Weekly Writing Challenge: A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words

`Single Dad wishes to meet lonely woman who wants to be cared for and cherished.  All letters answered.  Box 3297`

My it had been an effort getting the kids into their best clothes and off to the bus stop to meet Marie-Anne at 3pm.  I had told the kids a little bit about her but they weren`t too sure.

The postman had brought a pile of letters to the door soon after the advert appeared in the local paper.  Most of the letters I threw on the fire – my!  there are some really odd people about.  I had to be careful that my Mom did not get to see any of them or she surely would be shocked.

Marie-Anne`s letter stood out – it was carefully written in a large clear hand on cheap notepaper.  She told me she had never married – she was 27 and had stayed home to nurse first her Mom, who had always been in bad health and then her Dad who had suffered a heart attack and was invalided until he died a month ago.  Dad`s army pension had kept the family going but this stopped soon after he died and she was struggling to make ends meet.  She had taken a job in a local drug store as a general hand – the pay wasn`t that great but it helped with the rent and her Mom had managed to save a little over the years.

She said she really loved children and often looked after her sister`s little ones on a Sunday – they enjoyed doing things together and she loved their company.

I had kept her letter in my pocket and took it out several times during the day to have another read – my pals at work began teasing me about my love letter and, to my shame, I blushed to the roots of my hair.  It had been 5 years since my darling Penny had died – she had been killed by a drunk driving his car onto the pavement where she was walking.  Instant widowhood and two small children to raise.  Mind you I was grateful for the kids because I just had to keep going for their sake.  Mom and Dad have been wonderful – looking after them while I worked, loving them and caring for them.  I was very lucky there.  Me?  Well I had tried a few dates – it all felt wrong and I eventually gave up.

One day recently I was reading the local paper whilst eating my supper and came across the ads and the idea occurred to me – I`d put in an advert.  I could use a Box Number so no-one would know would they?

I had written to Marie-Anne the evening after I got her letter and told her all about me and the kids and said I liked what I read about her.  It turned out she only lived in the next suburb and we arranged to meet after we had written to each other a few more times.  Life is strange isn`t  it?  It is amazing how quickly you can get to know someone after receiving just a couple of letters – I couldn`t wait to meet her.  She said she would hop on the bus next Sunday and come to the house where Mom would get tea – I arranged to meet her, with the kids, at the bus stop near my house.

So here we are – the kids and I – it`s now 2.45pm and the bus carrying Marie-Anne will be here in fifteen minutes.

Weekly Writing Challenge: A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words.