Harvest Moon - A Wonderful Life, Indeed
----------------------------------------------------------------
####### C.R. Roush #############
###### Copyright 2004 ###########
----------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter One: The Long Way Home
It was cold and rainy on the day they put him in the ground. Just as it had been the night Jack left, just as it had been the day they buried Mary. So much had happened in the last month or so and not much had been done on the farm. The grass was high and weeds were everywhere in the fields. I just had enough time each day to feed and milk the cows and gather the eggs. Not a single crop had been planted in the fields since the day Jack left. Fruit lay around nearly ever single tree where it had fallen after being forced off the brances by the fruit growing rapidly. The farm was deteriorating, and why else would it? Its owners were as well.
It was not but a few days past the beginning of summer when the funeral for Dave Roosten began. Dave, a hero of Forget-Me-Not Valley, was honored with a most fantastic of parades. A newcomer to the Valley, Gustafa, led the way with his banjo. A plaque was erected outside the newly constructed Blue Bar that honored the late and great citizen.
Dave's body was laid to rest in the field that he spent most of his time in, where the livestock he had cared for so many years had grazed. Takakura vowed to someday build a pond to commemorate the site, but for now a small grave marker was all he could afford. Everyone was there in the field... Nina and Galen, two of Dave and Mary's closest friends, Vesta and her younger brother Marlin and their niece Celia, the owners of the Inn, Tim and Ruby and their son Rock. Chris and Wally, who had just moved into the Valley just days ago, were there with their newborn son Hugh who was showing signs of growing up just like his father. Patrick and Kassey, two old timers who were highly skilled in the ways of explosives, were there in their Sunday best, an unusual sight. Romana and her grand-daughter Lumina were there with their butler, Sebastian. The new owner of the Blue Bar, Griffin, showed up along with the waitress, Muffy.
It was Nami, a girl who had just wandered into the Valley days before but already knew most of the history of the farm, who spotted Jack. He had showed up hours before and sat in his most favored spot in the whole farm, a large willow tree that overlooked the pasture. He looked down in the ceremony with tears in his eyes but was noticed by none other than Nami. She didn't say a word until after the ceremony was over. Tugging at Takakura's sleeve, she led him to the tree where Jack sat, his eyes closed tightly.
"Care to come down soon, young man?" Takakura's face showed an ounce of delight, something he tried to restrain in honor of the old man. Jack, who adored Takakura as a child, now looked at him with a blank stare. Sighing, Takakura turned to leave.
"Wait!" A loud crash and crumple of trees echoed through the pasture as the young man fell from his perch onto his feet, just as he had done every time he had climbed up there with one of the chickens he found himself playing with, day after day. "Tak... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not showing my face... I'm so-" He pitched forwards into Takakura and hugged him tight, tears streaming from his face. "Do you think... that I caused this?" He asked the question nervously, unaware of the results of the answer he might receive.
"No, Jack. I think that your dad missed your mother too much to go on without her." A local doctor, Hardy, had been brought in the day that Takakura found Dave in the field, unconscious. He told the worried friends of the man that he had a fatal heart attack and that it was probably caused by stress and emotional turmoil, but Takakura didn't dare tell this to the boy. Jack clutched his waist tighter as the light rain fell among them.
Nami, standing nearby, was deep in thought. Although she hadn't known the old man, she knew that he had been very lonely the last few days of his life. Now she was sure that this boy in front of her was the son that had left his home weeks ago. She felt compelled to reach out and comfort him, but her conscience told her to leave the two alone. Quietly backing away from the pasture, she turned and ran all the way back to her room at the Inn, escaping the rain.
That night, Takakura and Jack stayed up almost all night reliving past memories. Takakura shared with Jack the memories of his father as a young man Jack's age. There were many laughs that evening, but tears were shed as well. In the morning, Takakura had arranged for a shipping truck to take Jack back to the city to return to his life there. The young man fell asleep on a nearby sofa and Takakura never fell asleep. He stood at the window looking out at the farm for hours and he swore he saw Dave and Mary in the field many a time.
----------------------------------------------------------------
####### C.R. Roush #############
###### Copyright 2004 ###########
----------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter One: The Long Way Home
It was cold and rainy on the day they put him in the ground. Just as it had been the night Jack left, just as it had been the day they buried Mary. So much had happened in the last month or so and not much had been done on the farm. The grass was high and weeds were everywhere in the fields. I just had enough time each day to feed and milk the cows and gather the eggs. Not a single crop had been planted in the fields since the day Jack left. Fruit lay around nearly ever single tree where it had fallen after being forced off the brances by the fruit growing rapidly. The farm was deteriorating, and why else would it? Its owners were as well.
It was not but a few days past the beginning of summer when the funeral for Dave Roosten began. Dave, a hero of Forget-Me-Not Valley, was honored with a most fantastic of parades. A newcomer to the Valley, Gustafa, led the way with his banjo. A plaque was erected outside the newly constructed Blue Bar that honored the late and great citizen.
Dave's body was laid to rest in the field that he spent most of his time in, where the livestock he had cared for so many years had grazed. Takakura vowed to someday build a pond to commemorate the site, but for now a small grave marker was all he could afford. Everyone was there in the field... Nina and Galen, two of Dave and Mary's closest friends, Vesta and her younger brother Marlin and their niece Celia, the owners of the Inn, Tim and Ruby and their son Rock. Chris and Wally, who had just moved into the Valley just days ago, were there with their newborn son Hugh who was showing signs of growing up just like his father. Patrick and Kassey, two old timers who were highly skilled in the ways of explosives, were there in their Sunday best, an unusual sight. Romana and her grand-daughter Lumina were there with their butler, Sebastian. The new owner of the Blue Bar, Griffin, showed up along with the waitress, Muffy.
It was Nami, a girl who had just wandered into the Valley days before but already knew most of the history of the farm, who spotted Jack. He had showed up hours before and sat in his most favored spot in the whole farm, a large willow tree that overlooked the pasture. He looked down in the ceremony with tears in his eyes but was noticed by none other than Nami. She didn't say a word until after the ceremony was over. Tugging at Takakura's sleeve, she led him to the tree where Jack sat, his eyes closed tightly.
"Care to come down soon, young man?" Takakura's face showed an ounce of delight, something he tried to restrain in honor of the old man. Jack, who adored Takakura as a child, now looked at him with a blank stare. Sighing, Takakura turned to leave.
"Wait!" A loud crash and crumple of trees echoed through the pasture as the young man fell from his perch onto his feet, just as he had done every time he had climbed up there with one of the chickens he found himself playing with, day after day. "Tak... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not showing my face... I'm so-" He pitched forwards into Takakura and hugged him tight, tears streaming from his face. "Do you think... that I caused this?" He asked the question nervously, unaware of the results of the answer he might receive.
"No, Jack. I think that your dad missed your mother too much to go on without her." A local doctor, Hardy, had been brought in the day that Takakura found Dave in the field, unconscious. He told the worried friends of the man that he had a fatal heart attack and that it was probably caused by stress and emotional turmoil, but Takakura didn't dare tell this to the boy. Jack clutched his waist tighter as the light rain fell among them.
Nami, standing nearby, was deep in thought. Although she hadn't known the old man, she knew that he had been very lonely the last few days of his life. Now she was sure that this boy in front of her was the son that had left his home weeks ago. She felt compelled to reach out and comfort him, but her conscience told her to leave the two alone. Quietly backing away from the pasture, she turned and ran all the way back to her room at the Inn, escaping the rain.
That night, Takakura and Jack stayed up almost all night reliving past memories. Takakura shared with Jack the memories of his father as a young man Jack's age. There were many laughs that evening, but tears were shed as well. In the morning, Takakura had arranged for a shipping truck to take Jack back to the city to return to his life there. The young man fell asleep on a nearby sofa and Takakura never fell asleep. He stood at the window looking out at the farm for hours and he swore he saw Dave and Mary in the field many a time.