The ritual was always the same. It took her hours to prepare. Finding the perfect coin and wrapping it in her silk handkerchief, the one her husband gave to her on their golden wedding anniversary. She wore the exact same outfit every time, the velvet blue party dress she wore to her grandsons Christening, her good pair of stockings and her favourite pair of black leather shoes. The shoes were uncomfortable and pinched her toes, but they were only worn once a week and so she could deal with the pain. Each week she had her salt and pepper hair set in tight curls, so she looked her best every week. She didn't wear make-up much or any jewels, but this day each week she made an exception and dolled herself up, bringing out her best earrings, necklace and rings. When she was all set and ready to go she called a taxi and told them exactly where to take her. The veterans affairs always sent the same person out to her but that didn't matter he had to be told just the same.
Gladys didn't feel sad any more doing this. She did in the beginning, but now she looked forward to visiting her husband, even though he had been dead for ten years. She walked through the cemetery to her husband's grave. She was an old woman now. She had been old when he died, but now she was really old. Most people didn't think she would be able to survive that she would follow him to the next world, but she was tougher than they thought. Gladys always stayed and talked to him for at least an hour. She knew he was probably busy but figured he could spare an hour for her. She always hoped he wasn't up there hitting on Grace Kelly or Marilyn Monroe. She was a little anxious to be with him, especially now her children had all grown up and moved away. She felt she had given all she could in this life and deserved a rest. But she knew God would take her in his own time and she would be with her beloved husband again one day. She finished telling her husband all about her week. Gladys ended her conversation with the same sentence she always did, the one they used to say to each other when they had to be apart, even for an hour - "Goodbye my love, until the sun brings your warmth back to me". She kissed her fingers, blowing the kiss to the grave and departed for the second part of her ritual. She walked slowly towards the wishing well where each week she would throw a coin in. It had been a tradition between her and her husband that when good things happened they would wish for good things to continue, they did this since their first date, and so she keeps this tradition going on now. However, she now wished for something absolutely ridiculous, it was her last thrill she thought. She couldn't decide if this week should be a BMW or a house in LA. She used to wish for things like to send her children happiness and fortune etc, but they were all doing just fine, it was time to be selfish for a while, she earned it.
As Gladys got closer to the large wooden structure, she noticed someone that she had never seen here before. It was a young woman, probably around 30, sobbing as she threw a coin into the well. The woman was well dressed and would be quite pretty if it had not been for the red eyes that she now painfully wore. She looked unbearably sad. The old woman felt an urge to go and console her, but before Gladys could say or do anything the young woman turned and walked away quickly, her arms folded and her head down. Gladys watched her walk away, the young woman every so often dabbing her nose with a tissue as she got further and further away. Gladys watched her go and wondered whom she could have lost that made her look so miserable. She threw her coin in and wished that the young woman felt a little peace. She was going to wish for something frivolous and silly, but that woman touched her heart and she felt bad for her. She walked towards the gate with a heavy heart to the awaiting taxi that had been waiting for a little while now to take her home. Gladys gave the man explicit directions of how to get back to her tiny little house, which he knew already because he took her home this time every week, but he had to be told just the same.
The next week saw Gladys conducting her weekly ritual, only this time instead of worrying about her stockings and jewels, she had that young woman on her mind. She had been thinking about her all week. Gladys hoped she would be at the wishing well today. Gladys felt a great desire to help her, if she could. She did not break from the ritual at all, she went and spoke to her husband, and as she walked towards the wishing well, she did not see the young woman. Gladys was greatly disappointed that the young woman was not there. She completed her ritual, again using her wish for the young woman and her happiness. She was about to turn and leave when she heard a muffled sob come from the other side of the well. She walked around to see the young woman sitting crossed legged against the well. Her eyes were red and blotchy, her face and lips were pale and her pretty brown hair was dishevelled. The old woman handed her a clean handkerchief, which the woman accepted with a grateful, but forced smile and a polite thank you. Gladys looked at her and simply said with sympathy in her light Italian accent "Tell me all about it dear".
The girl stared at her for a moment and than got to her feet. She started to say something but Gladys put her hand up to stop her and ushered her to a near by bench. When they were both comfortable Gladys took the girl's hand and waited for her to continue.
The words were forced through tears. The young woman had recently lost her husband. They were married for only 6 months when a drunk driver killed him in a car accident. Her name was Rachel and Gary, her husband was all the family she had. Her parents had both died when she was very young. She was left in the care of her maternal grandparents, who have both since passed on. She had no other relatives because her parents had no brothers or sisters and so she had no aunts, uncles or cousins. Gary's family had not approved the marriage and so when he died they wanted nothing to do with her. Her and Gary moved here only a few months ago, and so she had no real support and could not afford to move back to Queensland. It had been 2 months since the accident and she came here the same time every week. Gary was buried here because he originated in Melbourne and his family is buried here. She threw a coin into the well ever time she was here, because her and Gary actually met at a wishing well, so every time she saw one she would throw a coin in and ask for happiness. Now she just wished for an explanation, but she knew she would never get that. She hadn't been able to get work when they first arrived and she just hadn't had the strength to do much of anything lately. She was running out of everything. Rachel continued to talk, recounting her sad story to Gladys. She would stop crying when telling stories about Gary, her face almost brightened for a couple of seconds. But then Gladys could see that cloud of remembrance return that he was gone and she would never be able to touch him or talk to him again.
