Photo credit: Susan Spaulding
Every morning for the past three years, Gary took his convenience store donut and coffee to the park and had breakfast at one of the picnic tables. It had been a difficult time between the forced retirement and then Helen suddenly and angrily divorcing him. Most of all, he missed his kids and grandkids. They’d taken Helen’s side in the split up. He was lonely but stoic, or at least he pretended to be.
“Grandpa! Grandpa!” It was his grandson Tony running up to him from the parking lot. The eleven-year-old hit him like a loving freight train.
“You’ve really grown. I’ve missed you.” They drowned in each other’s arms.
Gary looked up to find himself surrounded by all of his kids, their spouses, and all of his grandkids.
Emily, his youngest, kissed him on the cheek. “Happy Father’s Day, Dad. Come home with us and have a real breakfast. We love you.”
It took a few minutes for the old man to compose himself enough to leave the park with his forgiving family.
I wrote this for the Sunday Photo Fiction of June 17, 2018 hosted by Susan. The idea it to take the image above and use it as a prompt for creating a piece of flash fiction no more than 200 words long. My word count is 174.
I cheated somewhat and read Iain’s story before writing my own. Since his theme was Father’s Day ( realize there are parts of the world that don’t have this celebration) and I’m a Dad and Grandpa, I decided to go that route as well, taking a sad beginning and brightening it.
To read other tales based on the prompt, visit InLinkz.com.
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In Israel, Father’s Day is observed on the first of May (along with a sort of Labor Day observance). Perhaps it wouldn’t be surprising if I note that it is common on that day to find fathers and families in local parks hovering over charcoal grills barbequing various kinds of meat. I, on the other hand, am not a meat griller myself; but I’m more likely to be found patrolling those parks in a Border-Police SUV to ensure the safety of those who do. [:)]
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Thanks for that, PL. I love grilling a good steak. 😀 Happy (belated relative to Israel) Father’s Day.
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It’s a uplifting story James. Wouldn’t it be nice if all father’s could be so loved in spite of past hurts.
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I agree, although I’ve read some comments in social media of people describing their Dad’s as terrible people. I guess not all Fathers are really Daddys.
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Very nice! I love a happy ending. Happy Father’s day to you. =)
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Thanks, Brenda.
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It had to be a Father’s Day story really. So nice for him to be surrounded by his family, just as I have spent my very enjoyable day too 🙂
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I spent time with both of my adult sons (daughter lives in another state) and the day with my grandchildren. Good times.
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As it should be James 🙂
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I am glad they found him, what took them so long.
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Life and forgiveness are complicated, Mike. At least it all worked out.
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