Ben stood at the window...
Illustration
Ben stood at the window and watched as the soft rain gently wet the earth. His fields had just been seeded and the rain came at a good time. He hoped this would be a good year for the wheat, barley, and sunflowers he had planted.
Ben was a very patient man. A farmer like his father and grandfather before him, Ben and his wife of thirty years had three sons and a daughter. He glanced at the photos of his four grandchildren, so precious to them. He loved to play with them, feed the youngest in the highchair, and take the oldest boy on the tractor with him. They were a great source of joy to him.
But there was one photo missing: that of his oldest grandson. He didn't know much about him, just that he had been born ten years before. His youngest son was too ashamed to tell Ben about his girlfriend and their son until last night, when he suddenly blurted it out.
Ben and Tom had been playing a game of Scruples, a game of sharing secrets and stories, and Ben had dared Tom into telling him an old secret. Ben was breathless when Tom told him the news -- a grandson!! Ben was furious, sad, happy, and confused. At first he wanted to ask how Tom could have let this happen.
Then he remembered his own beginning. Ben had been born of a sixteen-year old mother who had to give Ben up after two days. No, Ben held his tongue and shared with Tom his old secret. The two had talked late into the night.
Ben looked out over the field. Was it a shadow? Could it be Tom coming? Ben couldn't wait to see the albums of his grandson! Yes, Ben was a patient man.
-- Berg
Ben was a very patient man. A farmer like his father and grandfather before him, Ben and his wife of thirty years had three sons and a daughter. He glanced at the photos of his four grandchildren, so precious to them. He loved to play with them, feed the youngest in the highchair, and take the oldest boy on the tractor with him. They were a great source of joy to him.
But there was one photo missing: that of his oldest grandson. He didn't know much about him, just that he had been born ten years before. His youngest son was too ashamed to tell Ben about his girlfriend and their son until last night, when he suddenly blurted it out.
Ben and Tom had been playing a game of Scruples, a game of sharing secrets and stories, and Ben had dared Tom into telling him an old secret. Ben was breathless when Tom told him the news -- a grandson!! Ben was furious, sad, happy, and confused. At first he wanted to ask how Tom could have let this happen.
Then he remembered his own beginning. Ben had been born of a sixteen-year old mother who had to give Ben up after two days. No, Ben held his tongue and shared with Tom his old secret. The two had talked late into the night.
Ben looked out over the field. Was it a shadow? Could it be Tom coming? Ben couldn't wait to see the albums of his grandson! Yes, Ben was a patient man.
-- Berg
