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Normally Fred would finish only about half the paper but because of the delay he decided to read the whole thing, even the obits. It hit him like a brick: Cheryl Lee, age 27, service incomplete.
When the train arrived downtown he ran as fast as he could down Rush Street to Papa Lee?s. There was a wreath on the door. He ran around the comer, up the alley and climbed the stairs to their living quarters. He pounded the door until his fist hurt but there was no answer.
He took his cell phone and called his secretary and instructed her to call all the funeral homes looking for the one that had Cheryl?s remains. It seemed an eternity but it really wasn?t all that long. She told him it was not far, just beyond the water tower.
Fred rushed as fast as he could only to find it was not open. He banged on the door and finally someone came to the door and he explained he must come in.
There she was, as beautiful as ever in the open casket.
Tears welled in his eyes and then he wept unabashedly. Slowly some of the mourners began to filter in. He learned from them that Cheryl had been killed instantly in a car wreck.
He watched carefully to make sure he was the first to see Mama and Papa when they came in. When they arrived he went straight to them and Mama grabbed him and held on.
7


Brister, Don 008
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