TABLE SET FOR TWO

TABLE SET FOR TWO

March 1, 2000

A woman, by her husband's bed,
Could only watch as he slowly died.
With tears streaming down her face she cried,
"Are You here God? Tell me why?!"

"Sweetheart", her husband uttered,
"I have something I want to say to you...
Remember that night I asked for your hand,
At that table just set for two?"

"Of course I do," she replied,
"That was the happiest day of my life.
You were so nervous that you cut your steak,
Using the butter knife!"

He wiped the tears from her tired eyes,
Kissed her hand and then gently smiled.
"Remember the talks on those long walks,
When it seemed we'd go for miles?"

She grinned at him as she touched his face.
"Yes, so please don't ever leave me!"
"I won't my love," he softly replied,
"And so there's something I want you to see."

With all the strength that he had left,
He took a picture off the bedroom stand.
"When I'm gone please look at this,"
As he placed it in her God-sent hand.

She never got to say good-bye,
As her husband had passed away that night,
But she had the picture that he'd given her,
And to this she forever held tight.

While years have passed,
The yellowed photograph reminds her of his smile
And the talks and those long walks,
When it seemed they'd go for miles.

The picture is of him and her,
The one that led to her saying, "I do."
It was taken by a waiter one night,
At that table just set for two.
--- Copyright © 2000 Brian G. Jett