Digging My Grave

Things that appear glorifying outwardly do not always assume the same shape inwardly.

Human beings are like that too, as if they belong to the same genealogical chart with every other thing.

Dr Richard O'Neil woke from bed and thought that the day would be like every other day. He had not seen a change and did not expect to see one, especially on that day.

ln fact, he did not know that there was possibility of a change occurring at all.

Sand, frosted with cold, crunched under his feet as he ran along the curving shore.

His muscles had warmed, and moved fluid as oiled gears in the second Mile of his morning run.

His pace was a fast and disciplined jog, and his breath rushed out in white plumes.

He felt fabulous.

The wintry beach held no footprints but his own, and his were stamped, as he jogged back and forth across the gentle sweep of winter beach.

He loved the winter best.

As he slowed his pace a bit, not only to cool down but prolong the solitude. He often took her morning runs with his son's dog, Belly, but this morning he had slipped out alone.

Alone was another thing he liked best.

And he'd wanted to clear his mind. There was a great deal to think about. Some of which he preferred not to, so he tucked those annoyances and problems away for now. What had to be dealt with wasn't precisely a problem. You couldn't call something that made you happy a problem.

Dr Richard O'Neil's wife, Marina O'Neil, was a long legged, blonde with eyes like prime whiskey.

She always ranked first in the family to rise from sleep every morning. She normally woke at 5:00am and go down the kitchen to make breakfast.

She worked in a commercial Bank where coming late to work was hardly condoned. Being a bank staff for over five years had changed her to an early riser, while she always flicked those eyes, her wide, pretty mouth always stayed serious and sometimes unsmiling.

Overall she was a middle-aged, attractive woman, with a very interesting smile, that would easily make a man fantasies about her, but she always were her wedding ring on her finger that stopped her as much proximity to male office staffs.

ln order for her to marry the workloads of her office, with her domestic responsibilities, without leaving one to suffer at the expense of the other.

Richard O'Neil jnr. was the eldest son, he was about eleven years old. He would always wake at about the time his mother would be finishing with the settings up breakfast.

Dr Richard slammed into his apartment at 7:00am,

And peeled off his sports wear as he raced to the bathroom.

"Darling... your back." Marina's voice sounded form the kitchen, as she put together some sandwiche and cookies.

"Hey.. I'm." He responded from the bathroom.

"Dad, we're ready for school." Richard jnr sounded form the dining area.

He'd always wanted to be a Doctor and a family man. He hadn't made a big deal of it. The demands of his responsibility to the family had been a dream come true. He had nothing to regret that the responsibilities had to hang on his neck.

He was full of thanks to God who was actually in control, and his Loving, caring and supportive wife, who made it possible for him to discharge those onerous responsibilities with ease.

He walked out of the bathroom, straight to his bedroom.

His apartment was big and cluttered. his leaving room was a large space, with an area to one side devoted to a long leather sofa, Two sink-into-me armchairs and a wide-screen TV. The double window was shielded with blinds. The carpet was cozily thick and stone-gray.

He yanked open his closet door and pushed through a selection of clothes_ in search of a suitable shirt and pants. if he could manage a quick change, he might actually have time to slap together a sandwich or stuff a handful of cookies into his mouth before dropping the kids at school, aheading to his office.

"Dad, we're late. Dad......." Richard jnr with a very loud voice. Now he's looking a little bit up, while glancing at the wall clock.

"Honey, Hurry these kids are late." Marian added.

"Am sorry guys, let's go." As picks his car keys and stuffed a handful of cookies into his mouth.

"Mom, we're off. See you at lunch time."

"Okay guys, Love you......." Marian replied.

Richard jnr and Ann's school was a good twenty five minutes away, and half again that much if he attempted to drive in rush hour traffic.

Luckily there was little traffic, and let a enough time to drive to Richard jnr's school if he got straight down to the garage and hit all the lights on green.

Good parents like Dr Richard who have the internet of his family first at heart consider the exercise of running their children to school as worth it. They derive great Joy from the family as no one could justifiably claim not to belong to one.

At 8:45 Dr Richard reached his office under this atmosphere of great happiness, after dropping his children at school. There was an emergency case brought to the hospital that morning and yearning for immediate attention of an expert.