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| The Visit of Oliver Townsend |
Oliver always enjoyed cigars, especially pricey ones. When we visited, we often sat on the front porch and smoked. Neither of us smoked indoors, mainly out of respect for our wives.
The night after Oliver's son Matthew called me, I was in my home office pricing some tools on some website - I don't remember what site I was on or what I was looking for. Suddenly, I smelled the overpowering aroma of what was surely a fine cigar. I hadn't smoked a cigar in ages, and no smoker was on the property. I then realized that the smell was coming from the window which, because of the arrangement of my house, meant that it was coming from the front porch. After several minutes I got up and went outside.
When I stepped out onto the porch, I encountered something that would haunt me for the rest of my life. The cigar smell was overwhelming, to be sure, but it was another event that would trouble me. Walking away, toward the end of my driveway, was none other than Oliver. As he reached the end of my property, he turned around and bowed slightly. He then waved...and disappeared from my sight.
I often wonder what would have happened if I had gone outside faster than I did. Did Oliver have something to tell me? His image seemed healthy and whole. Did he want to tell me that he was okay, despite what he had done to himself? Or was he simply dropping by to see an old friend? These questions remain unanswered, and to this day I remain curious about the visit of Oliver Townsend.
The End
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