Leon was an ordinary man, living in an ordinary town in South Western Ontario. Leon knew he was ordinary, had always known it, yet yearned for something else. Something extraordinary. Leon grew up with his Mom, Elizabeth, and Dad, Thomas, and younger brother Theo, and younger sister Daisy in the university town of London, Ontario. Leon was an ordinary yet extraordinary boy growing up. At the time, he didn't know about the extraordinary, he didn't allow himself to know or see it. Ordinary in the sense that he lived on a regular street, York Street, in a regular house, two storey with basement and three bedrooms up typical of South Western Ontario. His parents both worked, had good, steady jobs. His Mom was a librarian and his Dad, a high school teacher. The days growing up were predictable and calm. Leon enjoyed playing sports, basketball, volleyball and soccer were his favorites. Leon was born in October of 1972, he was what they called a good baby. Cried little, ate his dinner, laughed and smiled a lot. As he grew, and started to talk, everyone enjoyed their time with Leon. He was personable and very good to everyone even as a small child. When visitors would come to the house, Leon would sit attentively with them and ask questions, and then sit patiently to hear the answers. When he was 5 years old, he had been sitting with his parents one Friday evening, eating dinner in front of the TV on a TV table - this was their once a week ritual. They watched the news, a piece came on the air about Queen Elizabeth the 2nd and the Silver Jubilee. Leon looked to his parents oblivious to the news, happily eating his Shake n' Bake chicken, mashed potatoes and broccoli - enjoying the Friday evening ritual with his parents. The next night when Elizabeth and Thomas had a group of friends come over for a Fondue dinner, Leon was sitting with his Dad's friend Benjamin. Leon always enjoyed Benjamin's company. Benjamin liked to read books to Leon or tell him a made up story. Benjamin was Thomas's longtime friend, they grew up together, lived on the same street, went to the same schools. Benjamin was tall like Leon's Dad, they had played high school and university basketball together. It was almost time for Leon to go to bed so he found Benjamin, climbed up on his lap and asked for a bedtime story. Benjamin obliged right away. He had a soft spot for Leon. Dirty blond hair, hazel eyes resembling his father, Leon would grown up to be a tall man. In high school he shot up to 6ft which was an advantage for him in sport. Benjamin asked Leon what kind of story he would like to hear tonight. Looking straight in Benjamin's dark brown eyes, Leon said, "I'd like a story about Queen Elizabeth the 2nd. Did you know that Queen Elizabeth the 2nd is celebrating her Silver Jubilee and that means that she is celebrating 25 years as the monarch. More than one million people lined the street of London to watch the Royal Family on their way to St. Paul's," Leon recited. Benjamin chucked, surprised and said, "really Leon, how did you know that?" "Easy," said Leon, "I watch the news with Mommy and Daddy. Benjamin, what is one million?" sighed Leon. Benjamin was fascinated by Leon. Every time he saw Leon, he was overjoyed to see the advances and new things learned in such a short amount of time.
Those TV dinners in front of the TV on friday nights had some nostalgia for me!
ReplyDeleteExcelent story,great flow and description of the family, the home, I could picture the town and even the colors. Great writing, smooth!
ReplyDeleteErnesto Salvado Dominguez