Ray Gorham - Daunting Days of Winter

“Yes, yes. I talk to Frank yesterday, finally. Have very nice conversation.”

“What did he say?”

“Said that you can go home, and that you have new baby girl.”

“He said I have what?”

“He said it is girl. Congratulations.”

Kyle shook his head. “No, that can’t be right. Was he talking about my daughter Emma? It was her birthday last week.”

Roman frowned and tugged on his chin as he consulted his notebook. “No. Says new baby girl. You think it was going to be baby boy or something?”

Kyle sighed. “No, I think maybe you talked to the wrong person. My wife wasn’t pregnant. I don’t think you spoke to Frank, or at least not the right one. Can we try again?”

“You have more money?”

“I didn’t bring any with me. I didn’t think I’d need it.”

Roman looked at Kyle, perplexed. “I not have much gas, you know. Took long time to get Frank. I pretty sure he the right one. You know David?”

Kyle nodded. “He’s my son.”

Roman smiled triumphantly. “See. I got right guy then. Frank say that David come talk to him few days before. Said you are free man.” Roman paused and looked at Kyle sternly. “You killer or something?”

“No. I promise you that I’m not. Just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Is my family safe?”

“Frank say they all safe. But he did say new baby girl. You sure your wife not pregnant?”

“I’m positive. What else did he say?”

Roman went over the short list of questions and smiled at Kyle when he was done. “Not bad for simple Polack, no?”

Kyle smiled, his head swimming with the news. “You did wonderful, Roman. I can’t thank you enough.”

“That silver buy me good food, so I am good. Congratulations on everything, that you can go home, and baby girl. I loved my baby girl.”

Kyle shook his head and grinned. “I think you’ve somehow got that message mixed up. I was home a month ago, and I’m positive Jennifer wasn’t pregnant.”

“Humph,” Roman grunted. “Let’s see. You talk to me, I talk to Frank, who talk to David, who talk to Frank, who talk to me, who talk to you. Could be some confusion, but I think not.”

“There’s obviously some confusion there.”

“I don’t think so. I pretty sure you have new baby girl. That good thing, you know.”

“No, you’re wrong.” Kyle let out an exasperated laugh. “There has to be a language issue or something.”

Roman stiffened a little. “You not like my English?”

“I’m sorry. Your English is really good, but maybe you misunderstood something that was said. How long have you lived here?”

“I am in America three years and five months now. Know only just a little bit of English when I get here.”

“You really are doing great with it. Where did you come from?”

“I come from Poland. That’s why I Polack.”

“Oh, that’s right. I forgot you’d said that. How’d you end up in Northern Idaho? It a long way from Poland.”

“You want me tell you the story?”

Kyle nodded. “Sure, I’m curious. Idaho is such a long way from home for you.”

“I tell you story then. Sit down. It take little while.” Roman pointed to an old leather couch pushed up against the far wall and waited for Kyle to sit. “Comfy?”

Kyle nodded.

“Okay. Where to start?” He thought for a second then smiled. “You know Ronald Reagan?”

“I was too young to vote for him, but I know about him. Why?”

“Ronald Reagan come to Poland when I am younger. My father, he talk about Reagan all the time after he came to Poland. Said Reagan helped make Poland free, so I can get good job and vote like an American. After that, as I grow up, I always think I should go to America, to live there, but I never do. Anyway, I get married. Very nice girl and very beautiful. Polish women are very beautiful, you know.”

“I didn’t know that, but I’m glad to hear it. Thanks.”

“You are very welcome. Anyway, I get married, and I have job, and then we have children, first a boy, and then baby girl, like you.”

Kyle shook his head, causing Roman to laugh heartily.

“So then I have wife and children, but no money, because family is very expensive in Poland. So I think I never get to come to America, only see it on TV, but that okay, because at least I have job and family. I can be happy in Poland. No problem. But then my life change. Malina, my wife, she have job cleaning offices at night so we have money and can buy a house maybe, not live in apartment forever. Anyway, one day, Malina taking kids to school in the morning, and she very tired, she work very hard, you know, and Malina,” Roman paused and wiped at his eyes, swallowed, and looked away. After a short silence he continued, struggling to tell the story. “I am sorry.” He cleared his throat. “Malina very tired, and she fall asleep while driving, just for short moment. There was red light. She went through and hit truck, which make very big fire.” Roman waved his hands over his head mimicking a large explosion.

Kyle wiped tears from his own eyes. “I’m so sorry, Roman. I can’t imagine losing my family like that. It must have been very difficult for you.”

Roman rocked back and forth in an exaggerated nodding motion, looking out the window for a long minute to compose himself. “Yes, very difficult. Very difficult. After few months, life not so good. I want to kill myself, but then I think, maybe I go to America instead. We have money in bank for house, and I get little bit from insurance, so I can do it. I buy picture book about America, and look at different places. I grow up and live in Warsaw, which is very big city, and very old, and very crowded. Not so nice, I think. But Idaho, it has trees, and mountains, and lakes, and not so many people. Very beautiful, like a dream for me, so I pick here.”

Roman paused, and Kyle wasn’t sure if the story was complete or if Roman was gathering his thoughts. “How have you liked it so far?” he prodded.

Roman thought a second. “Idaho pretty good. Very nice people, and better than killing self, but I rather have Malina and my children.” He wiped away a lingering tear. “But here, at least I don’t see place of crash every day. I just keep the good memories, so that is better.”

Sunday, March 11 th

Western Montana

Kyle unfastened his belt and dropped his pants, then squatted back against a fallen tree for support. As was their morning routine, Garfield was tethered to a tree on the riverbank while Kyle retired to the woods for his daily constitutional. Being early spring, large enough leaves were as yet unavailable, so Kyle had piled several strips of birch bark nearby and was proceeding with the work at hand.

Bracing himself with his elbows, his mind wandered back over the past couple of weeks. To his relief, his father was doing much better, and Kyle, despite the loss of his mother, had had a remarkably encouraging visit. Moyie Springs was weathering the situation amazingly well. It had a good community structure, a barter market was established, basic healthcare was available, and defenses were secure. The fact that there were no major population centers close by was a benefit as well, although what news was coming through from the cities indicated that at this point the worst of the anarchy had burned through, and those who had survived were now in the process of reestablishing some kind of stability.

Collin was also in good hands, having bonded deeply with Gene over the past week and showing signs of being a normal ten year old boy, not a war vet with PTSD. Ideally, Kyle would have liked to find the boy’s family but only knew that his mother had disappeared after their first move from Seattle. It later came out that Collin’s dad was a career military guy, who, despite what seemed like regular attempts, had only been able to see Collin once or twice a year after divorcing Collin’s mom. At least if Collin wasn’t able to be with his own family, Kyle’s dad was a good person to be with.