savor the memories ...

"Albert?"

"Yes, Clarence?"

"Know what I wish I'd done different?"

"What's that?"

"There was this beautiful fraulein I met once down at the pub.  She was here on holiday, and I saw her walk in on her first night here.  I said to the blokes, that she was the one I was going to marry.  They all laughed right hard at that.  They knew me better than I knew myself, I guess.  But I went up and introduced myself to her, and we chatted the rest of the night like we'd been friends forever.  She met me there every night of her holiday.  A full fortnight it was.  It was the most amazing time.  Her name was Elsa."

"You've never told me about this.  When was it?"

"Oh, it was ages and ages ago.  You were still in the Army, and I was taking care of mum."

"Well, what happened to her?"

"She went back to Germany, and we promised to keep in touch.  I told her I'd come visit at Christmas time, and that I'd write her every day.  I did for a long while, and she wrote back every day too.  We talked on the tele about once a week."

"And?  I don't remember you ever going to Germany."

"I didn't.  Mum got worse, and I couldn't leave her alone.  I told Elsa and promised I'd come as soon as you came home, but then you decided to re-enlist and not come home for a while.  I still wrote her every day, but she didn't write back as often.  I still called her every Saturday, but her mum sometimes said she was out with her friends.  Then I didn't get any letters from her for a week, and when I called, her da said to not call any more."

"So if you could have done something different, you would have gone to see her?"

"No.  I don't think I would have gone to introduce myself to her.  If I'd known how much it would hurt to love someone, I don't think I ever would have wanted to fall in love."