Based on; Telephone Line by ELO
Hello. How are you?Have you been alright, through all those lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely nightsThat's what I'd say. I'd tell you everythingIf you'd pick up that telephone
Jack stared at the telephone. He had found her! After all those nights of reckless dreaming and searching he had found his Rose. For twenty years he had longed of hearing her voice again. Now on this August night the rain poured down the sides of the phone booth and all he had to do is pick the receiver up, but it was too hard. Too much time had passed.
Hey. How you feelin?Are you still the same?Don't you realize the things we did, we did, were all for real, not a dream?I just can't believeThey've all faded out of view.
Jack picked up the receiver and held it to his ear. He slipped a nickel into the slot and waited for the soft hum of the dial tone. Soon enough the operator came on and asked him if he needed assistance. He slammed the receiver down. He needed to think about his next move. What was he going to say to her? "Hey, how've you been?" No that was too corny. What does one say to the only woman they ever loved? Jack rested his head on the glass and sighed. Why did it have to be this way? He walked out of the telephone booth and took a stroll down the street. He hadn't realized how late it was. In New York one could never tell without the help of a clock. The city that didn't sleep was home to him now. Although it had never felt that way. The apartment he lived in, was hardly a home the depression had taken his real home away. The nice quaint place he had built up for himself in upstate New York that used to be home. Two bedrooms, although one was all he ever used. He had built it with two rooms on the slim chance that Rose may make it back to him. Now that he had found her, he didn't even have the guts to call her. What kind of man was he?
I look into the sky, the love you need ain't gonna see you throughAnd I wonder why the little things you planned ain't coming trueOh oh Telephone Line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight Oh oh Telephone Line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Jack found himself back at the same telephone booth the next night. It was the closest one from "home" Instead of buying a nickels worth of bread and milk, he had saved it to call his one and only. He was going to do it this time, it was going to happen.
Jack slowly slipped the nickel into the slot and as though time had slowed down he punched in the number to a house somewhere in New York. He wondered who would answer the phone. Would it be Rose or someone else? Had she gotten married? Did she have babies? Jack forced himself to keep the phone to his ear.
Ok. So no one's answeringWell can't you just let it ring a little longer longer longer oh oh ooohhhhhI'll just sit tight through shadows of the nightLet it ring for evermore oh oh ooohhhhh yeah yeah yeah
Jack let it ring for awhile, his hopes quickly fading away as the phone rang and rang. He pulled the phone away from his ear and almost set it down when he heard a voice.
"Hello?" The voice at the other end was as sweet and gentle as he had remembered. "Hello?" She said again, it was do or die and he lifted the receiver back to his mouth.
"Hello." He said.
"Who is this… Jack?" Rose gasped into the phone, it had been twenty years but his voice was a sweet reminder of long ago.
"How are you?" He asked, Rose outwardly smiled that was her Jack. Always straight to the point.
"I'm fine, how have you been?" Jack sighed into the phone, it was all he could do not to cry.
A/n: I was listening to this song, Telephone Line by ELO and I thought what if??... and so this story was born. Whoever is reading this right now should look up Telephone Line, it's worth the listen. It's a beautiful song. I'm sorry for the bleak ending but I think it works. Please review