I am not a smart man, but I know what love is.
Mamma said you gotta’ put the past behind you before you can move on.
Mamma said stupid is as stupid does!
He never actually said so, but I think he made his peace with God.
Jenny came back and stayed with me. Maybe it was because she had
nowhere else to go. Or may be it was because she was so tired, because
she went to bed and slept and slept like she hadn’t slept in years. It
was wonderful having her home. Every day we’d take a walk, and I’d
jabber on like a monkey in a tree and she’d listen about ping-pong and
shrimpin’ boats and Momma makin’ a trip to Heaven. I did all the
talkin’. Jenny most of the time was real quiet.
That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run.
So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe
I’d run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I’d
just run across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I run this far,
maybe I’d just run across the great state of Alabama. And that’s what I
did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept
on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured,
since I’d gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on
going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I’d gone this far,
I might as well just turn back, keep right on going. When I got tired,
I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go… you know… I
went.
You died on a Saturday morning and I had you placed here under our
tree. And I had that house of your father’s bulldozed to the ground.
Momma always said dyin’ was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn’t.
Little Forrest, he’s doing just fine. About to start school again soon.
I make his breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. I make sure he combs
his hair and brushes his teeth every day. Teaching him how to play ping
pong. He’s really good. We fish a lot. And every night, we read a book.
He’s so smart, Jenny. You’d be so proud of him. I am. He, uh, wrote a
letter, and he says I can’t read it. I’m not supposed to, so I’ll just
leave it here for you. Jenny, I don’t know if Momma was right or if, if
it’s Lieutenant Dan. I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if
we’re all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I
think maybe it’s both. Maybe both is happening at the same time. I miss
you, Jenny. If there’s anything you need, I won’t be far away.