Woman on the bench

The woman on the bench sat on the same bench day after day. She sat there and at times it seemed like it was and statue, sitting so still. She sat with her eyes closed, with a satisfied smile around the corners of her mouth, listening to nature. To the birds singing, the bees buzzing. She herself heard the squirrels jumping from one branch to another. Passersby said hello to the lady and the lady politely nodded back.

One morning a little boy about 5 years old came walking by and sat down next to the lady on the same bench. The madam looked at the boy and gave him a warm smile. When the little boy asked why the madam was sitting here, she replied "I'm waiting for someone. 'For whom then' the little boy asked curiously. 'On my husband' said the woman. The boy's mother came running 'Sorry ma'am, I hope he didn't disturb you too much'. 'No not at all. We had a very pleasant conversation. The boy walked with his mother. He turned and waved to the woman. The woman felt loved by the little boy's gesture.

The next morning, the woman sat on the bench as always. The same little boy approached and sat down next to her again. He looked at her and asked if she was still waiting. "Yes. My husband and I agreed to meet here. He's just not here yet. Must be busy on the road' she said. The little boy put his hand on the lady's hand and looked at her again. 'If he doesn't remember?' he asked quietly. 'If he doesn't remember what, dear?' 'Well, that he should come here. Maybe he's lost and we need to put down breadcrumbs'. 'Breadcrumbs?' 'Yes, as in Tom Thumb, so he can find you'. Before the woman could answer, the little boy's mother was standing there. 'Sorry about that, I'll watch him better'. Don't worry. The woman waved at him and the boy gave the woman a kiss on the hand. The day passed, but her husband did not show up. At the end of the afternoon just before the woman wanted to go home, she heard 'Madam, excuse me. I am the little boy's mother'. 'Yes, yes I know who you are. There's nothing wrong with that sweet little boy of yours, is there?' 'No way' laughed the mother. 'But I heard from him that you would meet your husband to this place. Has he come yet?" the mother asked worriedly. 'Ehh, no he hasn't come. I think it's busy on the road' 'Don't you want to go look for him then? Maybe something has happened?' 'No. Thank you. But he always knows his way to me'. The woman thanked the mother and walked toward home. The mother ran after the woman to see where she lived. After all, she thought it was a strange story. Finally, the woman walked into an imposing building. She was kindly welcomed by the doorman who opened the door for her. The mother looked on in amazement. The mother walked up to the doorman. 'Hello, may I ask you something?' 'But of course' the man said kindly. 'That woman you just let in , who is that? You see, I've been seeing her sitting on the same bench in the park for a few days now'. The man laughed 'That's Mrs. Van der Poert. She is a sweet but a tad peculiar lady. She lives way above her budget, but pays the rent nicely . She goes out in the morning and comes back in the afternoon. She then goes to the park and sits on the bench all day. The bench where you found her. Nobody knows why she does that,' the doorman told me. 'Do you know if she has a husband? She said she was waiting for her husband'. ' Since Mrs. Van der Poert came to live here, which is about six years ago, I have never seen that she has a husband'. The mother thanked the man and walked away.

The next morning, the mother and her little son went to the park again, and like every day, the lady sat on the bench again. 'Hello' said the little boy. 'Hello dear. Where is your mommy?" asked the woman. 'Over there by the tree. She's standing talking to someone'. The little boy looked at the woman 'I tied my laces today' he said proudly showing his shoes. 'How clever of you and so well done too'. The little boy turned and ran to his mother. The mother waved to the woman. 'Are you sure your husband knows the way home?" the mother asked a few minutes later. 'Yes yes , I think so. Although I am beginning to get a little worried' the woman admitted. 'Shall I go with you to the police?' The woman looked startled at the mother. 'Police? Why?' 'Well then we can report your husband missing' the mother explained. 'Oh oh, yes that might be a good idea. Will the police search for him then?' 'That is the idea if you report your husband missing. It has been more than 48 hours, hasn't it?' 'Yes, I believe so, but I didn't keep track because I know he always comes home.'

Later in the afternoon, the wife and mother go to the police station. Upon entering, a large, slightly overweight, man sits behind the counter with red cheeks and a gray mustache. 'Good afternoon ladies. What can I help you with? The woman looked wonderingly at the man and said 'you look like someone, but I can't put my finger on it'. The man looked at the woman questioningly. The mother tapped the woman 'Tell this kind man what you came for'. 'Oh yes, ehhhh what did we come for again?' the woman looked unsuspectingly at the mother. 'We are here to report your husband as missing. Do you remember?' 'My husband missing, but he's not missing at all. He's stuck in traffic. He will be home soon. He always knows his way home. I have to go, because I promised to prepare his favorite food. Mashed endive with a bacon steak' The woman waved to the police officer and left the mother rather embarrassed at the station.

The next day, the woman was not sitting on the bench. The mother looked around and walked the park to see if she could find the woman anywhere. But the woman was nowhere to be found in the park. The day next and the day after that, the woman wasn't there either. The mother walked up to the apartment aar the woman lived. 'Good afternoon, have you seen Mrs. Van der Poert?" the mother asked the doorman. 'No, now that you mention it actually I haven't seen her for 3 days'. 'You don't think.....Oh my god' The mother and the doorman went upstairs as fast as they could and knocked on the door. There was no answer. The doorman took the spare key from his pocket. 'Did Madam give it to me for emergencies' the porter said as he put the key in the lock. The doorman opened the door and to their surprise, the apartment was completely empty. There wasn't even any dust in the window frame. As if no one had ever lived there. The doorman looked back at the mother, confused, and ij looked just as confused. 'Do you even have the right apartment?' 'Yes certainly, number 683 A'. 'Are you looking for Mrs. Van der Poert?' the neighbor across the street asked. 'Um yes, do you know where she is?' 'She was carried down here 5 years ago by the mortuary staff. Don't you remember? You were there yourself. You even called the morgue'. The porter took off his cap and scratched his head and looked around confused. 'Are you sure about that? I don't remember anything about it. I opened the door for Mrs. Van der Poert four days ago'. 'Yes, and I followed her to this building, because her husband is missing, I was worried' the mother added. As if to convince the neighbor across the street.

The neighbor across the street shook his head 'What are you babbling about. The woman died 5 years ago and her husband 9 years ago' turned and closed the door.

The mother and the doorman could only look at each other questioningly.