The smell of the coffee lured her in and so she sat
blowing on the steam from her cup. The war had only been over a handful of
weeks but already she felt that things were better. Bravely, she took a sip and
looked out over the Boardwalk knowing that what lay ahead were brighter days.
He was going to hitch all the way no matter what his
mama said. This was the 1950s: things are
a whole lot different mama, we ain’t like you. He packed a small bag,
kissed her on both cheeks and headed out the door, by tomorrow he’d be in the same
town as Elvis. One bus journey was all that stood between him and brighter
days.
He hadn’t asked God for much out of life, well not since
the cancer hit his younger brother – and God had been listening that day. He hadn’t
really pushed God for anything much in recent years, so that was why he was asking
him to let his team win the Cup. He just knew that
God had caught that one too; brighter days, indeed.
She’d been walking her kids to school when the plane hit
and as they crossed around into the avenue, they could see the flames shooting
from the building. She was scared and she wasn’t sure what to do except hold
their hands tighter. She tried to remain calm and think of brighter days, just
then one of the kids asked why the bird coming from the building was on fire.
He lost everything when the bank went under, everything,
the house, the car, his job and no matter how much pleading, his wife. He was
working in a car wash now and the depression had disappeared down the drain
with the soap suds and water. He had nothing left, let’s be honest, but he had
his health and he knew that brighter days lay just up ahead.
It was all we ever needed, the smile of brighter days.
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