Friday, 20 May 2016

Waiting Room
PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll
                                                                                   Photo prompt © J Hardy Carroll
There were only two of us in the waiting room.
‘Are you an army officer?’ the old man asked; his eyes were as lifeless as his voice.
‘I was.’
‘My son fought for the country; he is a POW………..for thirty years.’
I was stunned; his son was in my unit. He had fought under my command; he had been reported missing.
‘He is being released; he may return today.’ He left abruptly.
Something impelled me to talk to the Station Master.
‘You met the old man?  He passed away last June, in the waiting hall...….had been waiting for his son……for years.’
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A post for FridayFictioneers on a picture prompt.

Word count 101

21 comments:

  1. Oh! Sad story! This will haunt my mind too.

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  2. Sad and even sadder to think he may be waiting longer if he gets caught up in a strike.

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  3. Replies
    1. there are unconfirmed reports that Pakistan is holding Indian POWs since 1971, thanks

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  4. Awful indeed, spirit still waiting.

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  5. Such sorrow to be waiting in vain for so long. I wonder if the commander was at guilt.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Bjorn, Commander's guilt would of no cosequence

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  6. So sad to think that the disappointed spirit lingers, waiting forever. Great take.

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  7. Oh that is heart wrenching. Such pain and loss.

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  8. Dear Arora,

    Sad one. Nicely told.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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  9. Missing is harder to deal with than dead. It leaves room for hope.

    Well written and sad.

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  10. A very emotional and real issue. Thanks for bringing it up.

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  11. Sad story. The father didn't give us hope and it makes it even sadder.

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