Wednesday, December 16, 2015


MINA V. KIRBY
Ric’s Story

A man once stood
at the edge of the Bixby Creek Bridge
in Bug Sur
the wind blowing his hair askew
his intent to plunge
into the dark moving waters
below

He imagined that the impact
on the water’s surface
would break his neck
keeping him from experiencing the agony
of drowning
Almost immediately
his worries and pains
would float away with the stream

He stood
looked out at the cloudless blue sky
for what would be the last time
Just a small climb over the guard rail
an slight outward tip forward
he could let gravity
take care of the rest

He would have
no more financial woes
or fights with his family
no more feelings of being
not quite good enough
no more unsuccessful struggles
to succeed

But then
just for a moment
he let his mind stray
to a memory
of holding his daughter’s tiny hand
as he pointed out small creatures
in a tide pool

Unbidden
another picture appeared
of the day they went to the church picnic
of his gawky young son’s grin
and shout of joy
when they won that silly three-legged race
together

Suddenly he felt an intense longing
to enfold his wife in his arms
to feel her warm body next to his
let their tears mingle
to begin yet one more time
the work of living
together

He turned
walked away from the bridge
telling himself
that on some future dark day
he could come back again
After all
the bridge would always be there

But in that short time
standing there in the wind
something in him had changed
and he knew
as clearly as he had ever understood
anything in his life
that he never would


This is a true story. After a very successful life,
 Ric passed away peacefully many years later, at age 78.

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