Andy & Eddie
One day Andy was rummaging through the collection of old
photos in the attic, when he came across one that he hadn't seen in years.
It was an old
faded picture of his school chum, Eddie White. They'd run together for most
of their growing
years, but the school system sent them to different Senior schools, and that
was the last
they'd ever seen of each other. Andy wondered how Eddie was doing, and for
the days and
weeks that followed he just couldn't get Eddie out of his thoughts. He
explained the
waves of nostalgia that kept rolling over him to his neighbour one day, and
his neighbour
suggested that he take the time to look Eddie up. It took him months and
months of careful
research, but finally he traced him to a cotton mill in Manchester. His
parents had
moved to Manchester shortly after Andy and Eddie had started Senior school,
and that was
why they'd never seen each other all these years. Eddie had done well for
himself. Andy learned that he had worked his
way up to chief cotton buyer for the mill, and so with great anticipation
Andy boarded
the train to Manchester. The following day, he went into the reception area
of the mill and
asked the receptionist to inform Eddie that an old pal was waiting
downstairs to see him. The receptionist simply smiled, and Andy's heart
sank as she
informed him that Mr. White had gone abroad to buy cotton for the mill, and
he wouldn't be
back for at least four weeks. It was a tremendous disappointment, but Andy
said that he'd
try again in four weeks. And that was how it went on and on.
Every time Andy went to the mill to see Eddie, he was informed that he'd
just left to
buy cotton for the mill. But one day, the receptionist took pity on him, and
said to
Andy, "Look, I've just spoken to Mr. White's secretary, and she
assures me that he is very eager to meet you again after all these years,
and that he'll
definitely be in his office on the 18th of next month to see you. And he
made
that a very firm promise. He'll not go anywhere that day to buy cotton!"
So Andy had this assurance, the weeks went by, and the 18th
came along. On that morning, Andy walked into the reception area with a
spring in his
step, when suddenly the receptionist's face told him that he'd be
disappointed yet again.
"But this is dreadful;" moaned Andy, "please don't tell me that he's gone
off to buy
more cotton. Every time, it's the same old thing. 'Mr. White isn't here
right now. He's in Egypt buying cotton!'"
"Er, no," said the receptionist. "It's worse than that. You see, MrWhite.
Dropped dead in the car park the other day." What?" cried Andy, "My friend
Eddie, dead? I don't believe
what I'm hearing!" "I know how you must be feeling," sympathised the
receptionist, "but perhaps you'd like to see the monument that the company
set up over his grave. It's just
across the road in that cemetery." So Andy sadly dragged his tired feet over
to the cemetery,
and walked up to the huge black marble monument that was erected over
Eddie's grave, and through his tears Andy
began to read the magnificent gold lettering carved on the front of
the monument:
"Here lies Eddie White
Gone, but not for cotton.
Paddy.... :tease:
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Paddy.
That was a good long story: :D One could modify that one in several ways and they would all be good.
Thanks for sharing it: