Misconstrued Thoughts : Yesterday's Misconstrued Thoughts Today

Sorry for the delay but here is this weeks instillation to the story...

If you are new to this here is part 1, part 2, part 3

and now for part 4

Elbert continued to think in a distant stare that had began as a gaze, looking toward the wall in front of him. His head now leaned back as the thoughts became ever clearer to him. "I'm an old man, I have nothing to lose. Everyone is gone, I can't even hurt anyone by my decisions", these thoughts went through Elberts mind. While not true, or completely clear, they were the words that went through his mind. Elbert went from his distant gaze and looked toward the bookshelf next to him. There were an amass of books he and his wife had collected over the years. His eyes grazed all the titles until finally he reached the one where his thoughts were leading him, US History. Elbert struggled with his cane, stood up took a couple of steps toward the bookshelf. Pulling the US history book from the shelf, an envelope also fell to the floor. It fluttered over towards the chair in which he had been sitting. With book in hand he headed back toward the chair, and set the US History book on the coffee table next to the chair. He then leaned over and picked up the envelope. Turning it around towards himself he saw the words, to my dearest husband.

Just seeing those words made a stream of emotion overcome Elbert. Elouise, his dear Elouise. He sat down, almost collapsing in the chair, overcome with emotion. This card was like finding a note she had just written him. True she had been gone for over five years. But for some reason finding this envelope made it seem as if she was actually there again. Elbert pulled his knife from his pocket and proceeded to open the envelope; inside he found a card. A card of cheerful color, for who would expect anything else from Elouise? As he read the words they were short in nature, but loving none the less. Describing her enduring love for him, and appreciation for all that he had done through the years. How had this card ended up here? This he didn't know. "Maybe this is a sign," remarked Elbert. "What am I saying, a sign, like there is such a thing! Elouise, I loved you so, but you are gone, everyone is gone, it is so lonely here. What I do can't hurt you for you are gone, and what I must do is for that goal I was never able to reach." Elbert nearly with tears in his eyes, sat the envelope next to the book he had gone to retrieve, and opened it.

Within its pages were a host of famous individuals, presidents, inventors, artist, even entertainers. But there were no records of simply those that had taken care of those in their neighborhood, had gone the extra mile to help the local kids, had been an exemplary father. Elbert did not regret those years of taking care of all those individuals who were now gone. But there was no reward for him at this time. Everyone is gone. The only thing logical to him now was for him to fulfil his dream of youth yes being famous. He couldn't achieve this by the methods these great individuals had taken, dedicating there lives to the arts, or politics, or inventing. No it was too late in his life for this. But sprinkled in amongst these names was another group as well.

This other group had names recorded in fame; not fame of the greatest light, though. But Elbert realized he was old now, in fact he had sharp pains in his chest regularly. He knew his days were limited as well. It almost brought fear to him, because truly no one was left who cared about him or even took note of him. Who would even take care of his funeral arrangements? There was no way of knowing. He was a nobody in this world he now lived. He would be a nobody on into eternity. A nobody unless, unless, he joined this group of ones who had thrown themselves into the pages of the history books.

The president was coming tomorrow. The paper described where he could be seen, at what time, in a motor brigade on the other side of town. That’s where his fame would come. That was his decision. It wasn't a bad decision, in fact he knew the country had suffered as of late for many decisions of the president. There was the war, and increased taxes, even the education for the kids had decreased in this president's term. Yes he would do it. It was final in his mind.

Elbert sat the book down on the table next to him and with the assistance of his cane rose heading for his bedroom. There he went through his normal evening routine of taking out his dentures, cleaning them, and shaving. He had to look his best tomorrow, it would be a big day. The day he met the history books. He had to look his best, for no one wants to look ragged in their entry into fame. Looking into the mirror Elbert proclaimed "Well its taken seventy seven years, but you will make it all end as you intended, in the history books".

After brushing his teeth, Elbert shut off the lights in the bathroom, and by means of the light coming in his bedroom he walked toward the bed. There on the table next to the bed sit a Bible which Elouise always read, he had left it there, not to read, but simply to remember Elouise by. He picked up the alarm clock next to the Bible and set it for six AM, earlier than he usually arose, but tomorrow would be a special day. The day he would enter the history books. With the alarm set, he sat on the side of the bed and turned off the light above the table. Tomorrow would be the big day. Tomorrow. While there was an amount of nervousness, there also was a bit of inner peace as Elbert closed his eyes. He wouldn't simply be a nobody in the long record of humanity.

Elbert awoke earlier than expected the next morning as bright light filled the room, it was an incredible electrical storm. These storms actually invigorated him. Today was the day, the day his fame would come to fruition. Looking at his clock, he saw that it was thirty minutes before he had planned to wake up. That was ok though, his nervousness had somewhat prevented a sound sleep that night. But that was to be expected, fame doesn't come easily and to cram that fame into one day is bound to yield definite uncertainty.

Elbert turned on the light and watched as the light hesitated to operate correctly due to the electrical storm. "Today is the day", stated Elbert as he sat upright in the bed. Looking toward the closet he reached for his cane and rose. Walking toward the closet, he once again stated, "Today is the day". He then reached for the closet door and opened it. There on the shelf he saw an oak box. An oak box he had not opened in years.