The Postcard

It was the third of January, and Bob was driving home from the veterinarian's office with a small box of ashes in the passenger's seat.

At 82 he was utterly alone. His wife had died two years ago, and now her cat, his only companion, had also passed.

Once he parked in his driveway, he walked to the mailbox, where he pulled out a bunch of advertisements. On top of the flyers and coupon books was a greeting card that announced 'Happy New Year.'

"Just another promotion," he muttered.

Bob plopped the mail on his kitchen table and thought about making himself a cup of coffee, but instead turned to the refrigerator saying, "What the heck." Then he pulled out a beer.

He took a swig of lager, then looked at the postcard sitting on top of the other mail. Picking it up, he turned it over and noticed it was one of those holiday greetings where someone tells you all about the wonderful things their family did last year. "Good for them," he muttered and threw the card back on the table.

After another drink of beer, he became curious and picked up the postcard again. The address was his, but he had no idea who the individuals were who sent it. "Whoever Robert and Gwynn are, they got the wrong guy," he thought.

Bob began to read the narrative, but quit halfway through. The joy these people expressed was in sharp contrast to his melancholy existence, so he set the card down again.

As he finished his beer, he considered it interesting that these folks were Gwynn and Robert. His own late wife was named Lynn and his given name was Robert, but he'd gone by Bob his entire life.

He stood up and placed the cat's ashes in a closet, then took the mail to his recycling bin. Right before he threw it all in the trash, he checked the postcard for a return address. Sure enough, there it was. And it wasn't far from where he lived.

Curious, and since he had nothing else to do, he shoved the postcard in his pocket. When drove to the correct location, he found it confusing. The street was in a pleasant neighborhood, but the house number on the card didn't seem to exist. Where the home should have been, there was only a manicured lawn with four trees in the center.

Bob got out of his car and considered going to the homes on either side of the lot, but something drew him to the trees.

As he walked toward them, he felt lightheaded. The moment he stepped closer, his vision blurred, so he shook his head and closed his eyes. "Am I having a stroke?" He thought.

The instant he opened his eyes; he found himself standing in the living room of a well-appointed two-story house. Everything felt familiar, but he knew he had never been there before.

"It's about time you came home." A voice said.

Bob spun around to see an attractive woman in her late twenties smiling at him.

Bewildered, he questioned, "home?"

Before he could utter another word, a ten-year-old girl rushed down the steps with a soccer ball under her arm. As she rushed past Bob, she yelled, "Hi Daddy, see ya later. I'm late for practice."

Bob blinked twice, but in the next instant he heard "Hey Dad." As an eight-year-old boy walked past, tapping away on a cell phone.

Bob froze, sure none of this was real. That's when he noticed the woman's smile evolve into one of concern. "Are you okay?" She asked.

He was about to speak when a mirror behind her caught his eye. The reflection was that of a young man about thirty with dark wavey hair. As Bob stepped toward the mirror, the image mimicked his every move. Even when he cocked his head, the reflection did the same.

Still confused, Bob flinched when someone touched his arm. Turning, he saw the woman smiling again, as she said, "You didn't read the entire card, did you?"

"A-Ah, No." Bob stammered.

"Do you still have it?"

"Ah, y-yeah." Bob said as he reached into his pocket.

"Look at the last line." The woman said.

Bob glanced at the card and read. "A life like the one in the description is now available. Please visit the above address immediately."

Gwynn took Bob's hand and said, "Let's go to the kitchen, Robert. I suspect you could use a nice cup of coffee."

Jack Freehoff is a former partner of a small tech firm (retired) with a degree in computer science. He lives in rural Pennsylvania with two cats. Two of his short stories have appeared in Aphelion. Entangled Interest in the April 2024 issue, and Midnight Bluein the September 2024 issue.

Find more by Jack Freehoff in the Author Index.

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