Sarah Thompson

Sarah's mind drifted back six months prior to that June evening.  It had been Christmas Eve.  The light from an almost full moon wafted through the windows making it seem even hotter than the summer heat was that day.  The events of the Christmas season stayed in her mind long after the season was over.

She had attended a Monday night church service.  Emily,  who she had attended school with,  had played the piano both before and during the service that night.  Sarah's attention was intent on the ruffled white curtain opening that was stained with well water.  The whispers and quiet laughter of two young women that she knew in the congregaton were heard from behind the curtain.  Secrets were cautiously exchanged while each of them listened more intently trying to read between the lines.

Alvie and Vernon played a game of chess with James.  She had helped her mother prepare Christmas dinner for their family that Christmas day.  The menu included roast turkey,  applesauce,  buttered beets,  mashed potatoes and salad.

It was a surprise that James,  who was nineteen years old,  was still at home.  The work of the farm seemed to be slowing down for unnamed reasons.  It could be that new farm machinery made farm work faster.

Sunday evening was an unusual time to travel anywhere except for church for the day or evening.  It was New Years Eve.  She had gone with a dinner date to Washington.  There was a level of mystery alive in the country that weekend as a new century rapidly approached.  She gazed outside of the restaraunt t a cardinal that had landed on the iron gate outside the restaraunt.  For only a moment,  she wondered where its' home was at.  She tugged at her lace shawl.  A waiter stood patiently at the edge of the dinner table waiting for her response.