The Reconciliation

In Ardstown there was a man by the name of Johnny Connell .
Johnny was a good man , his heart was kind and true . He fell in love with Maisy and they were married in the church before a small crowd of family and friends . Johnny was over the moon when Maisy broke the news that they were to have their first child . After Peter was born ,three further blessings arrived . They were all boys and life was good .

It strange how life can turn so quickly .
Tragedy struck unexpectedly when Maisy took sick and was diagnosed with a terminal illness .

One thing after another began to occur as life stopped giving things to Johnny instead it began to take things away .

Johnny’s first born Peter left home to find a job overseas .
The other three boys remained at home but again tragedy struck .
One boy was killed and another became an alcoholic . The other boy was diagnosed with the same illness his Mother had and both died shortly after .

Johnny was left alone in the world and slowly cut himself off from all communication in the community .

Many years after the funerals Johnny heard a knock at the door .
He opened it up and saw Peter standing there .
His father frowned Peter stood there like a man who had found his fortune in life . Dressed in an expensive suit Petert said ,

“Hi Dad . Can I come in ?”

Johnny stood to one side as Peter pushed past .
As soon as he was seated Johnny began to speak .

“So there you are . After all these years . Never a penny sent home to your Mother in all the time you were away .Your poor Mother waiting by the window everytime the post man arrived only to be disappointed time after time . No letter or parcel ever arrived . All the other Mothers got parcels from their children who had left but nothing ever from Peter the son she loved so much .
You should have sent home money every week to make her life easier .
Now get out of this house before I do something I’ll regret . “

Peter never spoke . He got to his feet and walked out the door .
Feeling rejected and ashamed he walked away without looking back .
At the end of the street he took out the envelope from his inside pocket and tore up the deeds to the house he had bought for his Dad . He threw the torn up shreds to the wind and watched the scraps of paper blow away out of sight .

Johnny sat at home broken hearted and alone .
He knew the words had been said and like an arrow sent to the heart they had hit their target .
He felt a heavy load on his shoulder and realised that he may never see his son Peter ever again .

Outside the cold wind rushed through the trees and the old man went to bed but never slept . Neither did Peter who walked the streets until night was done and the dawn arrived in a thick mist all over town .

Johnny began to drink heavy after that .
Years went by into days of drinking and thinking alone .
Wondering if Peter was even alive sleepless nights were always a constant reminded of the guilt he carried . Johnny had pulled down the walls around his conscience and made excuses for his actions time after time .

Peter had found a sailors life and out there on the open sea he was able to allow his guilt and anger sink . Unable to forgive himself and his father Peter
Decided never to marry and made a life for himself in the Navy .

Suddenly when the war unexpectedly broke out the world was caught up in something so horrible that even those in command wished it could come to an end .

Peter was aboard a cargo ship on a mission to carry and supply food and weapons to an island where the allies were stationed .
Overhead the enemy aircraft appeared and started dropping bombs on the fleet . The attack was deadly . All Peter could remember was being pulled out of the water by the crew of a small fishing boat .
Only a few had survived the air attack and when the TV and Newspapers got hold of the story they made their way to the small island off the coast of Scotland to get some footage and a first hand report from those who had survived .

One night in Ardstow n Johnny was making himself a cocktail in the kitchen .
The TV was on in the living room . When the news came on the leading story was about the survivors of the sea massacre was broadcast .
Peters voice cut in .

Johnny heard his son and stopped everything he was doing and went out and sat down in front of the TV .
At the sight of his long lost son tears began to roll down his face .

He wrote down the information of where he was .
The TV reporter added the name of the small island off the coast of Scotland where Peter was now living .
Tthat evening he packed a small bag and when morning came he decided he would make the journey across the water and ask his son to forgive him .
Johnny opened the front door and shuffled along the road to the taxi rank .

With only one though in his head Johnny was able to purchase a boat ticket at the docks on a passage to the Scottish Mainland .

It was early in the morning when Peter was sitting on the sand at the edge of the sea on an upturned fishing boat . He was busy mending holes in the fishing nets . In the distance he saw an old man hobbling along the shoreline .
He watched him fall a few times . He could see the old man needed help and Peter went and made his way over to him .

They were both in eye shot of each other and both could see as clear as day who was standing there .

Johnny opened his arms and fell to his knees ,
Peter rushed over and looking into his fathers eyes he said ,

“Father what Are you doing here ?”

“Please son , don’t talk just listen . If you could ever forgive me for what I did and said to you I could rest easy when I die .“

“Father its me who needs to ask forgiveness from you .”

Both men sat together until the tears subsided and the laughter began .
Years of hurt and sorrow had come now to an end .
Peter still had ownership of the house he had bought many years previous and that’s where he lived with his Father until he died .
After his Fathers death Peter met a girl and they were married .

Children arrived and Peter was now a happy man and the future looked bright with the war over and the economy stable once again .

The End