Gertie's Choice by Carol Colbert

sir. I
know nothing of this Village you speak of.” Gertie said. The man
took another drink of his coffee before saying. “Good thing I saw
you on the road and stopped, it is a long walk to the
town.”
    “Yes, and I appreciate
it.” Gertie smiled. “You can let me off right on Main Street, if
you would be so kind.”
    The truck driver did as
Gertie requested and she hopped down onto the cement sidewalk right
in the middle of the town. She walked over to the building where
she and John had spent time together and walked in. She looked
around, but did not see him. The inside of the building looked much
different to her without all of the white smoke in the
air.
    “Excuse me, sir.” Gertie
said, walking up to the gentlemen who was standing behind the tall
narrow table with the high set chairs. “I am looking for a friend
of mine. I was here the other day, do you remember me at all?” She
asked.
    The man smiled at her and
said “Of course, Miss. A rare beauty such as yourself would be
impossible to forget. You were sitting at a table with Ellis. Is
that who you are looking for? He should be coming in shortly, he
has been coming around more often since the day I saw him with
you.”
    Gertie was disappointed.
She had not met anyone named Ellis when she was here last time, the
man behind the bar obviously had her confused with someone else.
The man handed her a glass of tea with sugar and ice in it and
Gertie sat at one of the tables to think about what she could do
next. She did not know where the building was where John and his
friends said they were from. He called it a military base. Gertie
tried to remember more of John’s words about this place, but she
had been so smitten with him that she missed much of what he said.
The loud music that day did not help either. He had said something
about a fort and Campbell, but Gertie could not understand what he
had been talking about.
    Gertie was just finishing
up her ice tea, ready to give up and start on the long walk back to
the mountain when the door opened and John walked in. Gertie was so
happy to see him that she jumped up and into his arms.
    “Gertie! What a wonderful
surprise! I am so happy to see you again!” John said. The man
behind the bar yelled out “Hey Ellis, want a beer?”
     
    “Just coffee, Joe.
Thanks!” John replied. “Would you like something to drink,
Gertie?”
    Gertie was confused. “No
thank you. Why does that man call you Ellis when you told me that
your name is John?” She asked her handsome new friend.
    “My full name is John
Ellis, Gertie. I don’t think I asked you before, what is your last
name?”
    Gertie had to think
quickly. She started to say Enchanted, but then thought better of
mentioning her Village’s name. She looked up into John’s beautiful
eyes and knew she had to come up with something or he would think
she was batty. But try as she might, she could not come up with a
suitable full name for John Ellis to call her. “Enchanter. My full
name is Gertrude Enchanter.” She told him.
    “Perfect! I am glad you
are here today. It was hard to hear you over all of the noise the
last time we met. I went to the bathroom and when I came out, you
had left already. I must say, I was quite disappointed. I have come
by here every day since hoping to run into you again. Where did you
go and why couldn’t you at least wait until I came back to the
table? I did not get a chance to tell you goodbye and I could have
walked you home.” John Ellis told her.
    Gertie felt a moment of
panic again. “I had to leave right away. I had to get back home.
You never have to think about walking me home. I am quite capable
of finding my own way, but thank you.” Gertie said, praying that
her words would not anger him.
    Gertie and John spent the
next several hours talking. Gertie asked him several questions,
while managing to side step the ones John was asking her. John took
Gertie’s hands in his own and said there was something important
that