HENRY by Julianna Rowe

 LAST NIGHT, I MET HENRY:

My friend Jude and I were out about the local pubs one evening.  Jude had been on a one-man mission for some time to find me a partner to spend my remaining days with.  Not that I asked. Jude had entertained dating sites in my name, selfies……magazine ads, and computer sites, all to no avail.   Not that I am chopped liver, but Jude lacks the qualities needed to write and or present me properly.  Heck, Jude couldn't even take an appropriate photo of me.  Not that I offered him any assistance on his one-man plight because I didn’t care. It had become a joke between friends.  We all wondered what would Jude come up with next.

One evening we were out and sitting at a large round table with other friends.  Most people in our circle knew about Jude’s obsession with finding me a good man for whatever reason.  Our other friends were making jokes because Jude had pointed to some younger men for me to consider. The responses returned to him were more comical than his choices of youth for me.                                                                                                             

And then I noticed two elderly men walking toward the establishment.  I looked at Jude and pointed to one older man who had caught sight of me as well.  I sent a smile directly into his space.  Before the smile could ever arrive, Jude was on him!  Jude pointed to me as he whispered God only knows what.  At the same moment, my smile hit and I received a genuine one back.  As Jude returned to the table, the older fellow and his buddy sat at a smaller round table within smiling distance. 

“What did you say to him, Jude?”  

“Oh, I told him you were looking for a man!”

“You did not!”

“His name is Henry. The rest is up to you dear lady.”

I didn’t have to do anything because Henry excused himself from his friend, walked over to me, leaned his tall lanky body over, and whispered let's take a walk as he gently placed his arm under mine and helped me to my feet and we walked. All chattering at our round table had ceased including Jude’s whose incessant talk never stopped. They watched us walk away.

We walked and talked until we came upon a large old Victorian house.  Henry said come here, look.  What I saw was a line of electric bikes hanging on racks that looked like old cow stanchions.  Henry told me he invented them, the bikes.  I said but no one is using them.  He said, Right.    We walked on and toward iron gates which he opened and there before me was the most beautiful but uncared for courtyard.  Statues of a romantic nature //blessed the area but were in dire need of cleaning. We passed and went into the house.  A woman was sitting in a chair holding a basket.  She appeared to be Indian.  Then a young man walked into the room.  I mentally guessed he was fourteen.  I looked over toward Henry with questioning eyes.  He responded that he was the caretaker of these people.  Then a teenage girl walked in.  I waited for more to walk in but none did.  

We walked the rest of the house with no words spoken.  The home needed a woman’s touch as well as some serious cleaning in all areas.

He said I want you to take care of them with me.  Money is not an issue, you can do whatever you wish with the house.  I am signing it over to you but I want you to know there may be problems.   My children might try to take it away from you upon my passing.  I will do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen.  And then he would do a little dance around me and smile with those beautiful white teeth.

He added I might have to take care of him as he was gaining in years.   I agreed without hesitation.  He looked just like Dick Van Dyke.  He danced just like him too.

So, with one little walk, and a smile from deep in the Universe, I knew I would never have to worry again about food, housing, cars, tires, healthcare, or dirty nursing (dying mills) homes.  

I was a born caretaker so this was perfect for me.  Betty, the Indian was our cook and the other children were a joy.  

I woke up HAPPY.  I am glad I met Henry and hope he will materialize into my space on Earth.  Because Henry made me Happy.