NOSTALGIA

NOSTALGIA – By David Novick
1
“I loved you once.” Joshua’s watery eyes distorted the image of the
child as he stared at her through the cottage’s living room window. It was a
humid summer night in Greenville, New York. The occasional breeze did little to
quell the heat. Joshua couldn’t bear to look at the toddler anymore, so he looked
at his watch again, which was illuminated by the moonlight piercing through the
nearby woods. It was 8:48. Joshua closed his eyes and inhaled the fresh country
air. The only sounds he was aware of were the cicadas’ unique pitches they used
to communicate with one another. Joshua’s tears rolled down both cheeks, and
his nose started to run. He reached in his left pants pocket for one of the many
crisp handkerchiefs that his girlfriend had sewn him. Before using it, he looked at
the intricate design of little butterflies stitched.
Joshua had met Kimberly through a weekly art class in which she was
the instructor. He liked her from the very beginning but never told her until the
course for the spring season was over.
“Have I improved?” The other students already left, so it was just the
two of them.
“Yes, of course,” she replied while tidying up the room.
“Thanks for the ego boost,” Joshua said, half-kidding.
Kimberly smiled as she washed some used paintbrushes in one of the sinks.
“C’mon, you do have talent. Don’t sell yourself short.”
“Oh, I’m not. I don’t consider 6’5 short,” Joshua quipped, causing
Kimberly to laugh.
Joshua was always quick when it came to making little jokes like this one on
the spot. Even when he was a youngster, he had a natural propensity for humor.

2
It was this positive mindset that had carried him through a tragedy which had
occurred when he was 17: his parents were killed when they were hit head-on by
a vehicle running a red light. Although deep down, he suffered from his loss, he
never let it dominate his life. His folks had encouraged him to try his best to be
happy in life no matter how bad things got.
“Do you need any help?” he asked Kimberly who was trying to lift a
big easel onto one of the shelves in the closet.
“Actually, yeah,” she replied with a sigh. “I feel so puny compared to
you. By the way, you look more than 6’5.”
“Well, that’s probably because of the inserts in my sneakers,” he said
as he came to her. “But my being tall doesn’t mean I’m able to play basketball. I
tried a few times, but it wasn’t a pretty sight.” They both smiled as he took the
heavy easel from her hands. She looked at his lower body as he hoisted the
object onto the top-most shelf.
“You have a cute butt,” she blurted out of nowhere.
“Excuse me?” Joshua laughed. They were both blushing at this
point.
“How do I return a compliment of that nature?” He closed the closet
and turned to face her. She stood about 5’6, with a small frame. Her hair was
fiery red, compressed into a bun at the top. Her hair color was complemented
with emerald green eyes, fair skin, and her lips had a stain of mahogany lipstick.
Although she was dressed in a black top and black skirt with matching heels like
an Orthodox Jew, she wasn’t that observant. Joshua wasn’t strictly religious
either, despite the fact that he, too, wore black all the time and had a
stereotypical Jewish beard, just not as long. He had brown hair and eyes, wore
Clark-Kent-type glasses, and was slim for his size.
“Listen. All seriousness aside,” Joshua began, causing Kimberly to
laugh again. He felt his palms getting clammy and his heart beginning to flutter.

3
“If you have some free time, would you want to grab some coffee
somewhere?” Kimberly looked down before answering, causing Joshua to tense
up even more.
“Well, we have coffee downstairs…” she answered, trailing off
purposely.
“Oh, right,” Joshua stammered. “I just thought you’d might like to
go –“
“Relax, Josh,” she interrupted. “We could go to the Dunkin’ Donuts
down the block if you’d like. I’ll just need a minute to lock up.” Joshua didn’t
know if he felt relief from her saying yes or just from the fact that she put the
awkwardness to rest.
“Okay, great,” she said, cheerfully. “I’ll let you do your thing while I
wait down in the lobby.”
“Cool,” she replied, nodding.
Even though she accepted his offer, he didn’t want to get his hopes too
high. After all, this would be his first “pseudo-date” in his entire life. The few
minutes he waited in the lobby felt excruciatingly long. His long fingers were
fidgeting from anxiety even when he finally saw her descending the stairs.
“Hello again,” he called to her in the sea of people meandering
about. He was trying to play it cool, but he couldn’t deny his true feelings: he felt
like crying from fear.
“Hey. You ready to go? You all right?” Kimberly asked curiously.
“Yeah. Well, I guess I’m feeling a little jittery.” Kimberly’s freckled
nose wrinkled from confusion.
“So do you think coffee would be appropriate now?”

4
“Yeah,” Joshua replied quickly. “Coffee actually calms me down.” As
the two walked through the lobby doors, he added “I’m an anomaly; what can I
say?”
“Whatever works,” Kimberly said as she loosened the bun and shook
out her lustrous hair to let it flow over her neck and shoulders. Joshua pretended
like he wasn’t paying attention but saw this out of the corner of his eye. They
stopped at the corner to wait for the red light. Joshua wasn’t one for remaining
silent when he was with a companion.
“So how long have you been working at the Y as an art teacher?” he
asked, turning left to face her.
“I actually started here last summer.”
“It seems like a nice job,” Joshua continued. “I mean, you do, in a
sense, provide an escape for people.” The traffic light changed to red and the
“Walk” sign appeared on the yellow traffic device.
“Yeah, it has its rewards,” she said as they crossed over to the
Dunkin’ Donuts. “What do you do, if I may ask?”
“I’m a court reporter,” Joshua answered as he opened the door for
her.
“Oh, wow. Is that with the machine-thingy?” Kimberly mimed with
her fingers.
“Yep, that’s me.”
“So what’s the process like in learning how to do that?”
“Three words: repetition, repetition, repetition.”
“I bet!” Kimberly nodded.

5
“All right. So you want something to eat with the coffee?” Kimberly
shook her head slightly.
“No thanks. I’m good.” After he ordered, Joshua inhaled the strong
aroma of the coffee mixed with the sweet scent of the donuts and muffins.
“Are you teaching in the fall?” he asked, trying to suppress his
eagerness.
“Uh-huh. I teach all year round.” Joshua nodded, again, trying to play
it cool. Kimberly then ordered her coffee specifically with no milk and sugar.
Joshua looked around and managed to spot an unoccupied table.
“Would you mind grabbing that table over there before I pay?” he
asked, pointing to the center table near the wall.
“Okay,” Kimberly replied. “But don’t put any hemlock in my coffee; I
kinda want to live.” Joshua put on a mock serious face to play along with the joke.
“Well, now I won’t. “ As she walked to the table, Joshua took a
breath. He hoped things would continue to go smoothly.
He paid and wrapped a couple of napkins around the steaming cups
before walking towards Kimberly.
“Here’s your hemlock-free beverage.” Joshua put her coffee cup on
the table and slid himself along the cushioned seat against the wall, holding onto
his cup.
“So what are your plans for the rest of the summer?” Joshua asked
before taking a sip.
“Well, I’m going to visit my folks upstate. They’re retired now, so
they’re living the good life. How about you? Any family get-togethers?” This
question struck a nerve with Joshua, which showed through his expression of
angst.

6
“My, uh…my parents died years ago,” he said softly, clearing his
throat. Kimberly froze from the news.
“Oh, my God. I’m so sorry.”
Joshua shook his head after taking another sip.
“It was a while ago; a hit-and-run.” The two sat in silence for a bit
and then Joshua looked up at Kimberly who had a sad look. He smiled because of
her concern.
“Hey,” he said. “The past is called the past for a reason, right?” But
Kimberly reached out and touched Joshua’s arm.
“No one should go through a trauma like that, especially someone
like you.” Joshua shied away from her and started to get agitated.
“Can we just talk about something else?” he asked. Kimberly
retracted her arm and nodded.
“Of course. Whatever makes you comfortable,” she replied softly.
But at this point, Joshua wasn’t himself.
“Look, it’s not like my baggage is holding me back. I’d rather move
on; that’s what my parents would’ve wanted.” Kimberly just nodded while
keeping her eyes fixed on him.
“Listen, I think I’m gonna go. Maybe we can get together another
time.”
After another few moments of silence, Joshua shook his head.
“Sure,” Kimberly responded, trying to sound upbeat. Joshua got up
and took a breath. He extended his hand, which she shook gently.

7
“So I’ll see ya,” he said, half-smiling. Kimberly nodded solemnly as he
got up to leave. When he exited Dunkin’ Donuts, she closed her eyes and shook
her head.
When Joshua got back to his apartment, all he could think to do was lie
down in the bedroom for a little while. He felt down in talking about his parents’
death.
As he was lying in bed with his eyes closed, he reflected on how he first
received the bad news. It was the day before his high school graduation. When
his last class had finished, a friend of the family had come into the classroom as
the students were leaving. He was a rabbi, about six feet tall, clad in his religious
garb. The clothing consisted of a black hat, black suit and tie, with a contrasting
white shirt, and black shoes. He was clean-shaven, as was Joshua, wore thick
bifocals and had an angular jaw. Some of the exiting students looked at him
curiously in passing. When Joshua looked up after packing away all his supplies,
he noticed the rabbi talking to the teacher. When the teacher glanced in Joshua’s
direction, Joshua, for a reason unknown to him, got a sickening feeling in the pit
of his stomach. A few more words were spoken between the two before the
teacher nodded and let the rabbi advance towards Joshua. He swallowed hard,
noticing that the rabbi’s face was ghost white, as if all life had been sucked out of
him.
The rabbi took off his hat, revealing the thick head of salt-and-pepper hair
before addressing young Joshua.
“Hello, Joshua.” There was a shakiness in the rabbi’s voice coupled
with his nervous smile.
“Hello, Mr. Rabbinowitz,” Joshua replied flatly.
“Last day of school, huh?” The shakiness of his voice seemed to
intensify. Joshua nodded slightly, awaiting his next words. Rabbinowitz took a
breath before speaking again.

8
“Uh, Josh. Your parents…” he trailed off in an effort to keep his
composure. Joshua’s entire body tensed up both in the flashback and in his
current state in bed.
“Mr. Rabbinowitz, what happened?” Joshua asked in his own shaky
voice. The rabbi took of his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
“It was a head-on crash,” he whispered. “They passed instantly.”
Tears immediately welled up in Joshua’s eyes until they overflowed onto both
cheeks. The rabbi put both his arms on Joshua’s shoulders, trying to hold back his
own tears.
“I’m so sorry, son. The good Lord took them early.”
At this point, Joshua’s ringing cell phone interrupted the rest of his
flashback. He opened his eyes with a start and picked up the phone from his end
table. The incoming call was from an unknown source. He was going to shut it off
after a few more rings, but decided to see who it was. He cleared his throat
before answering.
“Yes?”
“Hi, Josh?” It was a young woman’s voice.
“Speaking,” he replied dryly.
“Hey, it’s Kimberly.” Joshua was perplexed as to how she got his
number.
“You dropped your wallet in Dunkin’ Donuts,” she continued. After
feeling around his pockets, he realized it fell out.
“Your I.D. has your cell number on it, so I figured I’d call you. Did I
get you at a bad time?”
“No,” Joshua sighed. “I was just resting.”

9
“Oh, okay. If you don’t mind, I could always bring it to you, since it
contains your address.”
“Right, it’s all there,” Joshua chuckled. “Are you sure it’s not out of
your way?”
“Not at all,” Kimberly answered. “I’m still at Dunkin’ Donuts, so it’s
not like I’m going straight from where I live to you.”
“Well, since you know my address, isn’t it fair for me to know where
you live?” Kimberly laughed a little before answering.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’m in Astoria, right around the corner
from the hospital.”
“All right. I guess we’re squared away now,” Joshua said, as he got
up and stretched.
“Listen,” he continued. “I’m sorry I was short with you today.”
“Hey, I’m always short with you. That is, whenever I stand next to
you.”
Joshua smiled at Kimberly’s quirky humor.
“Cool. So without traffic, it shouldn’t take you more than 20
minutes.”
“No problem. I’ll see you soon.”
After hanging up, Joshua started to spruce himself up again. Although he
anticipated a quick visit, he still wanted to look his best for her. He felt that he
almost blew it with her even though his reaction in Dunkin’ Donuts wasn’t
extreme. This was in contrast to how he behaved once the rabbi told him the gut-
wrenching news of his parents’ death: Joshua never properly grieved and denied
the emotions which came with that process, particularly anger. He made a secret
vow that he would never get angry again, since he viewed that as a waste of

10
energy and an emotion that would alienate whoever was close with him. He
thought he broke that vow after he left Kimberly alone, when, in actuality, his
take on it was way out of proportion. The trauma from the past caused him an
inner pain, which he prevented from surfacing from the fear that, if brought out,
it would consume him and everyone in his path.
Kimberly pulled up to his apartment building in a white Toyota Camry.
Joshua had been waiting in the lobby, keeping an eye out for her. He took a
breath before opening the door and stepping into the sunlight. Joshua squinted
as he began walking toward her car. She playfully honked the horn twice when
Joshua got closer.
“Hey there, Stretch,” she called out. When he finally got to the
Camry, he bent down to the open front-passenger’s side window. The air
conditioning was cranked up, which blew across to Joshua a refreshing gust of
cold air along with the sweet-scented perfume Kimberly had on.
“Hello,” Joshua said with a quick wave of his hand. She reached for
his wallet on the console and held it up.
“Don’t worry, Josh. Everything’s still in here.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks for the reassurance,” he responded flatly.
Kimberly lowered the air conditioning slightly.
“You all right?” she asked, getting into a more serious manner.
“Yeah, sure,” Joshua nodded, as he took his wallet back. “I still feel
guilty about snapping at you earlier.” Kimberly raised her eyebrows.
“You think that was snapping?” she asked in a surprised tone. “It
wasn’t even close. You’re, like the last person who would even get angry.” Joshua
was taken aback by her insight.
“Wow,” he said, getting into a better frame of mind. “I mean, I’m not
saying I’m a saint, but getting angry is the number-one thing I don’t want

11
happening. It’s even the same thing with annoyance.” Kimberly nodded, not
wanting to interrupt his train of thought.
“I’ve never talked about my parents’ death to anybody, yet I confided
in you and I haven’t even gotten to know you. How weird is that?”
“Not weird at all,” Kimberly replied immediately.” Joshua looked
away from her to hide his tears.
“Hey. It’s okay. You have to let it out,” she said softly and touched
one of his hands, which were resting on the window sill.
After a few moments of silence, Joshua looked up at Kimberly, still teary-
eyed.
“I feel like I have to make things right with you,” he said with a more
steady voice.
“What do you mean?” Kimberly asked, as she removed her hand
from his.
“I know from your perspective, I didn’t snap at you,” Joshua
continued. “But in my head, I did. I hold myself to a ridiculously high standard
such that every single negative emotion or thought I have is magnified to the nth
degree. Don’t get me wrong. I mean, I really like you, and I’m not treating you
like a charity case. Actually, I feel like I’m better with you.”
Kimberly nodded.
“What are you getting at, Josh?” she said, almost prompting him on
cue. Joshua swallowed hard before speaking again.
“Would you want to go with me for dinner sometime? I mean, you
know, when it’s convenient –“
“I’d love to,” Kimberly interrupted with a slight smile.

12
“Awesome,” Joshua uttered with a sigh of relief. Then he said
jokingly “Maybe then, I’ll even ask about your life and how you’re doing.”
“How considerate,” Kimberly responded, playing along.
After the two exchanged numbers and Kimberly drove off, Joshua looked at
the piece of paper on which Kimberly wrote.
‘Stay strong and positive’ it read on the line below her phone
number. Joshua smiled shyly even though no one was around and folded it up
into his pants pocket. As he walked back to his apartment building, he felt giddy,
as if he were going to a school prom.
By the time next Saturday evening came – the day on Joshua and Kimberly
agreed to meet – Joshua was a nervous wreck. He had never in his life felt this
jittery. He knew he had something good going and wanted everything to run
smoothly. He was going to drive to her area in Astoria, and there was a
diner/café across the street from Mount Sinai Hospital at which they were going
to eat. He made sure to allow plenty of time to get there for 7 o’clock.
Fortunately, traffic wasn’t an issue. Joshua got to the diner at 6:35, so he had
some time to kill. After parking in the lot, he decided to go to a nearby florist to
get a few roses for Kimberly.
Once inside, he took a look around. Joshua wanted something simple, not
a bouquet or anything like that. But it seemed as though all the flowers that were
for sale only came in big bunches. When the frail, elderly Oriental behind the
register finished with the customer ahead of Joshua, he approached the man with
a nervous smile.
“Would you happen to have something smaller than everything
that’s on the shelves?” The old man nodded and bent over to take out a variety of
smaller items on a lower shelf behind the counter. Out of all the things that the
man displayed, Joshua couldn’t resist the lush corsage.

13
“That one is perfect,” Joshua said, still with a nervous smile. The
florist gave Joshua a onceover, noticing the light gray suit and black tie along with
the freshly-polished shoes. He looked Joshua in the eye and gave him a warm
smile, almost as if he were aware of Joshua’s upcoming date.
“That’s $14,” the man said in a heavy Korean accent.
“Fine. I appreciate your help,” Joshua said after giving him $15 and
then putting the remaining change in the tip jar.
“Thank you. Have a good evening,” the man slurred, grabbing the
nearby broom to sweep up some petals from the floor.
By the time Joshua exited the shop, the time was 6:46. He figured that he’d
wait in front of the quaint diner for Kimberly in case she was also running early.
He looked at the bright yellow flower inside the plastic container and began
thinking whether it was a bit much for a first date. However, once he looked up
and saw Kimberly walking up the block, his doubt vanished. She was wearing a
crisp, sleeveless, bright red dress with matching high heels. Her hair was styled in
elegant curls. The rouge she had on her cheeks complemented her dress, and the
pink eye shadow brought out her emerald eyes in an exotic way. She also had on
a slight amount of lip gloss, which shimmered ever so slightly along with the long,
turquois earrings and silver necklace. Joshua was almost in shock from how
different she looked – especially by the fact that this was all for him.
Upon seeing Joshua waiting anxiously by the entrance, she flashed a
beaming smile.
“Hey, you.”
Joshua swallowed before responding.
“Wow. You look amazing. I’m almost speechless.”
She smiled again, this time almost self-consciously.

14
“Uh, here. I thought you might like this,” Joshua said, handing her
the flower.
“Oh, it’s lovely. It’s, like sun-colored,” she replied, taking it out of the
container.
“Thank you, Josh.” She came close to him and stood on her tip-toes
to give him a peck on his cheek. His heart fluttered from the sensation of the
delicate kiss along with the sweet waft of her perfume.
“Aw, shucks,” he said, trying to play it off. She sniffed the flower but
didn’t indicate whether it gave off an aroma. Joshua felt this was an appropriate
time to open the door for her.
“Shall we?” he said in a mock-sophisticated tone.
“Why thank you,” Kimberly answered, echoing his light-hearted
humor as she stepped inside.
They were seated at a table near one of the windows as requested by
Joshua. After sitting in silence for about a minute to decide what to order, Joshua
cleared his throat.
“So do you have an idea of what to have?” he asked before taking a
draught of water. Kimberly nodded slightly.
“I’m going back and forth between the Chicken Marsala and the
Steak Tips Oreganata,” she responded as her eyes stayed affixed to the menu.
“Oh, the steak tips sound good,” Joshua said with enthusiasm. “The
Chicken Marsala is a more common entrée.” Kimberly looked up at him and
smiled.
“That’s a pretty bold statement,” she said in an exaggerated
surprised tone. “Do you make recommendations like that when you go on other

15
dates?” Joshua felt himself blush as he reached for the water again. He took a sip
before answering.
“Actually, to be honest, this is the first legitimate date I’ve been on.”
He avoided her gaze from embarrassment until she addressed him again.
“Don’t worry, Josh,” she said softly as she reached out and touched
his hand that was grasping the water glass. “You’re doing fine. And you know
what? I’m going to take you up on your offer and order the steak tips.” Joshua
stifled a chuckle as she took her hand off his.
“So what about you?” Kimberly continued. “Are you going to order
anything interesting?”
“Well, I was going to get a burger and fries, but to quell your curiosity
about how the Chicken Marsala would have been, I’ll ask the waiter for that.”
“Such a gentleman,” Kimberly responded with a purposely overdone,
impressed expression.
“I try,” Joshua retorted, playing along.
Joshua became increasingly more relaxed as the night went on. It no longer
felt like a first date to him; it was as if he’d known her for a long time. After they
finished the meal, Joshua left a generous tip, and he waited for Kimberly to grab
her silk-white pocketbook and let her walk in front of him. Once they exited,
Joshua felt like a different person from before. He never thought he’d meet
someone like Kimberly who would give him confidence.
Although it was technically the end of the date, he was feeling bold enough
to pose a question.
“Would you like me to walk you home?” he said in an eager tone.
But Kimberly didn’t answer immediately, as she was looking for something in her
pocketbook. Joshua felt himself tense up, and he wondered if the question was
too forward.

16
“Sure,” she replied at last, despite being distracted. Joshua’s muscles
relaxed and he let out a slight sigh. Kimberly continued to rummage as they
began walking. Joshua looked at his watch and couldn’t believe it was 10:30. He
reflexively began to yawn even though he tried hard to suppress it.
The neighborhood was quiet at this hour, and the jet-black sky was filled to
the brim with shimmering stars. Kimberly’s heels made an echo as they clicked
with each step she took. The humidity was lower than it had been from the past
few nights.
“Aha!” Kimberly exclaimed about halfway through the walk, and she
took out from her purse a couple of handkerchiefs. Joshua stopped walking to
see what she was about to hand him.
“I happen to sew, so I’d figure I would make these for you.” The
handkerchiefs Kimberly gave to Joshua consisted of delicately-embroidered
butterfly designs.
Joshua examined the impressive designs for a few seconds as he
simultaneously felt the soft texture of the fabric.
“Wow,” he exclaimed. “How did you learn to do this?” Kimberly
smiled from his reaction.
“Well, my mom taught me when I was younger, but I kind of
improvised later on.” Joshua nodded as he continued to fixate on the detail.
“To tell you the truth,” Kimberly added, “you gave me butterflies
when I first saw you in class.” Joshua looked up at her and then began to blush.
He cleared his throat before speaking again.
“So that’s where the ‘cute butt’ comment came into play,” he said,
jokingly. They both laughed and continued walking. Once the two were a few
steps away from Kimberly’s apartment, Joshua posed another question to her.
“Listen, are you doing anything tomorrow?”

17
“Well, that depends, Josh,” she answered coyly. “Do you have
anything in mind?”
Joshua blushed again.
“Well, I looked online, and there’s a cool lake about 30 miles from
here. I figured we could check it out, if that would be all right with you.”
“Ooh, getting adventurous, aren’t you?” she replied as she took half-
a-step closer to Josh. He tilted his head a little bit.
“Yeah, you could say that.” Kimberly closed the distance even more
until he couldn’t resist kissing her. He felt so alive as his lips were upon hers.
When they separated, it started to drizzle, as if Nature was touched by their
romantic moment.
“What time do you want to start out tomorrow?” she whispered.
The rain intensified.
“How about 9:00?” he said quickly while he wiped the raindrops from
his face.
“Perfect,” she said, kissing him again. “Call me?”
“Definitely. All right, hurry up and get inside,” Joshua said taking a
few steps back. As Kimberly walked quickly to the door, Joshua lingered a few
moments to gaze at her. Once she was under the apartment awning, he turned
and began walking briskly to his car.
On the way back to Howard Beach, Joshua could not stop smiling. He was
already looking forward to seeing Kimberly the next morning. His only regret was
that he couldn’t tell his parents that he met such a wonderful young woman. In
fact, once he entered his apartment, he went to the bedroom and pulled out a
photo album from under the bed. It consisted of pictures of him and his parents
throughout the years. The last one was of the three of them celebrating Joshua’s
17th
birthday in October of 1994. With his fingertips, he lightly touched their

18
smiling faces. Once Joshua felt his eyes getting watery, he closed the album and
gently slid it back into place.
Joshua had a peculiar dream that night; it involved him and Kimberly at the
lake. He was filming her on an i-Phone as the sun was setting. Both of them were
laughing as Kimberly acted overly playful for the camera. Their laughter
continued as the sun set even more, creating a unique, shimmering pattern across
the water.
“Hey, tape me swimming!” Kimberly exclaimed, but Joshua was
laughing so hard that he couldn’t neither respond nor control the positioning of
the phone. Although Kimberly was barefoot, she didn’t bother taking any other
articles of clothing off as she began wading into the water. Joshua was so beside
himself at this point that he dropped to the ground in hysteria. But when he
finally composed himself and looked up at the lake again, Kimberly was nowhere
to be seen. A wave of nausea came across Joshua and the sun was barely visible
by now. He wiped away tears from the laughter and an overwhelming panic set
in.
“Kimberly?” he yelled out, his voice echoing in the distance. He
could barely see the lake, and he started to tremble.
“Kimberly?” he roared and looked left and right as the echoes
continued to ricochet. The tears that streamed onto his face were now from
dread.
Suddenly, he was able to make out a figure emerging from the water near
the shore.
“Kimberly?” he said softly and in an eager tone. But his hope was
crushed, as the shadow which appeared before him was that of a little girl.
“Who are you?” the child whispered.

19
At this point, Joshua woke up in a cold sweat. He immediately turned on
the lamp next to his bed to escape the darkness of the bedroom. After a few
moments, he breathed a sigh of relief and then changed out of his damp pajamas.
It was a good hour or so before he was able to fall back asleep.
When morning came, Joshua’s excitement of seeing Kimberly again
vanquished the anxiety he experienced from the dream. He took a quick shower
before breakfast and then called Kimberly at about 8:30 to confirm their
rendezvous.
“Hey, you” Kimberly answered after a few rings.
“Good morning. You still up for the trip?”
“You’d better believe it, Josh,” she retorted.
“Cool. Did you have breakfast already?”
“No, not yet. But I’m just going to have a quick bite with some good
coffee – I had a little difficulty sleeping.”
“You too?” Joshua responded in surprise.
“Yeah,” Kimberly said, stifling a yawn.
“Oh, man. Sorry to hear that. Maybe you’ll snooze while we’re
driving up.” Joshua walked into the bathroom to check his hair again.
“Well, as long as you don’t put any moves on me while I’m dozing.”
Joshua laughed a bit.
“Don’t worry. I’m not that creepy.” Kimberly laughed and Joshua
heard her pouring something.
“You’re pouring the coffee now, eh?”

20
“Hey, are you eavesdropping?” she answered playfully.
“Well, it’s good to the last eavesdrop,” Joshua joked. Kimberly
laughed again.
“All right. I’m leaving in a few minutes, so I’ll let you go.”
“Okay. I’ll be ready. Thanks, Josh.”
“No problem. See ya soon.”
After Joshua hung up, he went over to the medicine cabinet and took out
some Jovan Musk cologne. He spritzed his neck on each side a couple of times,
then put back the container. After looking at himself in the bathroom mirror one
last time, he took a breath, grabbed his wallet and keys from the drysink and
headed out the door.
About midway through his drive to Kimberly, he put the radio on and the
song “Drive By” from the band “Train” was playing, which was one of his favorite
songs. He softly sang along during the last half as he stopped at a light. He kind
of trailed off as he looked at a mother and her toddler daughter crossing the
street. When the little girl looked in his direction, Joshua gave her a slight smile,
to which she shyly turned away and continued swinging her arm as she crossed to
the sidewalk.
When Joshua made the turn onto Kimberly’s street, she was already
waiting outside of the apartment building’s main door. She had on a sleeveless
yellow dress with matching heels. Her hair was swept up into a bun. Her
eyelashes were dark with black mascara while her lips were tinged with dark
crimson lipstick. Joshua suddenly got goosebumps because of her striking
appearance.
He rolled down the front passenger’s window as Kimberly made her way to
him.
“Good morning,” Joshua called out.

21
“Hey there, you,” Kimberly responded and pulled on the door handle.
When she got in, Joshua felt awkward because he didn’t know if he wanted to hug
her or kiss her on the lips. He wound up leaning in and giving her a peck on the
cheek.
“Are you ready for this?” Joshua asked with a slight tone of
excitement.
“If you are,” Kimberly answered while getting settled in.
“Yes, ma’am.” Joshua shifted the gear into Drive and pulled away.
Once they were on the highway, Kimberly couldn’t suppress another yawn.
Joshua noticed this out of the corner of his eye.
“You know, you can take me up on my offer to nap until we get
there,” he reminded her.
“Yeah, maybe I will,” she sighed and leaned back against the
headrest.
“Cool,” Joshua continued. “They have food and stuff nearby. We
could always eat something when we get there.”
“That’s fine, Josh.” Kimberly closed her eyes and rested her hands in
her lap.
For the remainder of the trip, Kimberly remained asleep. Upon seeing the
quarter-mile sign for “Lake of Eden,” Joshua felt a surge of anticipation as to how
Kimberly would react to the lush setting set off to the side of the road.
About a minute or so later, Joshua veered off the expressway and pulled
into one of the parking spots under a leafy tree. The sunshine poured in through
the gaps between the leaves, creating beams of light which flickered from
intermittent breezes that swayed the branches. The lake was about 50 feet from
the lot, and for Joshua, when the sunlight hit it from an angle, it sparkled so

22
brightly that it was blinding to look at but beautiful at the same time. Beyond the
lake was another part of the highway with a bridge, and beyond that was a mix of
commercial and residential buildings.
When Joshua turned off the engine, he turned to look at Kimberly and
observed her sleeping peacefully. He smiled as he lightly touched her cheek. She
opened her eyes and then yawned.
“Where are we?” she asked groggily.
“We’re here,” Joshua responded softly. Kimberly propped herself up
to get a view of the surroundings.
“Oh, my God,” she said, awestruck. “This is the lake?”
“You like it?” Joshua asked excitedly.
“Of course. It’s beautiful.” Kimberly seemed to be mesmerized by
the water.
“You need a minute before we get out?” Joshua asked with his hand
on the door handle. Kimberly shook her head slightly.
“No, I’m good. Let’s do this.” She opened the door and sprung out.
Joshua got out quickly as well and walked across to her. Another breeze swept
through the morning air.
“C’mon,” Joshua said as he took Kimberly’s hand gently.
“All right, all right. Don’t rush me,” she said in mock annoyance.
There was a small dirt and gravel trail just beyond the parking lot. The two
of them held hands as they took a stroll down this path. They didn’t talk but just
listened in unison to the scratchy sound of their feet making traction with the
earth and ground. The trees formed a kind of canopy over this trail, holding in the
cool air.

23
Once Joshua and Kimberly made it to the clearing, they both squinted from
the sun’s powerful rays. Still holding onto Kimberly’s left hand, he put his other
hand just above her eyes so she could better see the lake.
“Wow, the water’s so blue,” she commented. “It’s like up in the
country or something.”
“Oh, that’s nice,” Joshua chimed in. “Are there lakes like this upstate
where your parents live?”
“Sure,” she answered as she lightly brushed away Joshua’s hand from
her forehead.
“I mean, there are bigger ones, like the one across the way from their
cottage, but this is a good change of pace.”
“Yeah,” Joshua responded. “It’s off the beaten track.” He suddenly
had an idea which prompted him to take out his i-Phone from his left pants
pocket.
“Can I get a shot of you in front of it?”
“Okay,” Kimberly said, accommodatingly. Joshua turned on the
phone and then switched it to Camera Mode. He then took a few steps back into
the shade.
“Ready?” Joshua cued. Kimberly nodded and flashed a smile. Joshua
clicked the camera icon and looked at the picture immediately to see how it came
out.
“How do I look?” she asked as Joshua came to her.
“Splendid. Here, check it out,” he said, giving her the phone.
“Cool. That’s a good one. You want one of you?” Joshua shook his
head.

24
“Are you sure?” she asked, squeezing his arm. He smiled shyly when
he shook his head a second time. At that moment, his eye caught a glimpse of a
flat, silver stone in the grass by his foot. He took the phone from Kimberly, put it
back in his pocket, and bent down to pick up the small object.
“What are you up to now?” Kimberly asked and cocked her head
curiously. Joshua didn’t answer, as his eyes were fixated on the uniquely-shaped
stone. It looked as if it had tiny, embedded crystals which caused the glistening.
“Josh?”
“Yeah?” he finally answered, snapping out of his temporary trance-
like state. “Oh, sorry. I was just looking at this rock. It’s pretty cool, right?” He
handed it to Kimberly and then she examined it for a moment.
“Interesting,” she remarked, giving it back to Joshua. “What are you
going to do with it?” He thought for a few moments and smiled from his idea.
“I’ll make a wish and then chuck it into the lake.” Kimberly scrunched
her eyebrows and nose out of surprise.
“Wow. Getting superstitious on me?” she joked.
“I guess so,” he responded with a grin. He walked several steps
forward to get to the edge of the lake. With the stone in his left hand, he
released it with a side-armed throw, causing it to skip across the surface, making
little ripples until it finally sank.
“Nice toss,” Kimberly called out, giving him a round of applause.
“Thanks,” Josh replied as he returned to her.
“Are you going to tell me what you wished for, or will you withhold it
from me because it wouldn’t come true otherwise?” Joshua hesitated and then
smiled.
“Yeah, I’ll tell you my wish.”

25
“All right. Spill the beans,” Kimberly said with mock intense curiosity.
“I wished that I’d known you your whole life.” Seemingly out of
nowhere, tears began streaming down his face.
“Aww,” Kimberly sighed. “Come here.” Joshua embraced her and
tried to control his emotions because he didn’t want to make her upset.
As they were holding each other, it suddenly became overcast, as if the sun
went into hiding behind the large, puffy clouds.
“Whoa,” Joshua blurted out. “You see how cloudy it just got?”
Kimberly looked up at the sky.
“Yeah, it looks kind of threatening,” she replied in a hushed tone.
“Maybe we should get something to eat and have it in the car just in
case,” Joshua said as he, too, looked at the sky.
“Sounds like a plan,” Kimberly chimed.
“All right. Wait in the car and I’ll get some sandwiches from the deli
near the lot.”
“Sure. Bring me tuna on a roll pronto,” Kimberly exclaimed as they
began walking back to Joshua’s vehicle.
“Okay. You sound cute when you’re pushy,” Joshua laughed.
Kimberly nodded and smiled.
“You’d better believe it.”
“And to drink?” Joshua asked coyly.
“Just a bottled water is good. What are you getting?”
“Maybe turkey on a roll or something.” Joshua opened the front
passenger door for Kimberly.

26
“Thanks, Josh,” she said as she got in.
“No problem. I’ll see you in a bit,” Joshua responded before closing
the door. He began walking more briskly since it was looking increasingly like
rain.
Once inside the deli, Joshua had to wait only about a minute, since the
woman in front of him had already ordered. When he placed his order, a few
drops began to pour outside.
“Is this to stay or to go?” the short, portly Italian man behind the
counter asked.
“To go. And could I have it wrapped in several bags?” The man
nodded and bent over to open one of the cabinets beneath the counter. He put
the two bottled waters and sandwiches into the large “I Love NY” plastic bags
quickly but neatly.
“$14.50,” he said. Joshua gave him $15 and put the change in the tip
jar near the cash register and mints.
“Thank you,” the man said, half-smiling. Joshua took the bags and
the instant he left the deli, the sky really opened up. He cradled the food in his
arms as he ran to shield it from the downpour. Kimberly quickly opened the
driver’s side door as soon as Joshua was near.
“Thanks,” he yelled as the rain continued to intensify in quantity and
sound. Once inside the car, Joshua took a few of the paper towels from the back
seat and attempted to dry off.
“It was good while it lasted, right?” he told Kimberly, out of breath.
“Yeah. Is the food okay?” she quipped, neglecting him on purpose.
“Ha, ha,” he answered as he unpacked the sandwiches and
beverages.

27
As they began to eat, Joshua continued to dry his hair and face.
“I’m not doing a move, but do you mind if I take off my shirt? I’m
drenched.”
“Go for it,” Kimberly said in between bites. Joshua had difficulty
taking it off since it was so heavily soaked, so Kimberly gave him a hand. A streak
of lightning dashed across the gray sky, which startled her, and she gasped.
“What’s wrong?” Joshua asked, finally getting the shirt off.
“I think the rain gods are getting excited from seeing your muscles,”
she laughed. A second or two later came a boom of thunder.
“Or maybe they’re just jealous of our sandwiches,” Joshua said,
chucking the shirt onto the back seat. The two ate in silence while watching the
rain and intermittent lightning and listened to the thunder rumbling. Joshua
broke the silence.
“It feels like we’re at a drive-in movie in the ‘50s; you know, eating in
the car while it’s raining around us.”
“Yeah,” Kimberly agreed. “My parents talk about those being better
times.” Joshua nodded.
“Sure. Times seem to have been simpler back then. Even the ‘80s
were simpler, especially with old-school video games and technology.
“True,” she said with her mouth full. After that brief exchange, they
remained silent until both of them finished. They sighed in unison after their
meal.
“I guess we’ll head back, huh?” Joshua asked.
“That’s fine by me,” Kimberly agreed.

28
“And maybe you can take another nap,” Joshua added. “I don’t know
about you, but the rain is like white noise to me.”
“That’s true,” Kimberly nodded. After a few minutes of driving,
Kimberly fell asleep again. Joshua noticed this and smiled.
“Works every time,” he whispered to himself.
It was about 1:00 by the time Joshua pulled up at Kimberly’s apartment.
However, she was still asleep. It wasn’t raining in Astoria, but it was still overcast.
He leaned over and whispered into her ear.
“We’re back.”
“Hmm?” Kimberly uttered and gradually opened her eyes.
“You’re home,” Joshua reiterated.
She put her hand over her mouth as she yawned.
“Oh. I’m sorry,” Kimberly said and then cleared her throat. “I don’t
know why I’m so sleepy – maybe from the wine the other night.”
“It’s all right,” Joshua reassured her. “Will you be okay getting into
the apartment?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Maybe I’ll lie down when I get in. But thanks so
much, Josh. It was fun.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek before opening the
door.
“You’re more than welcome,” Joshua said softly.
Joshua missed her already as she began walking to her building. He
changed into a spare shirt he had in the car. Once he made sure she was inside,
he pulled away. Halfway through his drive home, he put on the radio to listen to
the weather forecast. The male voice that came on talked fast but clearly. It was

29
supposedly going to rain the next day and possibly the day after that. Joshua
sighed and turned the radio off.
Upon getting into his apartment, Joshua went into his room and sat on the
bed. He took out his i-Phone and looked at the picture of Kimberly. He smiled
slightly as he zoomed in on her face highlighted by the sunlight. Joshua touched
the screen gently before getting out of camera mode. For the remainder of the
day, he worked on all the drawing lessons he was taught. Joshua realized he was
falling for Kimberly. He wanted to be with her all the time. He thought about the
wish he had made at the lake and imagined what it would have been like to have
grown up with Kimberly.
Joshua got up early the next morning after a peaceful slumber. It was
about 6:00 when he drew back the curtains of his bedroom window. The sun was
just rising and it had a pinkish-orange hue. Joshua hadn’t felt truly happy for a
long time, but ever since meeting Kimberly, it was as if a switch went off. He
stared out the window for a bit and took in the view of the vast city in the
distance. After a quick shower, he discovered that he had left the cell phone on
the bathroom counter. Joshua felt a split second of panic for a reason unknown
to him. He thought it was because he might have inadvertently damaged his
phone from the steam. When he checked its operability and realized it was fine,
he had a sudden urge to look at the picture he took of Kimberly at the lake.
However, to his dismay, he couldn’t locate it. Joshua was baffled. He looked
through all the applications but it was still no longer to be found.
“Where’d you go?” he whispered to himself over and over as he ran
through the applications again.
“Nothing!” he exclaimed out of frustration. At that point, he dialed
Kimberly’s cell number despite the early hour. He got her voicemail, and it felt
like forever to him in waiting for the beep.

30
“Hey, Kim. It’s me,” Joshua began with a shakiness to his voice. “I’m
sorry I’m calling you so early. When you get a chance, can you call me? It’s not a
big deal; I was just wondering what your plans are for today. So that’s it. Talk to
ya soon.” After hitting the “End Call” button, he took a deep breath and put on
the rest of his clothes.
When Joshua entered the kitchen, he put the phone down on the kitchen
table. He prepared his breakfast and then sat down. As he ate, he couldn’t help
but anxiously look at the phone, as if that would somehow make Kimberly call
him that much faster. He never thought he would be relying as much on a single
phone call back as he was now. The clock on the kitchen wall ticked, but time for
Joshua was going at a snail’s pace. He finished his cereal, and after washing the
dishes, he grabbed the phone. It was only a half hour since Joshua left the
voicemail. However, he couldn’t help but dial Kimberly’s number again. He
phone rang several times, but this time, she picked up.
“Hello?” she mumbled. Kimberly’s voice was barely recognizable due
to her just being awakened.
“Hi, Kim. It’s Josh.”
“Oh. Josh,” she replied faintly. “What time is it?” He looked at his
watch before responding.
“It’s about 7:00.”
“Oh, man,” she exhaled. “Why are you calling me so early?” Joshua
swallowed nervously.
“I know. I’m sorry. I guess I got too eager to find out what your
plans are today.”
“My plans?” Kimberly asked in a confused state. Her next statement
took Joshua by surprise.

31
“We have the art class at 10:30 today.” Joshua was so taken aback
that he couldn’t respond right away.
“Hello?” she mumbled again, sounding like she was half-conscious.
“Are you all right?” Joshua asked, dumbfounded.
“Yeah,” Kimberly yawned. “Can we talk later?” Joshua nodded
quickly.
“Yeah, or course. I’m real sorry. I guess you’re pretty tired from our
trip.”
“Trip? What trip?” she inquired. Joshua’s heart sank for a moment,
but even though he thought she was kidding, he clarified it nonetheless.
“Our trip to the lake,” he answered and chuckled nervously. At this
point, Kimberly became uncharacteristically irritated.
“Josh, you’re talking crazy. We never went to any lake.” He was now
getting frightened by Kimberly’s denial.
“Kim. Lake of Eden. Yesterday afternoon. I took a picture of you – “
“Josh, stop. You sound weird. I don’t know where you’re coming up
with this whole ‘lake’ bit, but it’s getting me annoyed.” Joshua felt paralyzed and
he tried to speak, but the words just wouldn’t flow from his lips.
“Listen,” Kimberly continued. “I’ll see you in class in a few hours,
okay?” Joshua mustered every ounce of effort to respond but it was too late –
Kimberly had already hung up. He felt as if he were kicked in the stomach. Not
only was Kimberly denying her experience with Joshua at the lake, but she was
talking to him differently, as if they weren’t well-acquainted. And if that wasn’t
enough, Kimberly referred to the art class as if it was still in session. Joshua didn’t
know what to think anymore, but he couldn’t fathom that Kimberly possibly
didn’t want anything to do with him from now on. He even did a double take of

32
what date it was on his phone, but it was, in fact, August 23rd
, exactly one week
after the last art class was given for the summer. However, he felt as if he were in
a time warp.
In order to get to the bottom of this, he decided to go to the Y to see if, in
fact, Kimberly was going to be there at 10:30 to conduct a class. When he got
into his car, it was as if he were on a mission to find truth. Joshua did his best not
to speed, but what was at stake made him get into several close calls with the
other vehicles on the streets farther into Queens. Once he found an empty space
to park near the Y, he took a breath before exiting his car. He walked quickly
toward the building, and what was more disconcerting was that he saw not a soul
in or around the Y. When he got to the double doors, they were actually chained
up.
“What the hell?” Joshua exclaimed. He tried to get a better look
inside, but all the lights were off. After quickly taking out his cell phone, he
scrolled through the various phone numbers until getting to Kimberly’s. When
Joshua selected it and her phone began ringing, he looked at his watch, which
read 10:45.
“Come on, Kim. Pick up,” he said to himself in a hoarse whisper. She
finally answered.
“Hi again, Kim. It’s Josh.” The silence that followed was like a blade
that was held to his throat.
“Josh?” she asked in a bewildered tone. The figurative knife had now
cut into him.
“Yeah, it’s me. Art-class-Josh,” he laughed to keep himself from
getting hysterical. Another uncharacteristic silence from Kimberly fell onto
Joshua like a lead weight.

33
“How did you get my number?” she asked with a hint of suspicion in
her voice. Joshua couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He didn’t know what to
think anymore. It was as if the line dividing fantasy and reality was being blurred.
“You don’t remember?” Joshua asked faintly as a result of his throat
clamping up.
“You gave me your number,” he continued. “We went on a date, and
it was perfect – “
“Whoa, whoa. Joshua,” she interrupted. “None of that happened.”
That familiar kicked-in-the-stomach sensation hit him like a Mack truck.
“Kim, this isn’t funny,” Joshua snapped. “We went to the restaurant
in Astoria; your folks are retired – they live upstate in Greenville – “
“Wait,” Kimberly exclaimed, angrily. “How do you know that about
my parents?”
“Because you told me,” Joshua shouted. “You told me when we
went to Dunkin’ Donuts; and then you asked about my parents, and I told you
that they’re dead.” Joshua suddenly lost his voice due to his racing emotions.
“Look, Joshua – “
“You don’t even call me that,” he blurted out, cutting her off. “You
call me Josh now.” His eyes began getting teary.
“Listen. I’m sorry for your loss,” Kimberly continued in a more calm
tone. “But the trauma may be causing your mind to play tricks on you.” Joshua
bit his tongue and let her talk.
“I may have talked to you about my parents in passing, but we’ve
never gone out. How you got my number I have no idea, but I think you need to
move on.” Joshua thought back to his wish at the lake, which jogged his memory.

34
“I wished I knew you your whole life when we were at the lake. Now,
it’s as if I don’t know you at all.”
“Well, you know me as your art teacher, but that’s as far as it goes,”
she said softly in trying to let him down easy. Joshua swallowed hard before
speaking again.
“What we had was real. I swear.” He stopped talking and began
sobbing. By the time he finally composed himself, Kimberly had just hung up.
Joshua was so overcome from sadness that he kneeled on one knee and wept for
several minutes in front of the locked-up art facility. Although he couldn’t make
head or tail of what was going on, he managed to pull himself together and drive
back to his apartment. Once inside, he threw his wallet and keys on the kitchen
table and went straight to his bed, physically and emotionally exhausted. He
cried so much that it felt like his tear ducts had nothing left – like a dried-up lake.
He just laid there and experienced an aimlessness not unlike what he felt when he
lost his parents.
Soon enough, Joshua fell asleep. The dream that followed was a
continuation of the one he had had the other night. He found himself in darkness
right by the Lake of Eden; an intense, cold wind which blew across cut through
him to his bones. Joshua was sitting on the ground, and when he looked up, he
was haunted by the same silhouette of the little girl standing in the water a few
feet from him.
“Who…who are you?” Joshua stuttered. The child giggled just before
another howling wind blew by.
“My name’s Kimmy, and I’m five.” She held up her right hand and
wiggled five fingers. Joshua was scared of her but didn’t know why.
“Why are you here, Kimmy? Where are your parents?” The child
giggled once more.
“I lefteded them in the cottage,” she replied in a mischievous tone.

35
“Oh,” Joshua said, trying to keep his cool. “Where is your cottage?
Do you know your address?” Kimmy began swinging her arms, twisting from side
to side.
“Mommy and Daddy told me no talking to strangers.”
Joshua looked down for a few seconds, and when he looked up at her
again, he had tears in his eyes. She stopped moving and cocked her head.
“Are you unhappy?” she asked, quizzically.
“You like drawing very much, don’t you?” Joshua asked, rhetorically.
“Yeah,” she exclaimed. “Want to come draw with me?” Joshua
nodded slightly.
“But I don’t know where you live, Kimmy.”
“That’s okay. Mommy and Daddy play games with me. I know my
name AND where I live.”
Joshua sighed heavily before speaking again.
“If you tell me the numbers and the street, I’ll remember it.” Kimmy
began swinging her arms in the shadows again.
“1-3-2-1 Maple Leaf Avenue,” she recited. Joshua closed his eyes and
felt the warm tears stream down his cheeks.
“Greenville, New York,” he whispered to himself.
When Joshua woke up, he had a pen and paper in his hands with the exact
address from the dream scribbled down. Right then and there, he got up and
took his wallet and keys from the kitchen table before going on the Internet.
When he entered the address on Google, it showed an image of a residence in
upstate New York. He then printed out the directions to get there from his
apartment, turned off the computer, and ran outside to his car. He knew in his

36
heart that he experienced a deep connection with Kimberly even if it was on an
alternate plane of time. He had faith in that, and even if her parent’s didn’t
believe him, he felt it wouldn’t be right for them not to know.
Fortunately, traffic was light as Joshua embarked on the trip, but the
temperature was high despite the late afternoon hour. He wanted so badly to get
upstate but kept his vehicle at a moderate speed. As Joshua followed the printed-
out directions, he thought back to when he helped Kimberly put away some art
supplies in the Y.
“You have a cute butt,” echoed Kimberly’s voice in Joshua’s head. He
then reminisced about their date and how he walked her back home.
“You gave me butterflies when I first saw you in class.” He smiled in
remembering this secret she revealed. For the remainder of the trip, she was all
he thought about: from the art classes to their rendezvous to the Lake of Eden,
and even to when she claimed they never went out. It was more than an
infatuation. His smiled quickly turned into a frown before uttering “I shouldn’t
have made that wish. I should’ve left well enough alone.” He couldn’t help but
blame himself for the chaotic turn of events, even if it was only due to an
innocent wish.
When he finally made it to Greenville, he figured he’d call Kimberly one last
time. But when he pulled to the side of the road to do so, all that he got was a
computerized-sounding voice saying that the call couldn’t be completed as dialed.
Joshua thought that this was due to a poor signal. However, he checked the
number of bars on the phone – they were all there. He tried the number once
more only to hear the same voice but this time with a different message – that
that particular number was not in service. He turned off the phone and began
walking briskly, as dusk was approaching. The only sound he was aware of was
his feet hitting the pavement. Joshua didn’t bother to take in the picturesque
country scenery such as the mountains in the distance, exotic foliage, and the
dewy dark green grass. As he made his way over a small incline, the cottage came

37
into view. His breathing was getting gradually more and more shaky as he got
closer to it. When he approached the front door, he changed his mind. Instead of
knocking, he chose to go around to the side to take a glance through the living
room window. It was at this moment that an unfortunate reality set in for Joshua.
His eyes fell upon a child approximately five years old. Her fiery red hair was
enough to convince him that this is who was in his dreams and the person he
knew. She was in pajamas and sat at a small desk drawing with crayons. Joshua
placed his hand lightly on the glass.
“I loved you once,” he whispered as his eyes filled to the brim with
tears. It was too heart-wrenching to look at her, so he took out a handkerchief
from his left pants pocket and dried his face. Then, he looked at the intricate
pattern of the little sewn-in butterflies.
Soon, the moon rose and shed its light through the nearby woods. The
cicadas began communicating with one another in their unique raspy pitch.
Joshua looked at his watch in the moonlight. It was 8:48 p.m. After taking a deep
breath of the country air, he looked at the little girl again. This time, she was
looking back at him, which sent a shiver up his spine. As he gazed into her
emerald green eyes, he smiled awkwardly. Shortly thereafter, the child’s mother
walked into the room and began talking to her daughter. Joshua couldn’t hear
what was said, but the girl put down the crayons and was lifted up by her mother
– a slim brunette about Joshua’s age. As she held the child in her arms, the little
girl pointed in Joshua’s direction and said something, again, that he couldn’t hear
through the window. As he backed up slightly, her mother looked briefly at
Joshua and while whisking her daughter away said something back while shaking
her head, apparently in an admonishing manner.
Joshua lingered for a moment or two and looked at the small desk with the
crayons strewn all about. He took a final look at the damp handkerchief he was
still clutching before closing his eyes.
“You gave me butterflies,” he whispered.

NOSTALGIA

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