Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 09:09:00 -0600 From: Robyn Herrington Organization: University of Calgary Subject: [WRITERS] SUB: CONTEST: The Stone Entry number four! Woohoo! ------------------------------------------------- The Stone When the grandfather clock began to strike twelve, Catherine knew that the decision she has been anxious about was finally made. It was a decision made by default really--and now it was too late for her to change her mind. A part of her had wanted to go to the library that morning, but instead she found herself here, in the coffee shop. Looking down at the stone that was in her hand, Catherine wondered how this day would end. She sat there thinking back to the beginning of the week when an offer too good to be true was made to her from a man she had never met. It was raining on the day that Catherine first met him. She has entered the coffee shop quite by accident. The shop had been there for years, but this was the first time that she had ever gone inside. If it weren't for the fact that she had forgotten her umbrella, she wouldn t have seen it fit to enter the little store on that day either. "Good afternoon," the lady behind the counter looked up for a moment. "It sure is wet out there right now," Catherine said as she shook the rain off her head. "I am so glad that we are finally getting some rain, we needed it so badly." "Yes we did. I got caught out there without my umbrella. My car is just down the street a bit, but a cup of cappuccino sure sounds good right now." "Well have a seat honey, and we will get you fixed right up." The lady was an older woman; small framed and dressed in a T-shirt, and a pair of jeans. Her hair was pulled back into a pony, but loose hair had fallen from it since she originally fixed it. She had an apron around her waist, and it was evident that she has spilled much coffee on it. Catherine headed for the back of the shop to find a table and sit down. On the counter as she walked past, she saw a strawberry rhubarb pie sitting under the protection of glass that looked too good not to try. " I'll have a piece of that wonderful looking pie too." "Of course honey, now you just have a seat, and I will bring it right to you." After weaving her way back to the corner of the shop, Catherine found a seat that wasn't occupied. On the wall behind her, rows and rows of old looking books filled the case that was mounted on the wall. So deep into her own thoughts, Catherine didn't even hear the older gentleman, standing beside the table asking if he may sit with her until the storm passed. "Here is your pie honey. And it looks to me that you have a guest to share it with." Catherine looked up, and saw the man who was standing there waiting patiently for her answer. "May I have a seat until the storm passes?" he said again. "It seems all the other tables are full." Catherine wasn't much of a social person. To be honest, she liked it that way too. The fewer people she knew, the better she liked it, but considering the circumstances, what else could she say but yes? "Sure, have a seat" "I don't believe that I have ever seen you here before", the man asked as he sat down and adjusted himself. "No, I have never been in here before. I just came in to get out of the storm." "Well Catherine, today is your lucky day " All the hairs on the back of Catherine's neck stood on end as the stranger spoke her name. How did he know my name? And what did he mean when he said today was my lucky day? she thought. "I can offer you something Catherine, that I have not ever been prepared to offer to anyone before. Time is running out, and if I don't pass this on, it will be lost forever, and I wouldn't want that to happen." As uneasy as Catherine was feeling right now, she had to admit she was somewhat curious with what the man had to say. "I am sorry, I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage, I do not know your name, and how did you know my name was Catherine? "My name is unimportant, but you your name has been know to me for a long time. I have been waiting patiently to make your acquaintance, and now that I have, the wait has been well worth it. Are you interested in hearing what I have to offer you?" Catherine nodded her head in response to the man's question. None of this was making much sense to her, and the longer she sat there, the more apprehensive she was becoming. Maybe, she thought, if he told her what he wanted, he would then go away "I know how this must all sound to you Catherine, I am sure you are thinking I'm a bit strange, but I assure you I am not. " Strange? That was not quite the word Catherine would have used. "Catherine? Has there ever been anything in your life that you have wished you could take back--a decision, or a day? You know, something that you regret?" Catherine didn't have to think very hard about that one. The day her mother had died has haunted her continually for the last ten years. The guilt she has held about that accident had never left her. Everyone said it wasn't her fault, but Catherine never really believed them. She was nine the day it happened. It was a beautiful day out, and her mom was taking her and Jake to the pool for the afternoon. Jake was thirteen, and it seemed that no matter how hard Catherine tried to get along with him, he was always mean to her. She was not going to let him be mean to her today though she was tired of his bullying. Mom came up on the fateful intersection, and the car came to a stop waiting for the light to change. That is when Catherine leaned over to look out the front window. Jake pushed Catherine hard, and told her to stay on her own side. That was it, Catherine was mad. "JAKE, stop pushing me!" she yelled, but Jake kept shoving. "You stay on your side of the car Catty." She hatted when he called her that name, and he knew it. "Don't call me Catty! My name is Catherine." "Catty, Catty, Catty'" he continued. Close to tears, she took off her seat belt, and stood up and started to hit Jake with her closed fists as hard as she could. "What are you doing? Stop it Catherine," yelled Jake. It was at this moment that Catherine's mother had enough herself. She was angry with both of them. She turned towards the two kids in the back seat, and started to scold them as she typically did. Only this time she quite by accident took her foot off the brake. Her mom felt the car beginning to move, and in a panic she stomped her foot down on the pedal, while she was still faced the backseat. "JAKE" She stomped on the wrong pedal though. As the car lunged forward, Catherine's mother understood the mistake she made. Turned her head, the last word she heard her mother say was, "CATHERINE". The car slammed into something hard, and then came to rest. A building had stopped it from continuing. "MOM, Oh god, mommy." Catherine was looking down at her mother. There was blood all over the side window and her mom was slumped over the steering wheel. Deep inside her, Catherine knew her mom would never answer. Catherine's attention returned to the strange man sitting with her at the table. "Yes, there is something that I regret with all my heart. The day my mother died." "I can change that Catherine. I can make it so you never have to live that day again as you remember it." Oh, how nice it would be if things could change, Catherine thought to herself. As the man continued talking, Catherine noticed a stone in his hand. He was rubbed it gently as if he was holding a piece of silk. As she watched, Catherine could have sworn the stone in his hand began to glow. He handed her the stone. "You're giving this to me?" Catherine asked. "Keep it with you. All you have to do now it wait. You have three days to change your mind. If you decide to return the stone to me, all will be as it is today. Nothing will have changed." Catherine took the stone from the man. It was warm. "This rock is going to change my mothers death?" Catherine asked. "You can find me at the library if you want to return it." A rock, Catherine though to herself . And I actually thought this guy was serious. As the clock struck 12 noon the man stood. "The rain has stopped now, I will leave you to your pie." "Well Okay, it was nice to meet you," As she heard herself say that, she was quite relieved to see him go. "Honey, how was your pie?" Startled, Catherine looked up at the waitress. "Umm, very good thank you. Who was the guy who sat down with me? He never did tell me what his name was." "Oh that was Sam. He comes in here a lot. I believe he lives over by the library. He has been coming in here since I can remember. A little strange, but seems nice enough" "Yeah, kind of a strange." Catherine answered back as she looked down at the stone that was in her hand. "I am ready for my check when you come back. Looks like the rain has stopped and I can get to my car now." "Hold on Honey, I will get it for you." As Catherine entered the coffee shop for the second time in one week, she couldn't stop playing with the stone that was given to her three days ago. As she held it, she couldn't help but re-play the conversation she had that day with Sam. Was it possible that what he said could be true? At the time she thought not, even the waitress had said that he was strange. How could anyone go back and change the past. It is just not possible, and Catherine knew that. But still, the idea of it was exciting, and that is probably the reason she never did go to the library to find Sam. When the clock in the coffee shop stopped striking twelve, Catherine knew for sure that what Sam had told her was not true. "Just a story from an old lonely man." she thought to herself. "Everything is still the same as it was." Catherine had to admit to herself, she was a just a tab bit disappointed. She finished her cappuccino, placed $2 on the table to pay for it, and headed to the door to go home. As Catherine stepped outside of the coffee shop, she was looking down at the stone that was still in her hand. If she had been looking where she was going, she would have seen the car rolling towards her, and she would have had plenty of time to get out of the way. By the time she looked up, though, it was too late. As she looked at the car headed towards her, she screamed as her eyes met those of the woman's in the front seat. "MOM, Oh god, mommy," Catherine screamed before the car struck. As Catherine fell to the ground, the stone she held in her hand rolled into the street. The last thing Catherine saw was Sam. He was picking up his stone. -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Robyn Herrington New Currents in Teaching and Learning / InfoServe Phone: 220-2561 Email: rmherrin@ucalgary.ca Story ideas are like rabbits that have ventured unwittingly into view. The slightest noise or movement can spook them and they bolt off into the dark undergrowth never to be seen again. -- Adrian Bedford ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~