Full Circuit

It had been many years since Louise had walked on her own; so her previous care taker had told me. I watched Louise each morning struggle and groan to her feet, half shuffling, halting stutter steps with her walker to the bathroom, and back to her bed again. It was hard to inspire her to do much else, many had tried and all had failed. Louise was a good fifty, slender graceful beauty of her youth intact; the doctors could not find a reason for her motor skills’ deterioration. The wiring seemed all there, they’d said, but something is missing to complete the circuit.

I’d only been her care taker for 6 months when I first heard her story, or rather stumbled upon it, or maybe it stumbled upon me. I was fetching Louise a blanket from the hall closet when an album came off of the shelf and landed on my foot. As the throbbing pain subsided, I delved into her past. Pictures leapt out from the pages, over and over all the same, her and a dark haired man dancing. Occasionally one would bear the title of this regional semi-final or that, this championship or that. The costuming changed; as did the style of dance as the dancers gracefully aged, but the couple’s posture was the same always linked, then the pictures abruptly ended. One last photo had been removed; I could see the aged yellow frame with a crisp white space where the photo had been.

I phoned Louise’s last care taker and found that she had indeed been a famous ballroom dancer who had disappeared from competition after a love affair. Thinking there was no more to the story I let it go.

Three weeks later flowers arrived. I brought them in, and just before I put them in a vase she came to the kitchen, out of breath, and flushed. I quickly asked what the matter was, and prepared to dial 911. The words tumbled from her mouth… She had smelled the flowers, and wanted to know who had sent them. The card was blank. Her face fell again as did the energy she’d just had. I assured her I would look into it as they were from a florist just down the street.

The next day I stopped in and asked about a bouquet sent to 1027 Valley View Drive the day before. The man behind the counter lit up, yes he knew the order, he had arranged it himself, the older gentleman who ordered it had insisted on every detail. He’d figured the arrangement was for some sort of surprise celebration, perhaps an anniversary. I told him that the card had been blank, and he was puzzled, the gentleman spent half an hour writing, it cannot have been blank.

I returned and shared the news, again there was a brief burst of life, and then her face fell again when I said there was no name, and the man had paid cash.

Another week passed and we had a caller, this was a rare treat as she had no family, and too little time for friendships during those years. A tall man with silver graying hair asked for entrance, on a visit over due. Recognizing him from the pictures I let him in smelling his strong cologne. He had barely crossed the threshold when Louise met us in the hall, his cologne her call.

He handed me his hat and coat, and a CD and bid me put the music on. Both looked at one another aged, stumbling, as they walked. He held his hand out for hers, and she accepted it. And they danced, oh how they danced. And for that brief moment Time stood still to watch. And as the music ceased so did their moment frozen in time, and back to their seats they went. The circuit found its completion after all, and so does this story end.