The Alignment of Jupiter and Saturn. A Fairy tale (For Sue)

1
Tea on the rocks

Sue and Jim were on a short vacation to visit family and friends.
With less than an hour to go the car’s temperature gauge started to creep into the red, and Jim was obliged to stop for a break.
“This looks like a nice spot!” he said, half turning to Sue; and without any further ado pulled the car off the rough dirt track and cut the motor.
“I’ve seen nicer spots along the way!” replied Sue peevishly, “If we’d taken a break earlier, this wouldn’t have happened, and I’d have got some decent photos taken at least.”
She didn’t wait for an answer knowing that her words fell on deaf ears.
Jim didn’t much care for photography and pretty scenery, beer and fishing were more his bag!
With precisely this in mind, he got his fishing rod out and the tackle box in which was contained, quite conveniently, a six-pack of Fosters!

Sue followed him down to the rocky beach, clutching in one hand her beloved camera and a basket with a thermos and some sandwiches in the other.
She spread a cloth and began to pour two mugs of hot tea while Jim was busy casting his line and attempting to open a beer at the same time.

As Sue poured the tea a smile crept upon her face; it was a pleasant, involuntary little sensation that tugged at the corners of her mouth and sneaked right up into her cheeks! It happened every time she poured tea, and coincided with a warm glow which she acknowledged as a blush!
Now, there was a perfectly good reason for this and although it may have been Sue’s best kept secret, for the purpose of telling this story it will have to be revealed!

Sue was a writer, an artist. She lived in a world of books and poetry, devoting almost her entire time to these pursuits, while Jim’s work kept him away from home for long periods of time, sometimes days on end.

The heart of the poet is sometimes a lonely one and Sue, in order to cope with her own loneliness had created a friend; someone who understood her and with whom she could communicate and share her feelings and thoughts.
Every night before she went to bed she would write a letter or sometimes a poem for her friend and ‘send it away’ with much tender loving care!
But since Sue’s friend was only an imaginary one, the communications were never reciprocated.
This however, did not deter Sue, for it was all part of the creative process which inspired and drove her
For all intents and purposes her friend may as well have been real inasmuch as she regarded and treated him so and it brought much joy and comfort to her otherwise mundane life.

In her writes it had been agreed that he would call upon her each morning for tea and a chat!
This had gone off extremely well, as the tea and chat had over time, become a little more intimate than had been originally planned (if in fact this had not been a part of the original plan anyway!) but out of respect we will have to leave that with Sue.

Now, as she sat pouring the tea, down on the rocks a long way from her kitchen, she
wondered if her friend had called this morning and how he must have missed his cuppa!
The smile turned into a chuckle, which did not escape Jim’s attention, and without turning around he asked, “What’s tickling you then?”
Sue was very tempted to reply, “What, or who?” but she didn’t!

  2
A fair wind

“I’m going for a wander” said Sue, after drinking her tea, “to look for some inspiration!”
Leaving the track she headed toward a line of Eucalyptus trees not too far off.
The vegetation here away from the beach was more colourful and soon she found herself in the midst of the gum trees, where a verdant green carpet interspersed with daffodils spread out before her.
The camera shutter was very busy!

These were the moments she longed for her friend to be beside her, for his was a love of nature and beautiful things! There would be so much to share!

Here, a patch of wild magnolias swayed; dancing to the soft rhythm of the wind.
There, a wave of fragrant gardenias added their charm to the scene.
A crested pigeon called out from a high branch, its poignant tone an echo in response to
another’s call

Everything spoke to her of love, and of the loneliness which is often its constant companion.
“Are there others like me?” she mused aloud, to the sky.
“For if there are, as I am sure there then there must be there is one alone who is made for me alone.” “But who and where might he be?”
Her sighs trailed off into the all-enveloping sky, perhaps a fair wind in the guise of an angel would carry her message to one who, like her, waited for a message to come.
But there came no answer to her entreaties, they vanished upon the wind in the same way as her letters always did

3.
A strange ‘illusion’

Walking slowly with her eyes downcast and lost deeply in thought, Sue became aware of a sudden changing of the light around her.

Lifting her head she noticed the sunlight streaming through the far line of trees into what appeared to be a clearing in the forest.

She followed the direction of the light, her heart a little less heavy now, sensing new discoveries.
Indeed, what she came upon, or rather,’ what came upon her!’ (For she could not tell which), was something appearing almost out of a dream; so surreal it was! In the centre of the clearing stood the most endearing and without a doubt, tiniest post office she had ever seen!

It took her a full minute at least, to gather her senses and then very gingerly, approach the little wooden building.
She stopped, suddenly deciding to take a photo first, just in case it wasn’t real and disappeared before she got any closer.

At least there would be a record of it on the camera’s spool! (Or so she imagined!)

But the post office was real enough; Sue stretched out her fingers to touch it; she imagined herself as one of Stanley Kubrick’s apes in Space Odyssey, reaching out to touch the monolith…
She peered through the single window but there was no one inside. The door too, was shut, but on trying the handle she found it to be unlocked.
However, not wishing to be intrusive she decided not to venture in.

Upon the door was a poster announcing ‘morning tea’ and listed the hours of service.
Well now, on top of everything else, not the least of which being the discovery of this charming little place, she had once more, to deal with the ‘morning tea’ issue!
Was this a coincidence, another silly quirk of her imagination, or what?

For some unknown reason she felt a sense of anticipation, and that little sensation had found its way back to the corners of her mouth, very quickly spreading up into her cheeks! The warm, rosy glow was not far behind, and quite soon Sue found herself chuckling aloud again.
Ah, what a silly thing am I, she reprimanded herself; this imagination is going to get me into trouble one of these days!

She glanced at her watch; Oh dear, ‘Jim must be wondering where on earth I am!’ I should be getting back’ she decided.

Still, her curiosity had been piqued and she made up her mind to return at the first available opportunity.
Sitting down on the small porch she got her note pad out and after jotting down the ‘tea-time’ hours proceeded to write a letter to her friend, relating the day’s events.
Then, quite absent-mindedly she pinned the letter underneath the poster on the door, and headed back toward the beach.

4.

A restless interlude

Two days passed by, during which Sue and Jim had renewed old acquaintances; spent many joyful hours in the their company and in general, achieved the initial purpose of their journey.
But despite the happiness and relaxation the reunion had brought, Sue was restless. She could not wait to return to the post office; brushing aside any thought to whatever consequences might be in store!

Before too long there accrued a little spare time, in which Sue and Jim would be able to catch up on their private pursuits.
Jim planned a day’s fishing, somewhere close by, and Sue, seizing the opportunity said she would take the car for a drive to the beach.
And so, he with his beer and she, her camera, they parted company to follow their dreams!

 5.
Another dimension

It is quite amazing what anticipation can do. Sue, without consciously having any idea why, had taken great pains in order to present herself in the most charming if not sensual manner she could think of; Not a difficult task for her, being a lithe, pretty girl, with an attractive, impish face.
And, all this time later, she felt youthfulness returning, it was like a shower of rain to a dry and thirsty garden. She smiled, but inwardly this time.
Later, parking the car in precisely the same spot as before, Sue set out, armed with her camera, in her easy charm and an inquisitive smile on her face!
On reaching the post office, and not seeing anyone in sight, her heart suddenly sank. She checked her watch; right time…then she noticed that the solitary window was open.
Her heart lifted!
Giving herself a cursory ‘once over’ and finding it to meet her satisfaction, she approached and politely knocked on the door.
“Come in please!” announced a man’s voice!
Sue stepped inside, nervously glancing around the tiny room. There was a counter, a single desk and the few typical items one would expect to find in such a place.
At the back of the room a man sat, reading intently. There were several neatly arranged stacks of letters before him on the desk.
He looked up presently and acknowledging Sue’s presence, smiled; “Hi, I’m Joey!” he said.
“Oh! And I’m Sue” said Sue, returning the smile. “I keep getting the feeling I’m dreaming!” she added, “am I?”
“Well” said Joey, “maybe y’are!”  “Some folk say all life’s a dream, don’t they?”
Sue felt a little less tense although she had no idea why; it was something about the way he spoke; it had a familiar ring to it and in these totally surreal settings, she thought it entirely possible that all life could be a dream…!
She decided to go along with it anyway, seeing as there weren’t too many options available.
“So how is it that we may help you, Sue?” said the man.
“Um, well perhaps it might help to know firstly, who WE are!” replied Sue, a little puzzled.
“Why! The answer to that is so simple!” “You are Sue, and I am Joey!” “That’s who WE are!” “Who else could we possibly be?”
“No, I didn’t mean it in that way” Sue began, a little confused, “I err…oh never mind, I think you understand what I mean”… She decided not to pursue it any further, aware of a growing sense of humour in the man which did not altogether displease her.

By all accounts, he had a benign aura about him, and the faraway look in his eyes; something she thought she might on occasion possess herself, betrayed a wayward spirit. His troubled mess of hair did nothing to detract from the overall ‘bohemian’ image.

She smiled; it was an automatic response; “Where is everybody?” she asked at length, taking care to avoid loading the question, if that were at all possible!

“Ah, not to worry Sue!” he said amiably, “They are all here!”

Sue was beginning to get the picture, without getting the picture if you know what I mean!
Despite everything that may have otherwise screamed ‘Warning!’ she felt unusually calm and collected, if not a little amused!

“We are all here?” she echoed his words, “and this, is all a dream…ha, ha! Yes, I am beginning to believe it!”
Now they were both laughing!

“Will you take some tea?” he asked politely; “I presume that is what you came for?” and before she had time to answer, he had disappeared through a small curtained door in the corner of the room, emerging a few moments later with a kettle, two cups, and all the other accompaniments including a bag of cookies, on a plastic tray.

After connecting the kettle to a wall socket he drew up another chair for Sue, and then sat down himself. Together they waited for the water to boil.

Carefully selecting a letter from the stack nearest him Joey continued to read, becoming quietly engrossed in its contents.

Sue sat for a few moments without speaking. She felt extremely relaxed. It was as though nothing was out of place; everything was exactly as it should be!

She waited until Joey had finished reading the letter, folded it neatly and replaced it on the desk.
“A most beautiful letter!” he commented suddenly, looking at her intently. “I shall reply to it later”

Sue suddenly remembered the letter she’d pinned to the door and had the urge to get up and see if it was still there. She pushed the impulse aside however and asked Joey, “did you happen to find a letter on the door outside; I left it there the other day, I have no idea why, it just seemed appropriate, this being a post office”…the smile was giving her a hard time and would just not go away…

Joey let his eyes drop to the letter in front of him, “As I said” he replied; “a most beautiful letter!” And when he looked up again Sue noticed the expression on his face had changed. It seemed to come from his eyes, she thought she’d seen it before but couldn’t remember where.

The light was alternating; dim and then bright, dim and bright…her mind went back to the changing light she’d experienced in the forest…she felt as if she was drifting in and out of reality, her head began to swim and she believed she really must be dreaming, or hallucinating, perhaps it was all that acid she’d taken back in the old days…a flashback!

Despite the free and easy feeling that everything was as it should be, the undefined sensation that she was hovering, would not escape her, she was hovering between different dimensions, it was as though something was trying to remind her that all is not as it seems.

She rubbed her hands over her eyes, one part of her wishing to wake up while another part secretly wishing she would not…
Joey in the meantime had not spoken further, and Sue, with her eyes still closed felt that it was all something that had never really happened. She would open her eyes any minute and find herself back with Jim.
And then very soon, they would be on their way back home to their simple and mundane existences where everything was normal.
However, it was not to be that way, for another journey lay in wait; a far different one!

6
Waking up to a dream

The sound of Joey’s voice finally cut through her reverie,
“Sue, your tea is waiting

and we have much to discuss. I’m sure you have a lot on your mind which needs to be addressed, not only for your sake but for mine also.”
But Sue did not move or open her eyes; she was afraid to even think not knowing what might come into her mind next.
Joey softly touched her hand; she recoiled instantly.
She gazed at him in bewilderment; “This is really happening isn’t it, but I cannot accept it, I feel like I’m losing my mind… I should never have come here…

Joey looked at her compassionately, “You are not losing your mind my friend, you came here today for the same reason you came before; you were led, if that makes sense. Don’t be afraid, because fear will solve nothing”. “Whether you believe it or not, I am in the same boat as you. If I acted foolishly when you arrived I apologise. I wasn’t sure how things were going to work out today and I was nervous.”

Things were very slowly beginning to fall into place, yet Sue had no idea how or why; this only happened in fairy-stories; it frightened her. She began to cry.
Joey proffered his hand and waited this time for her to accept it.

“I’m sorry too” she began,“I live in a world of dreams and illusions, sometimes I make them up, it is my vocation; I think of myself as a poet but in reality, I know I am only a dreamer”.

“They are the same” said Joey softly.

“Please Joey, tell me who you are, for I do believe I already know; I knew it from the moment I came here. It is hard for me to explain this but you are an illusion, someone I created in my mind, I just cannot believe it possible for you to exist in any other way, surely you can understand that!”
“Tell me everything, how you came to be here, how long you’ve been here and why, for as much as I rely on my imagination and as much as I want to believe in dreams coming true, there needs to be a rational explanation; one that makes sense…I may be a dreamer but I am also human…”
Joey could not help a wry smile;
“Yes my dear, you are human to be sure, and if I may say so, a very typical Capricorn one!”
“Now how did you know that?” Sue looked startled.
”Oh of course”… “There can’t be too much you don’t know about me can there, it’s all in the letters isn’t it…?”

“Tell me now so I can get at least ONE thing clear…if you have read the letter I put on your door then I have the distinct feeling you have read all my letters; how on earth is that possible?”

Joey listened, and after some time replied; “Sue, this is not easy for me either, and whatever I tell you, you may not believe. But we have to begin somewhere.

All your letters came here but not by conventional means, they were all unsealed and addressed to no one specifically. Obviously they were meant to be read; if they were not then why were they written?”
“You may think there is much I know, but there is so much more I may never know.”
“All I have learned is what you have told me in your letters”, he waved his hand at the stacked up envelopes on his desk and many more in pigeon holes behind him, “They may as well have been written for me for they speak from a heart that like my own has endured much loneliness.” “It is a heart that has searched for another; perhaps its other half!”
Sue sat and listened knowing somehow beyond all rational means of knowing, that what he said made sense, and therefore may be true.
But she was filled with apprehension; unable to accept that this person could provide her with any credible answers.
Whatever it was, she was afraid she would be neither prepared, nor able to deal with it.
Once more, she considered her options, and finding none, waited for him to continue.

Then very slowly and carefully, Joey began.
“You said that you know me Sue”.
“You said you knew me from the moment you arrived here, but in truth it has been far longer than that, no one can say how long.
If we believe in eternity then there has never been a beginning to our knowing and likewise there will never be an end”.
“In other words dear Sue, we have known each other always”.

“But meeting in this way, I believe is something that happens only once in a life cycle.”
“Howbeit, the strange or perhaps not so strange conditions that are needed for this to occur are beyond comprehension. Great minds have sought the answers through endless meditation and study, and in the end all we know is what we perceive to know, and with that, we have to be satisfied!”
“As you yourself perceive this to be a dream; then let it be a dream, does it matter?”
“If one could take the mystery out of life what would there be to believe?”
“And what would we dream about?”

“However, if there is one thing of which we can be certain, it is that no one was created to be alone; there is an equally matching opposite for every single one of us.”
“And until we find that one, our lives are not complete and the heart remains a restless wanderer.”
“I am convinced you are my other half dear Sue, just as I am yours!”

He fell silent for a while and then as if awakening from a dream himself, stood up and paced the room.
Then returning to his chair, took Sue’s hand again, for it had been left there waiting for him to do so…and resumed speaking; this time in a lighter manner.
“Where was I?” He smiled, “I hope I haven’t been too overbearing Sue, I’m really just a simple guy.
Sometimes though I get a bit carried away, but it’s because I’m getting closer to myself, finding out who I really am… and when that happens, I know which way I’m going and what I’m looking for.

Do you know I’ve searched this world upside down for you; can you know how important this day is; do you have any idea what I am feeling inside right now?”
“Does anything I’ve said make any sense…if it doesn’t; I’ll go on believing it anyway, because to me there is nothing left in this world to search for…now that I’ve found you!”
Sue smiled, as she always smiled, “I do know, Joey” she answered; “How could I not know, if I feel the same way!”
“You are very sweet and I understand all you have said, thank you for the kind and thoughtful introduction Joey but perhaps it is now time for the main course…I think I just may be able to handle it!”
“Quite so!” said Joey, “but first, a fresh cup of tea yes?”

7.
Jupiter & Saturn:
Phase one

Tea was duly served; Sue this time doing the honour
The little smile was very happy indeed!
Joey leaned back in his chair feeling very relaxed.
Meanwhile, somewhere millions of miles away a lonely planet altered its course, ever so slightly!

“My life before I came here belongs to another story Sue; another world perhaps. Much of that story has already been written. It will serve no purpose here by disturbing it; let it rest where it is.
But for now, another story beckons. It’s starting point is right here and I believe that even as we speak, it is being written!”
“Let us share the pen my dear for it is not my story alone, it belongs to us both!”

Sue leaned forward, extending her hands to Joey.

“Four years ago I came upon this place. I fell in love with it; the solitude, the wildness, it resonated with something inside me.”
“As a drifter by nature it suited my disposition well, I could write without distraction, and it’s quite amazing what solitude can do for the muse!”

“I built this cabin, not as a post office, but as a place to lay my head,”

“Post office is an allusion; an allegory if you like, I am a writer and thought the name would be fitting, and so I named it post office; I had no idea at the time that fate would take it literally.”
“But there is a time and a purpose for everything under heaven, is there not?”

“Now, about a year ago I started receiving these letters and poems, but let me explain this very carefully because it is so extraordinary as to be almost beyond belief!”
Joey fixed his eyes on Sue’s and with all the conviction he could gather said;
“Before I tell you how I received these letters you will have to answer one question; it is a simple question which has a simple answer. We will need nothing further but you must understand that the explanation I give you is the only one I have; if you cannot accept it there is nothing either of us can do about it.
It is part of the great mystery my friend!”

Sue smiled, feeling an increase in the pressure of his fingers on hers.

While millions of miles away the most beautiful planet in the solar system imperceptibly adjusted its course!

“Ask me!” said Sue!
“Sue, I want you to tell me, as simply as you can, by what means you dispatched these letters?” For the answer my dear, you must search your heart, as I have searched mine.  What my heart has revealed to me I believe to be the truth.”

Sue stared back at him unsure how to answer.
His gaze was unrelenting yet patient and compassionate, as he waited for her response.
She wanted to say something; her heart urged her to do so but she didn’t know quite what to say.

After a long pause she answered him; “Joey, I can’t tell you how it was, I just don’t know, all of those letters are still at home, in my files…this is so very confusing, I just don’t know what to tell you, honestly!”
Tears began to fill her eyes. “All I know is that I sent them from my heart, hoping in a childish way they would find a fair wind that would carry them to another heart…but I knew it was just a dream; for I have told you I am just a dreamer.”

Joey fought against his own rising emotions as tears searched for release.
At length he answered, “Thank you Sue, your heart has informed you well.”

“And now in my simple way, I will tell you what I believe.”
“This I know, the heart is its own messenger. How exactly it does what it does must for the sake of mystery, remain a mystery.”

“First and foremost, I must tell you that the only letter that entered this room is the one you posted on the door, for you delivered it yourself!”

With this, he handed her the letter he’d been reading earlier. “This is the one, is it not?”

Sue looked carefully at if unsure of what she was expected to find, “It is the same one, yes!” she answered.

He selected another and handed it to her. “And this one?”

Sue opened the letter.
She immediately noticed the handwriting was not hers. “Who wrote this?” she asked, perplexed…
“Do you mean,” Who’s heart, or who’s hand?” he asked back.
“You know exactly what I mean!” she said; “These are my words, but I did not write them!”
He smiled and she felt a little foolish!

“Of course they are your words!” he replied grinning; “but you did not write them; I did!”
Sue gave a gasp, but made no comment!
“Let me explain”, continued Joey.
“Like you, I ‘created’ a soul friend some time ago, quite possibly at the same time you did.”

“Each night in a dream, she would bring me a message, and each morning I would write it down, word for word.”
“I would then write a reply and leave it with the letter; hoping for fair winds no doubt!”

“After a while I received an invitation to have tea together every morning; and of course, a chat!”
Despite Sue’s utter amazement she could not avoid the smile…
“My ‘friend’ became so real to me that I began to believe she was the dream my heart had been searching for.”
“I also believed that someday, somehow, something would bring us together.”
Joey stopped suddenly and looked at Sue; “I told you the answer would be a simple one didn’t I?” he said.  “Well, there you have it; I cannot tell it any other way. I don’t know if there is another way, and if I start looking for one I will surely confuse everything; including myself!”
“So!” returned Sue at last, letting out a long sigh, “In the end it is all a dream…just as I imagined…a very beautiful one but when will I wake up…IF I ever wake up?”
“Sue, what exactly is a dream?” “Where do we go when we dream, do we in fact ‘enter’ a dream world?”
“If this is in fact a dream, it is a very special one, I absolutely agree!”
“Listen, why don’t we have a little chat about it; put the philosophy to one side and accept things as they are…we’ve considered the reason(s) behind it yes, but what do we do with it, this dream?”
“I’ll tell you what, let’s freshen up those cups and go out on the porch, just look at all that sunshine going to waste!”
“That sounds like a bright idea!” said Sue, and smiling, “ I’ll put the kettle on “

Phase 2

The sky seemed to have come alive!
There was a magnetic quality which affected everything; the trees at the edge of the forest were dusted with refracted light. This effect was replicated everywhere, right down to the grassy field, where each blade could be seen in one light as a singular life
form while in another, a vast endless woven carpet.
The profusion of wildflowers was mesmerising!

It raised the hackles on one’s arms and neck…one imagined God having just created the earth, standing back and saying, “It is good!”
And millions of miles away, the deep throb of Jupiter’s cosmic voice answered the call of Saturn’s winsome, reverberating song!
Our earth-bound couple sat on the wooden porch totally in awe as the spectacle of life played
out before them
They held hands like children sometimes do, occasionally glancing at one another and smiling.

Sue put her head on his shoulder and he put his arm around her.
It was Sue, who spoke first.
“What was it we were going to discuss?”
“I can’t remember!” Joey answered!
They both laughed!

“It almost seems like sacrilege to disturb the silence, doesn’t it?” Joey said.
“Yes it does but there are voices everywhere in this silence, everything is communicating!”
replied Sue; “can you hear it Joey?”
“I can hear my heart beat!” said Joey, gazing into her eyes; “can you?”
She met his gaze; her mouth trembling very slightly.
Joey leaned closer and kissed her.

He thought he could hear the voice of the universe echoing in his head, but it was only the sound of Jupiter and Saturn nearing their aphelion and perihelion phases respectively.

Third & Final phase.

“Sue”, Joey whispered, “we are in another world my sweet”. “It belongs to us alone for it is our love for one another that has created it.”
“Whatever happens to us here we will remember forever.”

He held her close and kissed her again; her body melted against his shedding all resistance, and then lifting her gently, he carried her to the carpet of wildflowers that danced to the summer breeze,

and laying her amongst these, placed his own body next to hers, supporting his head with one hand to look down upon her.
Her eyes met his then closed momentarily, the softness of the wind caressing her face; now aglow as though a sunset had paused there to reflect.
And when she opened her eyes and looked up into his, the weight of the world was gone from her.
“Another world…” “Yes, it is so…” she sighed.
Her eyes were half closed and she could see the road of her life, fading into violet behind her, carrying with it all of the memories of days gone by; all the hurt and the pain of loss, betrayal and loneliness.

“Another world, my sweet!” his voice came as if from afar as she reached for his hand.

The warmth and succulence of her inner being offered no resistance, yielding completely to his gentle touch and fire of passion.
And his own world, the seemingly endless trails scattered with fragments of words, and thoughts; stories half-written, songs half-sung…he knew, that in this moment where time had no relevance, was the only story he ever needed to write, and the only song he would ever need to sing!
Somewhere on a rocky coastline huge waves crashed in a roar of thunder, sending spumes of foam flying skyward.
Somewhere in a field of wildflowers the essence of two lovers burst in a quiet, orchestrated explosion, sending cosmic messages to every part of the inner universe.

And seven hundred and ninety-six million miles away in deep space, two mighty worlds engaged one another in a game of attraction; the most powerful emotional force known to exist.
And the night fell.

Epilogue:

The gentle subdued light of dawn spread across the land, awakening leaf and flower alike.
Joey arose and knowing that Sue had gone, made his way slowly back to his hut
During the night he’d received a message from her, so he sat at his desk to write.

“My dearest Joey,
We arrived home this morning at around six, a long and exhausting journey…
It seems quite strange to be here in this place which I refer to it as home for it feels like an alien world and I, a stranger to it
Of course I know now that there will never be another world quite like the one you and I have shared, will there?
I am going to keep this brief as I need to catch up on so many things around here, housework and so on you know…they seem so mundane and uninspiring to me now!
I want you to know how much I enjoyed your company, and for everything that happened…my world will never be the same again
You have given me something back I thought I had lost…my eternal youth, and the knowledge that somebody really cares about me.
In my heart I hope someday we will meet again, but if that is not in the scheme of things, I will always have you here with me; in my heart.
Please take care and know I love you always…just as I have always done!
I shall keep up my correspondence and hope you will too!

Ps: don’t forget to drop in for morning tea; we have so much more to chat about now, don’t we !

 

Yours Forever
Sue ”

 

Joey replied straight away and when he had done so, packed his belongings into a shoulder bag,
and walked out of the hut, taking the ‘tea’ sign off the door as he went.
“Thank you old post office” he said turning back for one last look, “my time here is over I guess, perhaps another lonely heart will stumble by some day, looking for a respite from the weary world out there, and no doubt waiting for a fair wind to blow his way!”

The End,
       or perhaps,
                  beginning.

 

Images provided by courtesy of Anne Owen

© John Scott June 2011