His True Love

a story of an endearing and enduring love....

Somewhere hidden down deep in the thick sauce Barney figured he might just be able to find a little meat. He mumbled to himself as he fished around the platter with his fork, then on to his spoon. He loathed anything in a heavy sauce and thought why did the bus have to break down near the Copper Kettle Restaurant? Copper? Is that what the taste was in his mouth now? He did see the cook walk out the front door earlier. Maybe he climbed up to the roof and chipped off some copper flakes from the ornamental kettle and mixed ‘em right in with the meat and onion ‘special.’

The bus made it back from Raleigh and halted in Mt. Pilot with ‘mee-canical’ problems. That’s how the driver pronounced it as each person exited the beached whale. Eleven miles from home is where Barney’s return from vacation washed ashore. He’d had a great time in Raleigh though. Getting all dressed up, watching the ping pong matches and attending another lecture on cleanliness. He knew how to spend all of fifteen dollars to have a grand time.

“Enjoying your meal, Bernie?”
In a way he was glad to see Skippy as his waitress. She looked good in her tight light blue uniform and crooked white name tag.

“Oh, yes, fit for a King,” he deadpanned.

She horse laughed, repeated it to Daphne behind the counter and asked:

“Can I get you anything else, Bernie?”

“It’s Barney. I’ll take a dish of soft ice cream if fifteen cents’ll cover it,” he said as he was sorting out the rest of his leftover cash.

“You’re a big spender, Charlie,” she horse laughed again as she slapped him on the back.

Al was at the counter flirting with Daphne and when he crossed the line and she yelled ‘don’t,’ that deep baritone of hers made the silver ware on Barney’s table vibrate. He wished he had walked a little ways down the street to the up scale Klein’s Coffeehouse. That’s where the bus driver with the big belly said he was headed while the bus was being towed and repaired. Big-bellied bus drivers wearing a shirt with their names stitched in can be relied upon to sniff out good eats. Barney shook his head slowly and grimaced as he thought of it.

The bus was fixed and they were ready to roll again as it was getting dark. A brisk February breeze had kicked up and Barney had both hands holding on his signature white hat as he sprinted towards the bus almost missing it. How could this day get any worse he thought. This topped cousin Virgil’s misadventure for sure. At least he knew his suitcase was aboard. He settled back into the seat and took a deep breath thankful he was heading to Mayberry. About five miles out he checked the time but his watch was gone. He rummaged quickly through all his pockets to no avail. His heart sunk. The anniversary watch was lost. He rubbed his skinny wrist where it should’ve been. He was pretty sure it was in the washroom at the Copper Kettle but the well-fed bus driver refused to go back.

Thinking about that watch reminded Barney of a better day. He leaned back and closed his eyes remembering that small gathering at the ‘five’ party and his thoughts drifted towards her. She was there wasn’t she? Whenever he was tense he could think of his girl and his problems would drown like a bad meal in a heavy sauce. Her full red lips brushing softly on his cheek or pressing sweetly on his lips. Her skin the shade of the lighter petals of the sulphur rose. Her cinnamon-colored hair swept back and fastened with a silver pin once belonging to her Grandmother. The Soul of Sweetness. He let out a deep sigh and opened his eyes.

“Thelma Lou,” he whispered. She was there.