Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: birthday (05/23/05)
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TITLE: Museum By Chance | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jack Zachary
05/24/05 -
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“This is silly,” proclaimed the man, facing his wife’s back. “How have you been, Abby?”
To his astonishment, the woman turned and smiled so brightly that his throat dried up.
“Happy Birthday, Pete,” she exclaimed, suddenly feeling self-conscious and riveting her eyes to the checkered marble tile.
“You too,” he replied, pained vaguely by her embarrassment.
Two weeks earlier, their last meeting had ended with an enraged shout, packing of luggage and an exit from a slammed door. Just like that, their twelve-year marriage had apparently taken its last breath.
They both stared back at the painting, which ate up most of the center wall. A tall woman with her hand pasted under her chin and a short man with a dangerously large belly were the only other visitors on a lazy Tuesday afternoon.
Peter knew what Abby was thinking and the same was true of Abby. This happened to be their second accidental meeting in front of the same painting on their same birthday.
Abby spoke up next.
“You know, Pete, I wanted to tell you that I was sorry about the party. It was selfish to ask you not to go. It wasn’t just about Helen. I guess I felt like a dunce again next to my professor husband.”
The man’s eyes narrowed and he folded his arms together like he did when one of his students annoyed him in class.
“There you go again, with the guilt!”
The air in the room suddenly thickened and the chin and the belly quickly scurried away. With the departure, Peter and Abby were again alone with their favorite painting, just like on the day they’d first met, thirteen years earlier.
“Maybe, you’re right,” the woman said, sighing. “Maybe, I’m just trying to make this all your fault in some weird passive-aggressive way.”
Peter’s mouth dropped well below its ordinary level.
“Thanks for saying that, Abby.”
He coughed and rubbed at his folded knee with his palm.
“Since you’re being so honest, I should probably admit that I wanted to hurt you when I called you narrow-minded and, um, boring.”
“Job well done,” joked Abby, equally itchy about such honesty. They had never spoken in such plain terms.
“Want to know something funny, Ab,” said Peter, looking around the room, “I actually prayed this morning.”
“Really?” she whispered, sliding closer to her estranged husband.
“Yeah. I don’t really know why. Actually, I do. It was my way of secretly wishing you a happy birthday, just like this whole museum trip. I knew that if I prayed it would have made you happy, but you know what?”
“What?”
“It felt good. Someone was listening to me. I know it. I could feel Him waiting for me to say it all.”
Abby nodded, clamping down on the impulse to cry.
“But, there was something else. It was like seeing myself in a mirror for the first time. Every feature, every wrinkle seemed so clear.”
A museum guard inched closer, trying to look official as he eavesdropped.
Peter stood up and hesitantly walked over to where Abby was sitting.
“You were right about why I wanted to go to that dinner party. I did want to be near Helen. The way she smiled at me made her seem really attractive.”
Abby gulped and looked back at the painting. Having the same favorite artwork had once been another sign of how much they’d been meant for each other.
Peter panicked, wondering whether his confession had been a mistake.
A hand touched his own.
“Two weeks ago, what you just said would have been devastating. I don’t know what I would have done. But, somehow I don’t feel like that now. I mean, sure, it still hurts, but it’s like I feel we’re on equal ground for the first time. We’re just two weak and stupid people, meeting in a museum again. I prayed this morning too. I prayed that God’s will would be done and that you’d be happy. Happy Birthday, Pete.”
“Back at you, Ab,” said Peter, shining back a bright smile and squeezing hard on his wife’s hand.
“Want to get some lunch upstairs?”
“Sure.”
The couple left the room, sensing a new tenderness and thankful for the divine arrangement of chance encounters.
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