Preview: Andi's Dream - Autumn Adagio
by Duleigh

©Copyright 2024 by Duleigh

Chapter 1

Memorial day kicks off summer in Western New York, and in Springville it starts with John, Macy, and Paul performing John's dramatic reading of the Sullivan Ballou letter in church. John and Macy first did that dramatic reading in church when he was initially hired, but word got out and Springville asked them to take part in "Spring In The Park". They did the dramatic reading in the park on Howard Avenue, and that became a Springville tradition. The park was across the street from Paul and Andi's beautiful six bedroom Victorian home.

Paul, John, and Macy would perform on the small bandstand-gazebo in the park and draw small crowds of admirers. There they would warm up playing songs from the revolutionary war and the civil war. Macy would bring her violin, Paul and John would bring their guitars. Paul would also play his harmonica and both played recorders, but John was much better with them than Paul. The recorder is a small woodwind that Paul and John learned to play in school and John stuck with it and became quite good. It filled in as the fife for the revolutionary war songs.

They played songs like John Brown's Body, Battle Cry of Freedom, and Tenting Tonight on the Old Campground. Then, as the day cooled, Macy played the sweet strains of Ashokan Farewell on her violin and John read the Sullivan Ballou letter. The letter was a letter written early in the civil war by Major Sullivan Ballou, and in the letter he prepared his wife for his eventual death. Paul joined Macy's violin playing, by strumming along on his guitar. Considered one of the most beautiful, haunting, and sorrowful letters ever written, John had been reading it at Springville Congregational Church on Memorial Day since the day he was hired there, and he read it to remind his flock of what the cost of their freedom is.

This was the first time Andi heard it. At church on Sunday, she was the teacher's assistant in Children's Church and she heard the strains of Asokan Farewell, but she's been hearing them practice for weeks so she didn't think about it. Now sitting in the park in the early evening, the girls playing nearby in the park's sandbox with several neighbors' children, and she heard the words of Major Sullivan Ballou trying to comfort his wife as he heads into battle. She was stunned. John has a beautiful singing voice but his speaking voice reached out, unamplified, touching their hearts.

Veronica von Köster, a friend who lived just two blocks away, sat next to Andi and, like Andi, she was in love with a veteran. They listened to the beautiful haunting words from over a century ago, and as the letter closed, Paul and Macy ended the music with a long pull of the bow and one final chord on the guitar. Then John said the words that neither Andi nor Veronica were ready for.

"One week later, Major Sullivan Ballou died at the First Battle of Bull Run."

Andi and Veronica wept for the widows of soldiers, Andi's mom and her own husband were widows, while Veronica wept realizing how close she came to never meeting Josh who nearly died in a shot up AC-130 gunship. Andi finally looked up and she and Veronica were surrounded by Paul, John, Macy and Josh, Veronica's boyfriend. "That's how we start summer in Springville," said John. "A reminder that freedom isn't free."

"It costs a hefty fucking fee," muttered Paul and Josh under their breath, then they fist bumped.

"La fermer!" (shut your mouth), hissed Macy.

Josh looked hurt and said, "pardonnez-moi." (Pardon me)

Macy rolled her eyes and repeated herself more politely, "Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous s'il vous plaît fermer la bouche?" (Excuse me, could you please be quiet?)

"Oui, douce dame, je le ferai." (Yes, sweet lady, I will.) said Josh.

"Nice!" said Paul as they started packing up Andi and Veronica's folding chairs. "Where'd you learn the French lingo?"

"Well, ah had ta pay attention to something in fuckin' high school… OW!" Macy let loose with a rapid fire string of French as she bopped Josh in the head with her violin case.

"Really classy, wing-nut," said Veronica. (Wing-nut is a derogatory word for Air Force people, especially fliers.)

"I had to lighten it up," whispered Josh. "You and Andi were looking suicidal."

"So what else do you do in the summer, besides watch the garden grow?" asked Andi.

"We cruise," grinned Paul.

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