The Road Not Taken

Chapter 14

April 8, 1973

Sam was perturbed. Walking to Tom's gravesite on crutches was not easy. But he had been commemorating this day since Tom died. He was damned if he was going to miss talking with Tom because of some stupid crutches. It was too important to let it slide past. It was late afternoon and the sun was beginning to lose its intensity.

He'd planned to come earlier in the day but he'd received a call from Donna. She was going to be able to go with him to New York City when he played at Carnegie Hall in June. He'd decided to contact the travel agent to coordinate the rooms and the activities. His family would be going as well. It had taken him awhile to address all of the plans. He'd finally gotten away around three that afternoon.

Sam parked the car as close to the gravesite as possible and worked his way up the lightly sloping hill. It probably hadn't been a good idea to drive with a broken leg but he didn't want to have anyone with him. Not on this day. It was much too special to him. Driving the automatic had been difficult but since he could hold his right leg out of the way and use his left foot for the brakes and gas, he'd managed. He reached the gravesite and as always was greeted by the cold, gleaming gray granite slab. He noted that the gravesite was being kept up. He knew his mother still visited regularly and Katie would come every now and then. He wasn't sure about his father.

"Hi, Tom. A lot's happened since last year. I've got some big news. I'm serious about a woman. Her name is Donna Elesee. You'd like her, Tom." Sam grinned, recalling how often his brother would rib him about being so shy and his unwillingness to talk with the girls. "Donna's going with me to New York City in June. I'm going to play at Carnegie Hall. Can you believe that? I guess all that practice paid off!"

Sam remembered how often that he'd wanted to forgo practice so he could hang out with Tom. Even being 6 years younger, Sam wanted to be wherever his brother was rather than cooped up in a house practicing his scales. Piano lessons came between that desire and his mother's, teacher's, and brother's appeals that he practice. He remembered Tom asking him one day if he ever wanted to play at Carnegie Hall. Sam hadn't known what that meant. His brother had told him that was where all the really great pianists played and then asked him "You know how to get to Carnegie Hall don't you?" Sam had shaken his head. Tom had smiled and said "Practice, practice, practice, Sam." Now he was going and he had Tom at least in part to thank for it.

"Basketball was going pretty well until I broke my leg. Just a ridiculous accident but it ended the season for me. It feels bad that I can't help the team other than be there to support them at the games!"

Sam looked up and noticed that the weather was beginning to change, that darker clouds were beginning to gather in the skies overhead. The temperature had started to drop as well. Sam struggled to put on the jacket that he'd tied around his waist earlier. It wasn't easy when you had to lean on crutches. He knew he should probably head back but he still had some things to say to Tom.

"I guess Mom has told you about Dad. He almost joined you. As it is, he can't work the farm as well as he used to. We now have a hired hand to help him out. But I only have two years to go before I can get back to working the farm. I think Dad wants me here now, and I tried to suggest that but Mom insists I have to finish college. You know how much emphasis she puts on education. The farm is turning a small profit again with the organic farming techniques, even with having to pay for help.

"Katie is getting really antsy about home life with both of us gone. With Dad not able to take on as much of the work, he relies a lot on Katie. She's not too keen on working the farm. It's hard on her, Tom. I think Katie just wants to have a little more free time. But then again, she's really turning into a beauty. Too much free time might not be a good thing!

"Tom, I really miss you. I wish I could really talk to you, play a game of basketball, go pheasant hunting, or just about anything else we used do. I mostly miss you when I'm alone and there's no one else around. I get the greatest urge to just call you up on the phone. But then I realize I can't and that's when the pain hits again. It doesn't happen as often anymore but it still does. I think it always will. I just hope you're happy."

A light drizzle started falling and the day turned decidedly chilly. "Well, I guess it's time to go." He turned around and started working his way away from the gravesite. The car was in sight as he started down the hill. He was suddenly thrown to the ground when one of the crutches slipped on the newly wet grass. He tried to get up but he couldn't get the leverage as the rain continued to decrease friction with the ground. What the heck was he going to do now…?

The rain started falling harder; the clouds now were bubbling black. A bolt of lightning lit up the sky. Sam normally wasn't afraid of the weather, but now, with his leg in a cast, he felt helpless. He noticed that the crack of thunder sounded less than five seconds from the flash. Rule of thumb would indicate the storm was very close. Metal crutches weren't the most comforting items to be holding at the moment.

Not being able to get on his feet, Sam considered rolling himself down the hill. Realizing that with the crutches, that would be difficult at best; he pulled himself along the ground, watching nervously as lighting bolts continued to light up the dark sky. He'd had to cut the pant leg of his jeans to pull it over the cast so it didn't provide much protection from the rain. He knew that as wet as he was, if a lightning bolt hit close, he could be electrocuted. By the time he reached the car, his heart was pounding and he was soaked through. He was concerned that the plaster in the outer layers of the cast had softened.

He had a difficult time getting into the car as well. The side of the door was wet and slippery and it was hard getting a hold he could pull himself up with. When he finally seated himself in the driver's seat, he took stock of his situation. He was cold and shaking a bit. Probably the residual fear he'd had that he might have been killed along with a mild case of hypothermia. He wasn't surprised. He felt like he had jumped into a swimming pool. He started the car and drove home.

When he pulled into the driveway, his mother came out onto the porch, a worried look on her face. She had been concerned when Sam hadn't reached home when the storm started. She ran out to him as he exited the car, trying to get the crutches in position. She helped him hobble towards the house. It was still pouring buckets but Sam managed to get to the porch with his mother's help.

Thelma looked Sam over critically, taking in his wet clothing and the copious amount of mud he had on him. "Sam, thank God you're all right! What happened?"

Sam looked at the crutches in disgust. "These damned crutches, Mom. They slipped out from under me. I couldn't walk to the car. I had to drag myself."

Thelma shook her head. "With those metal crutches, you could've been killed, Sam." He noticed her shaking. He knew she was right but didn't want her worried.

Sam reached out and gave his mother a hug. He pulled back, took her shoulder and looked her in the eyes. "I'm okay, Mom. Nothing happened. Well, the cast is a loss. I guess I need to have it checked"

Thelma insisted that they go to the emergency room immediately to see if the wet cast needed to be replaced. Again, Sam had X-rays taken. The ER doctor indicated that the bone still required a couple of weeks to heal. The wet cast was removed and a new one applied.

By the time Sam got home it was 9 p.m. and he was beat. He hobbled up to his room exhausted. He couldn't wait until the damned cast was off for good.