Nellie Long and the Ruby Ring (F)

On a cool September morning, Nellie Long was pruning roses the way she had been taught by Uncle Seve. With each snip she smiled because the work was so relaxing and made her happy.

“Hey, Nellie!” Uncle Seve called out. “Guess what?”

Nellie looked at her uncle and waved. “What!”

“I found that ring I told you about. My aunt’s ruby ring.”

Yes, the ruby ring, Nellie remembered. Uncle Seve told Nellie it came from a place very far away, a special place way up in the tallest mountains of the world.

Uncle Seve walked over and handed it to her. “Here. You keep it, Nellie.” She put it on her right ring finger, but it was a little loose.

“I better keep it in my pocket for now.”

“Okay. Great job on the roses. A+. Talk to you later.”

Later that evening, Nellie sat out in her back yard under the big dogwood tree, the one with a few yellow leaves. She reached in her pocket and took out the ruby ring. It really was very beautiful.

Nellie slipped it on her finger and then placed her right hand with the ring to her heart. She closed her eyes. A soft breeze came up the hill and felt cool on her face.

Relaxed, Nellie took a slow breath, eyes still closed. Under her hand her heart beat at an easy pace. The ruby ring seemed to fit better than it did that morning.

Her eyes closed, in her mind, Nellie could see many tall mountains and behind them even taller mountains. In front of her was a long staircase that went up 300 or more steps to a white building with a high red roof.

Nellie could hear in her head a voice telling her “Be brave, be bold, Nellie!” So up she started. The steps were made of stone and hard to walk on, but she kept climbing.

Up and up and up and up and now her heart was beating faster. She stopped and looked back and could see little houses far below.

Nellie started her climb again. So many steps. Suddenly a Golden eagle flew right over her head. She felt the whoosh of the wings. She ducked her head. “Wow!”

But again she heard that voice: Be brave, be bold! She took a deep breath. Up, up, up she climbed.

Finally, she was standing at the huge wooden door. She took a deep breath and knocked. Nothing. She knocked again, louder and longer. Sure enough, the door opened. By itself. “Whoa!” Nellie said.

Nellie stepped through the doorway and looked left and right, up and down. No one was in the courtyard.

There was another door not as big as the front one. Well, she thought, I might as well keep going. The door was already opened a little bit, so she pushed it and walked on in.

To her surprise Nellie saw a large garden filled with so many flowers with so many colors and so many butterflies and hummingbirds.

And sitting on a big wooden bench was—no, no, no thought Nellie. “Antonio!”

“My, my, my. See who’s here.” Antonio laughed. “Nellie Long. Well, hello, Nellie!” He stood and waved for her to come over and sit with him.

Nellie walked over, shaking her head. “How can you be here, Antonio?”

“Why not, Nellie. You’re here. So I guess I can be here as well. Right?”

Nellie sat down on the bench next to him. “But why are you here?”

“Oh, I sit here with people and help them with their questions.”

“What kind of questions?”

“Any kind. Any kind at all.”

Nellie thought for a moment. “Am I dreaming?”

“Do you feel like you are dreaming, Nellie?”

Nellie knew her heart was not beating as fast as on the steps. She could feel the bench under her. “I don’t think so.”

The two sat quietly for a moment.

“There are a lot of flowers here, Antonio.”

“Yes.”

“Do you like flowers?”

“Yes. Do you, Nellie?”

“I like the colors. Pink is my favorite. Do you know why I am here, Antonio?”

“This is your path, Nellie. Where you are is on your way.”

“Where am I going?”

Antonio smiled. “Following your path.”

Nellie frowned. “Sometimes you still don’t answer me exactly.”

“I can’t tell you more than I know, Nellie. Folks can’t tell you more than they know. But, I can be your friend and tell you the truth.”

“Will I ever know where I am going?”

“Sometimes.”

Nellie thought for a moment. “Do you know where you are going?”

Antonio laughed again. “Sometimes.”

Nellie saw that the sun was sinking below the garden wall. “I think it is time for me to go in.”

“Yes.”

“Maybe I will see you again on my path.”

“You are becoming very smart, Nellie.”

Nellie opened her eyes again. She could feel her heart beating against her hand, the ruby ring still on her finger. She got up from her chair and headed back to her house.