and chilled to the bone he arrived home and again his thoughts return to
the empty rocker and mentioned it to his mother."She may be away with family nothing to
worry about." she assured him. Still not fully convinced he dressed for school and hurried to
catch the bus.
Lydia lay on the floor of her kitchen the searing pain in her chest robbing her of breath
as she tried in vain to stand ,her leg aching from the fall .She felt so alone and lost,so
helpless as she lay drifting in and out of sleep. When she woke it was dark.Feeling the pain
as she tried to get up from the cold floor she gave up and thought of her family.
Where were her sons and daughter it had been so long since they came to vist and years since
they had phoned her.That was before she got the phone taken out as no body called and she had
no one to call at all.She heard in the distance the sounds of the day begining the cars
driving past and the children heading off to school and knew that nobody would come to
check on her as she had no one left all of her friends had moved away or died. Alone ,cold and
in severe pain she lay on the floor and drifted in and out of sleep...hearing the sounds of the
past the laughter of the children and the sound of her late husband singing as he often
did.She could almost see him he seemed so close as she tried to reach out to him.She closed her
eyes damp with tears and drifted to a deep sleep....she didnt wake again she felt no more
lonelness or pain.
Each day he checked the letter box and watched for her as he passed and with each day
he became more concerned even though his mother said she may well be in hospital or
with family maybe. The jam was still there not moved the chair empty, and no sign of
his friend .Two weeks had passed and he was very concerned and decided to go after football
on saturday and see if she had returned.
After the game he rode the few blocks to her home and again the jam and mail was untouched
he walked up the path to the door and knocked and waited ..no reply he tried the door it wasnt
locked and decided to at least put the mail inside for her.With the mail and the jam in his hands
he opened the door and reeled at the stench, forcing him to gag as he left slamming the door
shut behind him.He rode that bike at speed to reach home and tell his mother something was
very wrong and about the stench, she asked him the address and she picked up the phone
as he stood there still smelling that awful smell listening to her tell the police what he
had told her.
He showered and slept the rest of the day away and woke when his mother was shaking him.
Half awake he looked around the room from his mother to the police woman as he racked
his sleepy brain wondering if he was in trouble.
He felt the warm tears on his cheeks as he was told his friend had died alone.He was numb
feeling guilty for not checking on her at first .Suddenly he felt a warmth on his shoulder
and was sure he heard her voice "Thank you for caring and making the mornings better my
friend..." but no he knew he must be imagining this and looked into his mothers face as he spoke
"Mum you wont die alone you wont ever be lonely ".
As the years past he never forgot his friend or his promise to his mother ..and on
graduation day in his speech he spoke of the need for all to care and to reach out to
those alone and to share a smile.
