RUN DEEP, RUN WIDE

 

RUN DEEP, RUN WIDE

 

They planned this sort of trip for decades. They scrimped and saved every penny until they had enough money to take their dream ocean cruise.

Walter Wyatte and his wife, Yolanda, knew this would be the only trip of a lifetime. They carefully packed everything they thought they would need for this oceanic voyage. Ah, the ocean; what could be better?

The couple lived their entire lives in the town (if one could call it that) of Adams Township, Nebraska, population 798 -projected growth: over 800 in 2020!

Walt worked a small three-acre plot of feed corn, which he used to fatten his small herd of milk-cows. He earned a meager living this way. At least the Wyattes were never hungry. Yolanda was a wonderful cook who helped earn a little more money, selling home-made pies to the town’s only grocery, owned by Harley Spivak. Harley was also the town’s sheriff, clerk and director of traffic. There was only one stop light and very sparse traffic.  The Wyattes made do with only the goods they could afford.

When Walt and Yolanda had saved enough money, they rode to the nearby library in Catonia Springs, the home of the annual corn-cob festival. After getting instructions from the librarian, eighty-two-year-old Ethel Mae van Slyke, they were able to download a ton of cruise brochures. They took them back to Adams and pored over them for a month. They finally decided on Regent-Seven Seas cruise line’s ‘Queen Ann’s Revenge’. Their luxurious suite, over 100 square feet, had every expensive decorating touch

They chose a ten-night European cruise for $18,000, almost all of their saved dollars. When they first laid eyes on the ship, they were overcome with emotion. Never had they experienced such happiness! Their life’s dream secured – they were on the ocean! To boot, there was a sixty square inch, flat-screened TV the likes of which they could only dream about. They booked every shore excursion and saw incredible sites, some of which they never knew existed.

When the cruise ended, the Wyattes returned home full of memories of their stupendously satisfying sojourn. They were also very exhausted.

They lay down to rest. Yolanda, age 96, passed away peacefully. Walt, age 98, unable to rouse his beloved wife, suffered a massive heart seizure and died!

They lay in sweet repose, embracing each other with smiles on their lips, knowing they were content with their life-long wish to sail the ocean.

Their ashes were scattered in the same ocean of their cruise…