by Ann Graham
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Tales of a Trail of Life
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Introduction: Chapter One
Tales of a Trail of Life has been written as a nonfiction / fiction eBook. A lot of actual events that could and did happen in many lives and told here in such a way that you the reader can relate to yourself or you possibly know of someone that experienced a similar life.
As an author of short stories and a weekly column for a small weekly newspaper, I enjoy submissions that I can include in my ‘Tales of a Trail of Life’ column. There was a large envelope on my desk one morning last week that I didn’t get a chance to open until later in the afternoon. I took the time to lean back in my chair with a fresh cup of coffee while the office was closed and began reading. The warmth of her words and the story thread was so interesting that I asked for her permission to share it in its entirety. It was granted and thus this story unfolds.
The time frame for the story goes back to the late 50’s to the current year of this writing, 2012. Romance is the theme but nostalgic values of past and present can be adjusted for any time span that would incorporate your own personal fantasy or similar facts in life.
The hand written submission was a standout in an age where everything is in a word document digital template. This story is compiled from Ashley Biggly’s daily journals during a special time period and we get to enter her personal life and live the humor, drama, excitement and nostalgia that she shares.
I must confess that when I opened the envelope I did hold it up to my nose for a tell tale whiff of perfume but there was none. Back in the day when snail mail was our form of romantic communication, letters arrived with an aroma of a favorite perfume. I never gave it much thought until now. How did all the mail carriers enjoy those scented communications where hearts were opened up one to another?
Keeping in mind that it’s not a letter but pages of a personal diary that I’m sharing with you and adding my author’s license to blend it together, enjoy the read. Cry when she cries, laugh when she laughs, hurt when she hurts, rejoice when she…..you get the picture.
The story setting is a small town and its rural surroundings with an old railroad bed converted into a recreational hiking and biking trail. The fictional town of Myers, PA has a very special history and is very instrumental in making this story possible. As you will learn, Ashley has an almost fairy tale story to share spanning over fifty years.
In my weekly column I always encourage the readers to share a snippet of their ‘Tales of a Trail of Life.’ When appropriate I edit for content that may not be appropriate, real town character names have been changed and places mentioned are altered to keep their lives private when put to book form yet I keep the actual names that they submit in article form.
As we continue in chapter two, you are going to feel a special inspiration and a very real desire to take on Ashley’s life because it now seems so perfect. Some of you will have a strong urge to read the last chapter first to make sure this story has an ending of happiness and not a cliff hanger or death. In this story, there is no death, only renewed life and it is in abundance and so richly deserved.
Chapter Two
Ashley completed her Journal entry for her day March 1st 2010. It is her first entry into her new Journal, marking a return to her past. Just two years ago she lost her husband of many years. Last week she returned to her home town of Myers, PA. A decision she and her husband talked about when he was in failing health. He encouraged her to return to her roots that he uprooted her from over 50 years ago.
She thought about it for two years and one morning in January she made the decision and set it in concrete by calling the realtor who had a buyer already lined up for her home when she made the decision to sell. Less than two months and she not only located and purchased a home in her hometown, she moved back and today she and her newly purchased bicycle are beginning a new trail in her life. She and Mother Nature are going to get to know each other once again. Ashley was a tomboy in her youth and now a tom senior in her early senior years.
The Myers Historical Society restoration of the local train depot is Ashley’s departure point and since this is her first ride on the old railroad bed, she will only venture a few miles out before turning around for the return trip. From the very first mile she saw her hometown in a way she never has before. Walking the rails as a youth was forbidden and now the vistas are breathtaking.
Three miles from town the Valley Viaduct loomed into view. How many thousands of times did her parents and later herself behind the wheel drive under that large cement and steel structure? It offered a spectacular view of the narrow gorge and of the roadway below. Ashley leaned her bicycle over on its kickstand and reminisced about her old bicycle left behind on the farm over a half century ago. She was feeling so accomplished on her first day on the trail and three miles on her bicycle odometer so far.
Standing there, Ashley’s mind was reminiscing while looking down into the gorge and rock strewn river below. She was one with nature and her memories of her youth and teen years. “Hello, great day,” a voice boomed. Ashley was so startled she couldn’t acknowledge a reply. The man apologized for scaring her and in her embarrassment she foolishly concocted a story about hearing a noise below and possibly seeing a bear in the undergrowth and that he didn’t scare her.
He didn’t have time to continue with a conversation. Ashley mounted her bike and began riding to her intended goal of 4 miles out before returning to Myers. Once out of view she began hissing at herself for such a childish story she made up. Why not just admit that he startled her. What’s the big deal? Obviously it was her stubborn pride.
When she reached the graded crossing not too much further she began her return journey hoping that the fellow was long gone. There was something about that fellow’s voice that sounded familiar but she couldn’t place it. Maybe it was a store owner in town. Thankfully he was nowhere to be found. After pulling into the depot she quickly mounted her bicycle on the special rack she purchased for the back of her SUV and sat down on a bench and reviewed her special first day on the trail.
Later that evening March 2nd, she entered congratulatory comments in her journal on her milestone she achieved that day. An eight mile bicycle ride and a little notation about a fellow trail rider startling her on the bridge and causing her to act like an immature teenager. Plus she jotted a notation about his familiar voice.
Chapter Three
Weather kept Ashley off the trail for a few days but a sunshine morning greeted her and before you could count your bicycle spokes she and her new friend met up again. The trail was a little damp but her spirit was soaring high and dry. Today she wants to increase her distance to the next trail head at Chance. Chance is just before the long tunnel that was cut through the mountain in the early 1900’s to allow rail passage.
The tires on the dampened trail sang a soft message and within an hour she was at the Chance trailhead and a welcomed sight of a large his/hers porta potty. The echo chamber of the porta potty persuaded her to sing a verse of an old 50’s rock tune. It was a good hearty version and she was once again embarrassed by a voice on the men’s side of the potty singing his version. She
quickly headed toward her bike to make a quick getaway but it was too late.
The male singer exited the potty while still adjusting his trousers. “It’s you,” he said. I didn’t know if I would ever see you again. Please forgive me for the other day when I startled you.” Ashley was forced to have some kind of dialogue before riding off. “That’s ok, I do admit that you gave me a fright and that it wasn’t a bear and by the way, your rendition sounded a lot better than mine.” With that she was peddling away toward the tunnel. The man yelled after her. “I love that song, my girl and I sang it together back in high school.”
Ashley was overcome with an emotional seizure. Her vision clouded and grew darker from a rushing blood surge that swept over her. The wobbling bicycle left the trail and deposited her in a swampy marsh. Her helmet took the brunt of the fall when her head landed near a rotting log. She heard the dropping of a bike and a man’s voice telling her not to move, just lay still Ashley Elizabeth.
A shadow straddled her and Old Spice after shave scent swirled around her head. Her dad’s aftershave smell and Dwayne’s. Oh my god! It’s Dwayne, it really is Dwayne. Nobody ever called her Ashley Elizabeth but Dwayne and her mother. Another embarrassing moment. She opened her eyes, squinting into the bright sunlight and the man, Dwayne’s helmeted silhouette.
“Dwayne, it really is you.” “It’s ok, you are going to be ok, just let me remove your helmet Ashley, easy does it.” She is soaked and this April morning is making her wet and cold condition very noticeable. “Try sitting up Ash, don’t move too fast.” Ashley already knows she is ok but she does what he says. How nice it is to follow directions from a caring individual.
Once she sat up, Dwayne noticed how wet she was and helped her to stand up and to get back onto the trail where it was dry. He had her sit down while he retrieved her unharmed bicycle. Thankfully Dwayne decided to start his trail morning at the Chance trail head and the next order of business was to get her into the parking lot and into his sun warmed truck.
Ashley could walk fine and the warm leather seat on her wet backside felt so good. She watched as this handsome senior tended to both their bikes. When he got into the drivers side she asked. “How long did you know Dwayne?”
“I knew from our first meeting. That beautiful embarrassed look on your face when I startled you brought immediate flashbacks to our high school days. You always had that turned down head and upturned eyes when you felt silly or embarrassed or uncomfortable. Yes, just like that, you are doing it now. Oh how I carried that look with me in all my years.”
Chapter Four
Dwayne suggested he drive her to the emergency room at the hospital in Myers. She refused but thanked him for the concern. Her jacket needed to be removed; it was getting very warm in the truck, both in temperature and emotions.
She accepted his help to remove her wet jacket and when he reached back into the club cab to grab a blanket his face was almost next to hers. She leaned up to allow the blanket to be draped around her shoulders and down over her legs. “We need to get you home so you can get out of those wet pants.” “I’m ok, really. I can ride my bike back to town to get my SUV.” Dwayne would have none of that. “I’m driving you home and then I will ride my bike to the station to get your wheels.”
“Before you do Dwayne, where do you live now?” Dwayne didn’t hesitate. “I’m living on the farm Ashley. I purchased it many years ago from mom and dad and I have the Amish farming it. I moved back about six months ago after my wife died. I live in the little cottage. The kids encouraged it and I was ready.
“How about you Ash?” “My John died after a lengthy illness and he encouraged me to move back to my home town that he took me from all those years ago. I purchased a home that just came on the market and here I am. I have one daughter who lives in Akron.”
Dwayne started the truck and headed for town. The two of them were becoming very excited that history has reintroduced them once again. Ashley was thinking to herself and wondered if her John had something to do with this chance meeting. It would be just like him to do something like this for his Ashlyn.
Dwayne felt like he was on a first date. He was giddy and nostalgic at the same time. ‘Remember when’ must have been uttered two dozen times before they turned into Ashley’s home driveway. Dwayne sat in awe. It couldn’t be but it was. He looked at Ashley to confirm his wonder. She nodded yes.
Yes it was exactly where they did so much together their sophomore through senior years. It was their favorite parking spot where they shared each others lives, their hopes and desires, their love for one another and their future plans together and yes it was where they shared their intimacy for the first and last time. After graduation, Dwayne left for military duty and somehow their lives drifted apart.
“Oh Ashley, in a million years you could never understand how important this very spot was for me in Viet Nam. You and I together, here. I relived every conversation we ever had. I had the time to think during my recovery from a leg wound that refused to heal. I’m sorry I stopped writing to you. My injury was life threatening and I didn’t want you to know and I explained why to my parents.”
“That is what they meant that their Dwayne was in deep emotional pain and he just wanted me to know that he would always love me. “Dwayne, why? Why would you not tell me and let me care for you?” There in the front seat they both began sobbing. Comforting one another for what was not to be, the decades of questioning what really went wrong and then assuring each other that their lives were meant to be apart from each other until now.
Chapter Five
Ashley explained to Dwayne that when the realtor called her about this home she tried to explain where it was but assured her it was the perfect home for her in the perfect spot and just come to visit it soon. I drove in from Indiana that weekend and when she drove me into the driveway I was without words. Tears flowed and the realtor apologized for causing me to drive all this way to not like the property.
“I just mumbled sold in-between my sobbing and she thought I was saying it was too old and she began telling me it was just built three years ago. Finally I composed myself enough to say, SOLD. To confirm it I got out of her car, pulled the sign out of the ground and told her to put it into her car. She didn’t understand and I didn’t ask to have a walkthrough. I got back into her car, we went to her office and the paperwork began flowing. Cash was transferred and the home was soon to be mine.
Dwayne had to remind her that she would be more comfortable telling him this if she was in dry clothes. Ashley started laughing and apologizing saying she just had to get that off her chest. Yes, her emotions were stirred up from what they had many years ago. She invited Dwayne into her home and he sat in the kitchen waiting for her return.
Soon Ashley walked into the kitchen exclaiming how a shower and clean clothes could turn your day around. Dwayne agreed and asked how she felt. Did she have any bumps or bruises? “Since you asked, I will tell you. My biggest injury was my pride of being independent after John’s death. My pride in thinking I was getting it all together and you crushed it with 16 words just like you crushed me with the surprise 16th birthday party you had for me.”
Dwayne wondered about the sixteen words. “What did I say Ash, I didn’t mean to…..” Ashley interrupted him. “You changed the course of my history Dwayne when you yelled out after me, ‘I love that song, my girl and I sang it together back in high school, Ashley!”
“I’m so sorry Ashley. I caused your accident. I just couldn’t stand to watch you ride away from me again like the other day when you left me standing on the Viaduct. I just couldn’t, I was hoping those words would spark a memory since you didn’t seem to recognize who I was or who I became.”
“They not only caused a spark of memory they seized my heart and squeezed it so hard that I had an emotional seizure Dwayne. I blanked out, my vision darkened and I lost control, so yes, it was your fault and I thank you for it. It was the best accident I ever had.”
Dwayne smiled and took both of Ashley’s hands into his. He pulled her closer to him and gave her a long warm affectionate embrace. Just a few hours ago they were two people on the trail. Now they are two people who have shared some of each other’s early life on their trail of life journey and are blessed to be able to once again ride on the same trail of life together.
Ashley whispered into Dwayne’s ear. “Would you please stay for dinner?” Dwayne commented that he was sorry but he had to leave. Ashley felt disappointed and simply said, “Perhaps another time then.”
Dwayne with a twinkle in his eyes looked deeply into her eyes and said, “I would like that very much. Could we do it in about a half hour, after I bicycle into town to get your SUV?” Ashley was elated, “Oh my goodness, I completely forgot about that detail, and yes do that and I’ll start supper. Around these parts we call it supper.”
As he began unloading Ashley’s bike and then his, he looked up and saw her standing in the doorway and he had to ask. “Ashley, can this be considered our first date?” Then as he mounted his bike and fastened his helmet she came out on the patio in her bare feet, standing there in her casual dress looking so inviting, she blew him a kiss.
