This is a continuation of last weeks writing (more to come after this one...)
Read Last weeks portion of Forgotten Never Be
As Elbert entered the store the inrush of air conditioned air chilled him to his core, he grabbed the top button and began to button his jacket together. That second button had been missing for the last three years. Used to Eloise always fixed those missing buttons. But since she had been gone for the last five years, there was basically no one to help at all. "These people need this frigid air because they are week. That's what it is! I should start a school and teach these people how to deal with heat. That would save them all a lot of money!" Elbert finished closing his jacket by buttoning the bottom button.
"Let’s see, I need three apples, a can of peanut butter, and a loaf of bread. That should take care of me for a while," he thought. Elbert walked slowly through the grocery store, there was something else he was to get. What was it? "Maybe if I just walk up and down a few aisles I'll remember" After a few trips up and down the aisle Elbert saw this was getting him nowhere, so he trekked up toward the front of the store with his apples, and peanut butter. "Oh how I hate these lines, six lanes yet only two cashiers"
A lady met him as he walked towards the check out lane. She was one of those people you could tell had just gotten her food stamps for the eighteen kids at home, half of them with her, a shopping cart full of can goods, mainly of the jumbo size and type. "Go ahead Mam", Elbert stated pointing his cane to the line. No Sir, you go ahead, you only have two items. "No mam, I'm in no hurry, and those kids look like they are ready to get home". "OK" As she pushed her buggy toward the checkout. Elbert stood there waiting until finally it was his turn.
With only one person left in front of Elbert, it finally dawned on him. "ALPO! I forgot to get the dogs food!" Getting out of line he walked back to aisle 7 where they kept the dog food. Picking up one can of dog food, he returned to the front of the store where he found a growing line again. And it was then he also realized he hadn’t picked up any bread. “This cursed mind of mine!”, Elbert lamented as he turned to go get the bread. Finally he had everything he had come to the store to buy. This time as he walked toward the check out, someone offered for him to go in front of them. "Well that’s mighty nice of ya there sir. Not many of your variety around anymore". In a matter of a few minutes he was at the front of the line.
"Do you have any coupons?", asked the cashier. "Coupons?", Elbert responded, "what do you think I can't afford this stuff or something?" A bit of anger lashed out from Elbert, not because he was that sort of individual, it was just anything that made him think back to his dear Eloise brought him a bit of pain. She was gone, and this day was no easier than any other since her disappearance. She was an expert coupon clipper. Elbert always heckled her a small amount for her persistence in clipping coupons from the papers the neighbor would set on the street corner for the trash pickup. But he loved that frugality of hers, it had actually helped them through many times where they didn’t really have many finances.
"No sir, I think you can afford this stuff. I was just asking a simple question. What’s with the heavy coat? It is the middle of July?" "Can I help you are weaker than me there sonny?" "I know you wish you had the ability to handle the heat like I do. But you don't, pretty much nobody does." The bagboy looked at Elbert a bit confused, what exactly was this old man talking about? But he continued with his job, throwing all four items that Elbert had purchased into one small bag.
"You're gonna smash the bread there boy! You never bagged groceries before mine?"
"Sorry sir," responded the boy.
Elbert looked down and noticed the latest TV guide. There on the front was Oswald Osbitory. Oswald Osbitory, he remembered him. It was many years ago in fact. He had traveled from his small town in Mississippi all the way out to California for that audition. He knew he was going to be something big, he had the right physique the correct mannerisms, all the appeal. He had excellent acting skills. Most people who thought of a boy from a small town in the bayous of Mississippi would never have thought they could act. But Elbert, Elbert could… In fact in his first little part in a movie, he caught the producer’s eye. So much so, that he had asked him to play a greater role in a forthcoming film. Yes, the movie where Oswald Osbitory had gotten his start. He in fact had taken Elbert’s position.
"That’s $4.75 sir. Sir?!" Elbert snapped out of starring at the TV guide to find the cashier with outreached arm. "Sir that's $4.75 for your items."
"Sorry sonny, just got caught up in old time", responded Elbert. "So guess you're a Oswald Osbitory fan?" asked the cashier. "No, boy", responded Elbert rather hastily. "Oswald took my job, he's an alright actor and all, but I could have done such a better job. That should be me on that TV guide".
"Sure Sir," Responded the cashier rather complacently. "The total is $4.75".
"Alright, alright, I'm getting it for you." Elbert pulled out a five handed it to the cashier. After getting his change the bag boy held his hand out toward Elbert. "So here’s your groceries, could I trade that for an autograph of an almost famous old man? "
He and the cashier then broke out into laughter. Elbert ripped the groceries from his hands, then grasping the only unbuttoned button, the top one on his coat, he sealed the coat as tightly as possible. With groceries in hand he headed out the door. With laughter still behind him, Elbert mumbled "I was gonna be someone you boys wouldn’t have laughed at. You would have had to stare at me all day on that magazine!"
As he left the grocery store Elbert started walking back the way which he had walked. For a moment he looked toward the cross walk across the busy intersection, but knowing the danger of it, he headed further down a few blocks, the same course he had come.
"I would have been famous" Elbert addressed in a vocal fashion, as if someone was listening. He continued to walk home. He thought back to what had happened. He in fact had peaked the producer’s fancy, and he in turn had offered him a greater role in his next film. Even though Elbert did successfully complete his minor role in that initial film, this larger role in the producers next film never came to fruition. What had happened was his father had grown sick. Receiving a letter of this matter, he headed back east to help his dad, and take care of his mom. When he returned home there in the bayou, his father had already passed away, two days prior. For the next fifteen years, he helped take care of the family homestead, whole souled, helping in the raising of his younger brothers and sisters. He stayed until all the kids were old enough to take care of themselves, even helping two of his brother’s pay for college. True his dream of being an actor was gone, but he had helped his family. They were all gone though. The hurricane of 49' had killed the whole family one Thanksgiving. It was odd to have a hurricane that time of year. Elbert and Eloise didn’t make it to Thanksgiving that year. Instead they sat with Eloise father, in his last living days. There as they watched one life pass away, little did they know that the lives of everyone Elbert had known and loved, the only exception being Eloise, were being ripped away forever. That little town on the bayou Elbert was raised in was basically destroyed.
The cross walk light then turned green, Elbert had been walking all this time, yet he had not considered where he was in his walk back home. He was indeed at the light to cross 60th street. "I've got to get back to feed, Alexia," thought Elbert, "dusk will be here soon".
As Elbert neared his home, he passed the Sinclair Gas Station on the corner of 48th. There he noticed the paper with the headlines, “President to travel through local parade tomorrow”. Well that’s pretty interesting thought Elbert. Reaching in his pocket he pulled out a quarter to pick up a copy of the paper. Placing his quarter in, he listened for the familiar drop and clink of change, and then pulled out the paper. He scanned a few of the words, but thrust it under his arm, planning to continue to read it when he arrived home.
As Elbert climbed the final steps to his house, he fumbled in his pocket looking for the house key. Finding it he reached for the door and unlocked the front door and walked in. Tossing his driving hat on his table, and setting his keys next to the picture he had gazed at on the way out an hour or so ago, Elbert sat in the Large Easy chair and unfurled the paper.
As he started to open the paper, his eyes began to gaze into the distance in front of him, not at the paper. He thought once again of all those years helping his family, all those years of helping Ms. Ellesis. And then the years of how he and his wife would help and do things with the local kids. It was good he had helped those people, it made him feel good. But now, now, all those people were gone out of his life, no one was here to help him, to even know him or remember him, what he had done.
He also thought of that early attempt of trying to make it big as an actor, then his struggle to still make a name for himself through his painting. It was as much as a desire to be famous as an outlet after the horrible tragedy with his family and that hurricane. Thats when he and Elouise moved away, leaving that world behind, starting there life here, in this very house. Leaving the little town in the bayou forever. Elbert left those thoughts, and regained focus on the paper in front of him.
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