Remember Savannah

#11 Empty Field With a Tire Swing

It was clear Steve knew there was something wrong with me when he showed up to our house late Sunday Afternoon and found me on the swings. He sat next to me.

"How are you holding up?"

"Fine."

He laughed. "Do you remember the night post stalker? I sat next to you on these very swings. I told you I would always be here if you needed me." There was a pause and a sigh. "Well I'm still here and you clearly need me."

My heart skipped a beat. Sure, his claim for needing him meant something completely different, but a girl can dream.

"You're worried about your dad, aren't you?"

I nodded. "I don't want him to die. It's bad enough that Savannah died and now my dad. Sometimes it feels like everything I've ever know is crumbling apart."

"I understand that completely. Your life is here. So is mine." There was an uncomfortable pause. "Sometimes I think moving to Scottsdale would be that escape I'm looking for. Everything would be new. I wouldn't have to sit in an empty house every night."

My hand found itself on his shoulder until he stood up and picked off a dead flower on the ground.

"You up for an adventure?" he asked. "Get your car started. I want to show you something near the graveyard."

We hopped in my car and drove off. Even though the thing he wanted to show me wasn't at the graveyard, we had to park there. It took about a mile to go where he wanted to go. We were in an empty field. There were a few trees. I was led to one of the trees which had a tire swing. With his hands, he moved it around.

"I first found this swing when I turned thirteen. It was after my grandfather died which believe it or not was the first time someone in my life died. He always talked about this swing and told me where it was. Every time, I visited him. It was always the same story. The story stuck out like a thorn when he was in the hospital in his death bed.

"Hey buddy, do you remember that swing I keep telling you about?" Steve nodded. Their hands held while he told the story. "Well back many years ago a man named Apricot just got back from the Second World War. He fought a good fight. He was proud of what his country accomplished. There were moments in the war where he doubted he and his boys would make it back, but they did. When he got back, his parents had moved away, and his fiancé left him. Apricot felt alone even though he fought in a victorious war for his country. "This is not what I expected to come home to." Every day, he would sit on that swing. In fact, he sat on it for over a year asking God what he was expected to do. One day, when he was swinging on that tire, he noticed a wonderful sunset and decided to write a poem about it. He titled it "Only God Could Create a Wonderful Sunset." With no intention of publishing it, he dug it up in a box. He realized he saw a miracle that was for him and only him. Immediately, he left for San Francisco and started a new life. He found a new job, new fiancé, new everything. Forty years later, he came back to that very swing after telling all his friends and family in San Francisco about it. With all his might he dug up the poem and it was still there. It was decided that the poem would stay put in that spot. When he came back he told everyone that if they saw that sunset and found that poem, they would understand that your home will always be your home no matter where you are." 

"As often as I could, I would sit here wondering what I would do in life. I wondered what life would have in store. I always had to remind myself that home will always be my home no matter where you are."

My first instinct was to hop on the tire swing. Steve pushed me a bit.

"You never showed this to Savannah?"

"No, but I questioned it all the time when we started dating. I would always come to the same realization that I shouldn't because she would end up playing music. She hated quiet places obviously and this would ruin all the meaning this place had. And yes, she had a lot of dreams and aspirations, but this simply wasn't for her. It was the one thing I didn't share with her."

"I guess that makes sense. She seemed to know what she was doing anyway."

"But I did, however, show this place to Zoey not long ago."

"I love dis swing daddy!" she screamed while on the swing.

He laughed. "I'm glad you like it honey but remember not to ever tell about this place to mommy."

"I know cause she wouldn't understand. Home is home no madder where you are."

"That's correct." He kept pushing her.                                                                                                          

"But if I moved to the moon, would this place be my home, or would the moon be my home?"

"It's complicated. Someday you might understand better."

"I think it's you is the one that don't understand daddy."

"Oh, I understand." Did he though?

We spent a few minutes at the swing until Steve wanted to leave. As we left, my eyes took notice of a rock that look displaced. It was right next to the tree. Curiosity tempted me to do a little digging, but I could tell Steve had no patience. Perhaps showing this personal place to me was a lot for him. I couldn't blame him.

That was certainly an interesting chapter. Don't forget to comment and vote

Was it wise of Steve to keep this secret from Savannah?

What do you think "Home is home, no matter where you are" means?