It Was 2020

Richard is a kindly enough fellow. He met his wife in high school and they were married in 2006. They had their first child after two years of wedded bliss. Their second child followed three years later. They recently celebrated their anniversary with family and friends. All in all, he had nothing to complain about; until today.

Richard finishes his route in a daze. He follows the rules of the road and doesn’t do anything dangerous, but he also doesn’t talk to his regular passengers. They assume he has his mind on other things. Perhaps there was trouble at home with the wife or maybe one of the kids got in trouble at school last week. You just never knew.

He goes home to his wife and kids. He kisses his wife and tells her his day was fine. He hugs his son and daughter and tells them,

“Daddy is going to change clothes before dinner. I’ll be down in a minute and I want you to tell me how your day went . I love you.”

As an afterthought he tells his wife,

“Don’t turn on the news yet. Save it for after dinner.”

This isn’t exactly an odd request for him so she doesn’t think much of it. While her husband goes upstairs to change, Kelly fixes the kids plates and tells them to sit at the dinner table and wait for dad. John and Ginny do as their mother asks while she fixes her and Richard’s plates.

He goes to the bedroom that he has shared with his wife for 14 years and changes into the suit he wore on his wedding day. He sits on the edge of the bed, reaches into the nightstand where he keeps his cholesterol pills and sleep apnea mask, and thinks,

“I can’t believe I ran over that poor old man. He was so fast though and he came out of nowhere really. There is no way I can look my children in the eyes again, or be the husband my wife deserves.”

He pulls the 9mm out of the nightstand. He never expected to be in this situation. He never wanted to feel this way. This gun was purchased strictly for the safety of his family. As he puts the gun in his mouth, he knows his wife will sell it. His last thoughts are of the safety of his family and what they will do without his gun. He pulls the trigger and proceeds to blow his brains out all over the brand new cherry wood headboard that his wife just bought.

His wife hears the gunshot, drops the dinner plate full of food, screams, and calls 9-1-1. The roast and potatoes, splattered and forgotten on the kitchen floor.

“My husband! He went upstairs. I heard a gunshot! I haven’t gone up yet. Our kids are here. Please send help!”

As soon as she hangs up the phone she collapses into the nearest dinner chair and proceeds to cry uncontrollably. The children are confused and start crying as well. The three of them wait for the police and ambulance to show up and tell them what mom seems to already know.

Daddy is dead.

The police report calls it a suicide. The wife watches the news and starts to understand why he did it. Her conclusion is partially correct.

In another part of town, Kay is enjoying the Fire and Ice Luminary Walk. Local Wisconsinites have created ice sculptures in their yards and added additional Christmas-type lights. Many people brought their own ice lanterns, called ice luminarias, to add to the already festive atmosphere.

“This was a wonderful ending to a great vacation.”

Kay said, but in the back of her mind she was stewing about that leaf, the poor dead guy, and all of those people in suits.

Kay has no idea that the event she witnessed earlier that morning was the penultimate act in the bigger production of a worldwide play that was just getting started.