YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN
LISA AND BARRY "LUCKY" DAY--PART 4
Had Barry’s long streak of luck been broken? Was he just
another ordinary guy after all? Barry got a three week leave and went back to
Felderburg to get himself together. He spent much of the time alone. On Friday
night just before he went back to Minot he attended the opening night at the
annual German Wurst Fest. Things would
never be the same after that night.
It was a long accepted custom for tickets to be sold to
determine who would have the first dance with the Wurst Fest queen---this year was
Helda Wenderson. She was dressed in traditional German attire. Her blond neatly braided pigtails and bright
blue and white checkered dress with wide jumper straps highlighted her quiet
outer and inner beauty. Knee high white
stockings amplified her shapely figure. Her genuine smile made a fellow want to
wrap her up and take her home to mother. Her face reflected an innocent
wholesomeness. Her smile was so captivating he felt as if he was beholding the
original allurement of Eve in the unspoiled Garden of Eden. Barry would later
learn she and her family moved from Milwaukee to Felderburg about the same time
he and Lisa moved to Minot. Furthermore, her father was the pastor of the
largest Lutheran church in Felderburg.
Sometimes a person must cast his bread upon the waters and
see what happens. Barry bought one ticket and silently waited for the drawing.
Barry’s ticket was drawn to start the official opening of the three day
celebr dustation. Smiles and constant eye contact served as the main medium of conversation.
Barry asked and was granted permission to escort Queen Helda home.
For the next two days the two of them were nearly inseparable. Barry felt as if
each tender embrace and passionate kiss was the gateway to a timeless eternity and a star dust path to infinite
space. He attempted twice to tell her the full details of his previous
marriage. Each time she would softly say, “I know.” Barry’s luck seemed to be back.
Strangely, old westerns again popped into his recollection.
This time he was the ragged, bearded prospector that was more dead than alive
and barely able to crawl to a life-saving fresh spring of water. Barry Day felt
alive again. He was alive! He was alive! Hey world, I am alive!
He returned to Minot a
totally different person than when he left. He phoned Helda every day;
sometimes two or three times a day on weekends. A year later they were married
in a small military ceremony at the base chapel. Thrown rice never felt so
good. The crossed sword exit from the chapel seemed to Barry to be the portal to
genuine and long lasting love. While Barry never said it out loud, his feelings
for Helda were deeper even than those felt for Lisa. He thought to himself,
Lisa was a speed boat and Helda is a three-masted, majestic, silent, old world,
sailing ship. The speed boat had raced over the horizon never to return. The
tall sailing ship was safely and forever in his home port. To love and be loved
is the greatest thing a person can experience. Yes sir, Barry Day was lucky
once more.
Within a month he received orders to Ramstein Air Base,
Germany. Helda spoke perfect German and helped launch a four year dream tour of
all the major countries of Europe.
Captain Day was the number two man in the base Accounting and Finance
Office. Barry’s father developed terminal cancer and he separated after 8 years
of active duty to help his mother take care of him.
Back in Felderburg, Barry became the director of the bank’s
loan department and was widely recognized as the future bank president in
waiting. He and Helda had twin boys, Joshua and Caleb, and lived in a house about
four blocks from Helda’s parents. The Barry Day family became faithful members
of her father’s Lutheran church.
What happened next was straight out of a Dickens’s novel. A
subordinate brought a loan application to Barry to sign the Disapproval statement.
The subordinate briefed Barry on the applicant’s lackluster financial status.
She is a single mother of four young kids; works as a truck stop waitress; has
a credit score of 420; been married three times; and wants to purchase a 10
year-old double wide trailer for $4,800.
Barry scanned the application and surprised his subordinate
by approving the loan. He said, “Tell Lisa this is her Lucky Day!”
Glenn <>< 2013
THIS CONCLUDES THE SHORT STORY OF LISA AND BARRY "LUCKY" DAY. I HOPE YOU FOUND IT ENTERTAINING. IN A FEW DAYS I WILL POST "THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY."
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