A Deal With The Deer My Dear

A Deal With The Deer My Dear 

by Pamela Mari

As I turned the corner to enter the cookie aisle at the supermarket I spied an elderly gentleman.  He might have been late 60’s early 70’s.  He used one of those “oh, I’m not getting much today” mini shopping carts.  He was examining a generic box of wheat thins.  There might have been one other item in the cart.  There was no missing however, the large bouquet of yellow daisies that stuck out of the front of the cart.  I could not resist commenting.

“Who’s the lucky lady?” I inquired.  His head came up to meet my gaze.  “My wife”, he replied “she’s at the cemetery”.  “I’m so sorry”, I said.

“ She was very sick, she’s in a better place”  “The funny thing is, “ he noted, “ she always hated fresh flowers”.  “ The damn deer eat them as soon as I leave them at the grave”.  “ I think she’s in cahoots with them”, he chuckled.

“I go there a lot” he said “it makes me feel better”.  “She was the best thing in my life”.

As we parted I felt so bad for him but I was uplifted by his sincerity and true love for this woman he has lost.  How lucky she was to have had him.   I’m sure she doesn’t mind the flowers now.