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| Flying South �Morning, Dave� Alan said,� have you seen Allison around this morning? �She was in for a few minutes earlier, about eight I guess� Dave said as he put a stack of dishes on the shelf. � How did she seem?� asked Alan �was she upset?� �Well now that you mention it, she did look like she had been crying� �When she left, did she mention where she was headed?� Alan queried �Hmmm, no, she just asked if I had ever witnessed a flock of birds migrating south, and I said �yes�� Then she just got up and said �but they aren�t like people, because they always have a reason to return.� �The aiport!�,Alan said Dave asked, �What do you mean?� and turned, but Alan was already half way to his car. -------------------------------------------- He saw her in the line at the loading ramp to the last flight for Dallas. �Allison�, he said as he walked up to her, �You�re going to leave?� �Yes, its not so much that I want to go, as much as not being able to stay any longer.� Allison said �What can I say to convince you I don�t really want you to go?� �Its too late for words�, Allison turned her head away as she said this. �But I�ve thought this over and I don�t want to you to leave, I know that now� �I�ve heard it all before, then when things settle down you ignore me again, no thanks Alan, sorry, you did this the last two times, you beg me to stay, and I do, and its still the same year after year. I know that there are other places and people there that will appreciate my presence.� �But I�m convinced now you are the best thing I�ve ever had in my life and I don�t want to lose you� �Sorry, Alan, Too late now. I�m leaving in twenty minutes� �Ok, Ill be right back�, he said, and he ran off. Ten minutes later he returned and stood at the back of the line. She saw him and came back to where he was standing and said,�What are you doing now?� �Well�, he said, �If I can�t convince you to stay then I�m going to Dallas too .I bought a ticket�. She looked in his eyes and saw he had been crying. �Let me see your ticket,�she said, and he handed it to her. She looked at it quietly. He had actually just purchased a ticket to Dallas! She took hers out of her pocket and put it on top of his and then tore them both in two. Then she looked at him and said, �Lets go home Alan� As they walked out of the airport, there was a waste barrel at one of the exits. On the side of the barrel was a sign that said, �Your Heart, keep it healthy, pay close attention to the early warning signs of disease. National Heart Care Association.� As they passed the barrel she tossed the tickets into it. |
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