Joanne and Norman were as much in love as two people could be. This love sustained them both for many years, but somewhere in time it began its cessation. Hard to pinpoint anything by itself, since there were so many changes within both Joanne and Norman.
Norman was a hard worker and a good provider. That was one plus in his behalf. He was also a liar, drunk and womanizer. Now, that totals three minuses in his behalf. No one can put the blame on one person, or even one situation; it was a blending of each one's weakness. Norman's being the kind of person that thought of Norman first and foremost. Didn't much matter who got in the way or who got hurt because of his needs. He was Norman and that was that!
Joanne, on the other hand, was even weaker. She allowed him to indulge himself. She allowed it mainly to save face with friends and family. She believed maybe things, if allowed to bend, will not break. Maybe putting up was easier than getting out.
Eventually life changes not only situations, but feelings. Love gets mixed with feelings of hate. All and all though, that is still an emotion that feeds the soul. When those feelings turn into INDIFFERENCE, this being the demise of true emotions, only then was life bearable for Joanne.
Norman's health problems put him way ahead of his years physically. Impotence and heart problems at last made Norman a good boy. That was the way Joanne now thought of him. He was a GOOD OLD BOY. Once in a while a deep resentment would rear it's ugly head, usually when he was physically weak and vulnerable. These feeling were cropping up more and more often. She even thought she must have finally snapped. Why now when things were going on such an even keel. "I have no need to complain", she told herself. "I'M REAPING WHAT I SOWED".
Retirement for both only meant they were getting on each others nerves more often. Joanne would sit and glare at him from across the room. He never even noticed the narrowing of her eyes whenever she had the need to look his way, though she tried not to look, since just looking at him was beginning to get to her. "Well, maybe I should count the years and see how many more of these I can stand", she told herself.
"Looks like there won't be anymore years", she told herself when she came out of the bathroom to find Norman on the kitchen floor. Seemed his heart stopped, she assessed as she bent down to touch his neck with the tips of her fingers. "Should I or shouldn't I?", ran through her mind as she snatched up her purse from the table and made for her car. CPR would be the humane course of action. Worked another time when she found him just like this. but she was always sorry she didn't run the last time.
The motor was already running, she put the car into gear and zipped out of the driveway. God help me, but if I've made the wrong choice it isn't the first and it won't be the last.
She turned the radio on and began to whistle to the country tune "It's All Over But the Crying". She never SAW or HEARD the sixteen wheeler speeding through the intersection. Only one tire rolling down the highway, and another protruding from underneath gave any indication that something was under that sixteen wheeler.
Norman was found when the State Police came with the sad news about Joanne. When no one answered the door, turning the door knob allowed them to gain entrance, where they found GOOD OLD Norman. They were a few minutes too late, as was Joanne's intention. She was right though, CPR was just what he needed, but too late. Norman died in Peace. Joanne died in Pieces.
| Story Index | Angels | Hauntings |
| Dreams | Home | Links |
| Superstitions | Poetry Parlour |
