"Remembering Polly" by Mark Ifanson
Updated: 1 day ago
Hi, Jack.
Oh, hi, Syd.
Penny for your thoughts, Jack.
Huh? Well, I was thinking about Polly from when we were way back in High School. Crazy times, eh?
Polly?
Yeah. Polly and I were quite the number senior year.
Polly who, Jack?
Um-m-m. Polly. Cute, long brown hair, glasses?
Oh! Four-eyes Polly, sure I remember her.
Four-eyes? Syd, who called her that?
Oh, the kids used to tease her in grade school. She was the first in our class to get glasses, you know how kids are. So, you were thinking about her?
Well yeah, I was. We broke up when I enlisted in the Army after high school.
I wonder what happened to her?
Syd, you don’t remember Polly? You married her. Remember that?
Um, yeah, right. Polly. OK. Sure. And we had two kids. Boy and a girl. Trying to remember their names…
Peggy and Paul, Syd. Your family was Polly, Peggy and Paul.
Oh yeah, that sounds right. They’ve both grown up, have families of their own now.
Do you ever see them?
Sure, they come around once in a while. Polly bugs them to make sure they visit. The grandkids are nearly grown now.
Polly does what?
Well, the kids get busy with families of their own and work and such, you know how it is, so Polly reminds them to visit. Not often enough, but it’s great when they do.
Syd?
Yeah, Jack?
Polly’s not with us anymore.
Huh? What do you mean?
She died. Three years ago, today. That’s why I was thinking about her.
No, no, that can’t be right. I just saw her this morning at breakfast. We had eggs, potatoes, juice and coffee. Decaf. Terrible stuff, but that’s all they serve here.
No, Syd, you didn’t. Sorry.
I’m sure I did.
Well, maybe you did.
Hey, Jack, what’s for dinner tonight, anyway?
Meat loaf, Syd.
They make great meat loaf here, have to give them credit for that. Reminds me of what Polly used to make. Hers was better, you know, but it’s pretty good here.
Right Syd, the meat loaf is pretty good here.
Hey, Jack.
Yeah?
Polly’s gone, isn’t she?
Yeah, Syd. Polly’s gone.
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