Coming to America

I'm an old lady and today my doctor is telling me that I only have a few more months to live.

I came over from Ireland with my husband on a great ship. We came over to America to escape the war in 1916. The Irish War of Independance. We sailed for days. We knew that when this ship landed on the new land, our first steps in this new world was going to be a great new adventure and to be able to share it with my love, I was looking forward to a great life. We all knew, everyone on the ship knew that when we arrived we would have a whole new and better and richer life.

My husband and I were married on the way to America on this great ship. The Captain married us. The crew and the other ship guests gathered around as our vows were spoke to each other for a promise of a better life. After the ceremony the Captain gave me a big hug and slipped a silver dollar into my hand while the others congratulated us and shared in our joy that day. It will be something that will never ever slip my mind.

I lost my husband to the influenza 30 years ago. Our Golden Anniversary is coming up. We would have been married 50 years to the day. I have to get to the shores once again from where I came. I need to feel the wind and hear the waves and smell the ocean. It will be a hard travel for me but I am going to see the place where I first stepped into this new world and began a life that was so precious and memorable and free for me and my husband.

I make my way to the garage to start getting ready for my journey to the sea. I try to get my car started but I am having trouble with my car. For some reason I can’t get the car to turn over. There was something wrong because when I went to try to get it started, which has been quite some time it wouldn’t do anything. While one of my good friends came over for a visit I just happened to had been in the garage trying to get the car started. I just couldn’t get it to turn over. As my friend looked at me in dismay, she began to ask questions as to why I was trying to start the car. I told her about my trip that I planned on taking, but decided to keep the dying part out of the picture. I never used my car. I haven’t used it in years. There was no reason for me to use my car. The doctor came to my home for my checkups and I had my groceries delivered. I had no reason to venture out.

My friend convinced me to come into the house and she would send her grandson over the next day to see if he could figure out what was wrong with my car. So we went into the house where I made up some tea and we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each others company.

True to her word, my friend spoke with her grandson and he showed up early the next day to see what he could do for me and my car. To my surprise, this young man was kind enough to take time out of his life to help an old woman like me and managed to get my car started. He stated that all that was needed was new plugs.

After he showed me that my car was running just fine, I invited the young man in for a cup of tea and some conversation with an old woman. He was more than happy to accompany me into my home. While I was putting the teapot on, the young man began looking through my photo album that I kept on the coffee table in my living room.

I sat next to him as he looked through the memories so sweet in my mind. I told him about each picture and as we looked at the picture of the people on the great ship from where we had sailed and all of the people and the Captain standing next to me, I told him the story about my journey and how I was married by the Captain who hugged me and passed a silver dollar into the palm of my hand as we hugged. Everybody joining in the ceremony and taking in the joy of that day.

As the stories went on, I explained to the young man how I had to get to the sea shores from which I came for my 50th wedding anniversary. The young man seemed a little concerned to think about an old lady like me taking such a long trip alone. But there was nothing anyone could do to stop me from making this trip. I was so thankful to this young man for helping me get my car going so that I could make this last trip in my lifetime.

As the young man finally stood up to leave, he told me that if there were anymore problems with the car, please let him know and he will come over to help with anything he could do. As he left me standing there by myself, I thought that this young man is the answer to my prayers. I needed him to help me.

The next day I went into the garage and pulled some long dangly thing out of the motor that looked like some sort of wire. I let the young man know through word of mouth that I was in need of his assistance once again. When he arrived and looked over the car, he found that I was indeed missing a wire to the engine. As I was listening to him talk, I pulled the long dangly wire out of my apron pocket and pleaded with him to forgive me but I needed his assistance more.

As I explained my needs to the young man, he became annoyed with me and stated that he had another engagement on that same day and there was no way he could assist her on this trip. He regretfully explained that he would if it had been any other day but he had devoted himself to another party that same day and he explained that he would help me if he could do it any other day, but it had to be the day of my 50th wedding anniversary and it could not possibly wait any other day. He apologized and explained that he was sorry but he just couldn’t do it that day. He said his good bye and left me standing there with no hope but for myself. I will have to do this myself then.

The day I was to take my trip, as I walked out to my garage to start my car and begin my journey back to where I first came, the young man showed up and said that he would assist me in my travels. I was so thankful to this young man for helping me, an old woman, make my last journey in life.

Hours had passed since we had started our journey. Our conversation was such a blessing and we even sang some songs along the way. Hours later I could tell that we were getting close. I could smell the ocean. That smell of fresh air, sun, salt, and sea weed all in one. I was soon hearing the waves and finally seeing the ocean.

As we parked the car, we got out and walked down to the ocean side. My heart was taken away by all of the memories. I looked out upon the horizon and saw that great ship that brought me and my husband to this great new land. I had been blessed to be able to see, smell, and feel the memories of my arrival to this land called America.

On our way home I began to feel like something just wasn’t right. I asked the young man if he couldn’t go a little faster to get home so that he could get the doctor because something just wasn’t right.

As I lay in my bed with the doctor standing over me telling me that he strictly was against the whole trip thing and that I should have listened to him, but he knew that I was too stubborn an old woman to listen to any common sense. In my last hours I had to see the young man who helped me through my journey to come to my bed side so that I could thank him for everything he had done for a stubborn old woman.

I held his hand and passed my silver dollar to him in the palm of my hand just as the Captain had done to me on my wedding day. Tears came to the young mans eyes as I handed him the silver dollar. He said that he couldn’t take this from me, but I told him that I wanted him to have it for helping an old lady like me fulfill my dream of seeing the ocean once again. It meant more to me than he would ever know.