The 125
by
AJ
"How many candles are you lighting" Tim asked as he entered the chapel.
Dick was standing by the candle rack, lighting another candle. The room was awash in their glow. There was no need for the electric light. It looked like Dick had ran out of space and was putting candles in whatever holders he could find. They were everywhere.
"Dick, this is too much," Tim said as he approached the man, but Dick was focused on his task. "When did you start lighting these?"
"8:45 this morning," Dick answered.
"Dick, it's almost 10:30 am. We're supposed to go do something fun today."
We will," Dick said, quietly. "After I'm done here."
"How many candles have you lit?"
"125," Dick answered.
"Why?"
"Timmy, are you saying you don't remember?"
"Remember what?"
"Oh that's right, you were probably too young to remember."
"Dick, I don't know what you're talking about."
"9-11 . . . . And the deaths at the Pentagon."
A chill went through Tim. How was it that he missed that date? How important was it? Wait, wasn't that also the time when the towers went down? His history teacher talked about it in school, but she never said anything about the Pentagon. Tim also noticed that Dick had been crying. Why would he cry over a loss that big?
"Dick?" Tim wanted to question him.
When Dick lit the final candle, the clock said 10:26 am. He stood there for a moment in silence. Then he spoke. "I was supposed to be on that flight. I had gone to see Barbara in Washington, DC. She was an acting Congresswoman during that time. I was acting as her aid during that summer. I had to fly back to New Carthage because I was late starting my classes. I would have to take a connecting flight in New York, but I was running late and I missed the flight. Then I heard the crash and the explosion. Both Barbara and Bruce were frantic that something had happened to me, but I did call them."
"Did you know anyone on that flight?" Tim asked.
"No," Dick said, quietly. "But I could have."
"Dick, I'm sorry. I didn't realize what day this was."
"It's all right, Tim. For a lot of people, it's just another day. For others, it's a day they will never forget."
"We don't have to go anywhere just yet," Tim said. "I'll stay with you."
"Thank's Tim," Dick replied.
They stood side by side in the glow of the candles and the silence of the chapel. Tim wrapped an arm around Dick's waist while Dick placed an arm around Tim's shoulders. They stood that way for at least ten minutes until the first of the candles had burned itself out.
"You know, Dick," Tim said, quietly. "I know this is going to sound crass, but I'm glad you missed your flight."
"Why is that Tim?"
"Because I might be the one lighting 126 candles, and I would not have gotten to meet you."
Dick gave Tim a slight smile of acknowledgement.
"Can we do this next year?"
"To be honest, I've been doing this every year since," Dick answered.
"This is the first I've heard about it."
"That's because I haven't always been in the Manor to light the candles, but I'm glad you're here with me now, Tim."
"We can remember together."
End