Henry, I Promise
I had never taken an interest in the man down the street. He never really interested me, his actions being too bland. I usually only saw him on Wednesday evenings taking out the trash, or maybe on a warm, sunny morning on his porch drinking a cup of tea.
It had been one of those sunny morning when I'd made the biggest break-through with the old man. Even though our friendship was very short, he had been the best friend I had ever had.
"Casey, aren't you going to be late for school?" My mother asked me one morning as she hurried around the kitchen, gathering what she needed for work.
I glanced over at the clock. "No, I'll be too early. There's a delay today. The teachers have this meeting or something."
"Well, I need to lock up the house, so you have to sit on the porch." She told me.
I licked my fingers to get rid of any trace of the donut I had just finished eating so I wouldn't tell her what was on my mind. I hated that she wouldn't give me a house key. It was as if she didn't trust me or something.
There was a whole hour before I even had to start walking towards the school and I had no homework to finish or a book to read. I sat in a porch chair while my mother pulled out of the driveway in our beat-up, old Ford car.
I sighed and sat back, staring out at the street.
"She left you all alone, didn't she?" Someone wondered from a few porches over.
I turned my head and glanced over at the shriveled old man who had glasses as thick as the book War and Peace.
"Yes, she had to go to work." These were the first words I had ever spoken to the old man and the first words he had ever said to me, even though we had lived on the same street for thirteen years, since I had been born.
"Come over here," He told me, an old, wrinkled smile shining on his pale face, "Neither of us have someone to talk to and nothing to do."
"You're drinking tea." I stated.
"But I'm all alone. I haven't had anybody to have tea with since my wife died." He looked down at his cup sorrowfully.
I'd never known the old man had had a wife. He'd been alone for as long as I could remember. Felling sorry for him, I stood and traveled over to his porch and sat opposite of him.
"Would you like some tea?" He wondered, beginning to stand and head inside to fetch another cup.
"No thank-you, I'm fine. I just had my breakfast." I stopped him.
The two of us sat quietly for a moment, neither of us knowing what to say.
"So, your name is Casey, right?" He inquired.
I nodded, my brown hair bobbing around with me. I felt strange not knowing his name.
As if he cold read my mind, he said, "My name is Henry. I'm sure that name brings back a lot of painful memories."
It did.
My fathers name was Henry. It had been a while since I'd thought of him or his death. It was kind of strange how it happened. He had been driving down to the key shop to get a copy of our house key made for my mother. He had been leaving the store when a car had rushed through the parking lot and trampled him. He didn't live, sadly.
"I don't want you to think about it, Casey. His life was grand, and, as he put it, he had the greatest gift in the world." Henry grinned.
"What was that?" I wondered, appalled that he had even known my father.
"You, Casey. He loved you dearly."
Tears filled my eyes. It was nice to hear that, especially from Henry. Even though I had just met this man, I felt a great connection between us.
"So, you said something about your wife dying." I wiped my eyes and changed the subject.
"Yes," Henry sighed and continued, "She died of old age. She had lived to be eighty-three. This was twelve years ago. I loved her dearly, she was my treasure."
I thought for a moment. "That makes you somewhere around ninety-five! You shouldn't be here all alone. Why don't you live in a nursing home or something?"
"I'm ninety-seven, Casey. I live here because I feel a connection with my Martha. It feels as if she's pulling me closer to her everyday. It's only a matter of time…."
I had no idea how to reply. He could feel he was going to die soon. "I'll help you around your house." I offered.
"No, I couldn't do that to you. I have no money to pay you." Henry looked shocked that I had even suggested such a thing.
"I'll do it for free." I said.
Henry looked down into his tea, thinking, no doubt. "Okay, but I will not pressure you. You can come and go as you please."
I nodded.
The two of us began to talk. I figured out Henry was way more than the old man down the street; he was also a child at heart.
He liked to watch "Sponge-Bob Square-Pants" and play go fish, and even go down to the park sometimes and slide down the slide. Something he told me was kind of funny. His favorite book was War and Peace.
"I have to go, Henry." I told him after a while. "I have to get to school. When I get back, I'll take out your trash, I promise."
"Okay, Casey. Can I tell you something?" Henry wondered.
I nodded.
"You are a very nice girl. I haven't had a conversation with someone in a long time. I almost forgot I could talk. Now, I have someone to watch cartoons with. You're my best friend since Martha." Henry admitted.
"Thank-you, Henry. I think so about you, too." I smiled at the man in front of me, taking in his old, thoughtful face.
"Good-bye, Casey. Will you have tea with me tomorrow?" He wondered.
"Of coarse I will, Henry. I'll see you later." I hurried down the street, grinning wildly. Henry was different than he seemed. He would always be special to me, I decided.
As I approached Henry's house that afternoon, I felt my world crumble.
There was a police car just pulling away from Henry's house. Something was wrong.
"Casey!" My mother called from our porch and rushed over to me. "The old man died this morning."
I gasped and tears filled my eyes. No, not Henry! He didn't deserve this.
My mind returned to this morning. He had said that he felt Martha pulling him towards her everyday. Maybe she had taken one final tug this morning and had pulled him through to death.
"I have something for you." she dug around in her purse and pulled out a key. "So you can stay inside when school is delayed. I meant to give it to you this morning."
I was happy she didn't give it to me this morning. I would never have bonded with Henry before he died.
"Come on, we'll go get some ice cream. I have a feeling that there's something you want to tell me."
"Hold on, there's something I have to do." I raced into Henry's clean house and found his garbage can placed against the kitchen counter. I carried the bag outside and even put a new one in.
I had promised Henry I would take the garbage out, and though he was no longer alive, I knew my friend would appreciate that I had done it.
The next day, I even made a pot of tea and carried it over to Henry's porch table, set two cups up, and filled them with tea. I felt as if he sat across from me, enjoying the tea even though he couldn't grab the cup.
"Henry, I promise," I started, "That I will never forget you."
I knew at that at that moment, Henry smiled.
i worte this for somthing they're doing at my school, and i want to know if i should hand this in. please tell me what you think of it. i really like it and i think it's really sweet and sad. please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
xoxo, alliey1213