3293. Promises © Bruce Goodman 10 August 2025

Gus’s father was killed in World War II when Gus was five. He never remembered his father. His mother reared him and his sister on the farm. She worked like a slave. That farm had been her husband’s pride and joy. He was buried in faraway Belgium. Gus was now old. He had never seen his father’s grave. After his mother passed he inherited and worked the farm. The local town’s mayor was eager to get voted in again. He said he was going to Europe after the election to wind down. He would be happy to visit any war hero’s grave if the descendants wanted it. It was his way of recognizing the sacrifices the people of the area had made back in World War II. Gus jumped at the opportunity. He went to see the mayor. Could you take this little rock – more of a stone – from the farm and place it on my father’s grave? The mayor most certainly could. What a delightful idea! I promise to do it! But the stone now lies at the bottom of a creek somewhere. “I’ll be buggered if I’m going to cart a rock around with me. I’ve got his vote and that’s all that matters.” Still, Gus has a modicum of satisfaction thinking the little stone from the farm is on his father’s grave. Contact Author Back to Index Next Story Previous Story