My Dear, Departed Dragon Soul [DRG2015]

Once upon my medieval time, in a land not too far from here, I used to service the evil machines of man. One of these machines became rather sick, and it was that which brought upon me a most gracious and kind soul, who became a friend and customer of my services. She had a once kind and benevolent machine, which had been infected with the most vicious viruses and taken over to do the bidding of the evil men who had implanted them.

No matter how she tried, the machine would not work properly and kept luring her to evil, disgusting places in the world wide spider web, woven by what seemed like a menacing Black Widow. It was poison.

When I arrived on my first service call, the first thing I noticed in her room was the majestic head of an ancient dragon, looking so mighty and splendid upon her shelf.


I used to comment constantly to her how I loved that dragon head. The detail in the skin and colors were beautiful.



Hours upon hours I would spend each visit, making the machine better little by little, and carefully removing the offending plethora of sickness one painstaking piece at a time. For the machine was also laden with a lifetime of my friend's favorite memories, and cherish them much she did. But the evil viruses kept her from them, and this was a major problem I vowed to cure, no matter how long it took.

By the third visit, we were quite comfortable with each other, and I convinced her that I could do much better for the machine at my humble abode- sort of like taking a patient to the doctor's office. A doctor can carry some tools into the field, but he is most effective when he has access to all his tools. And so off I went with her machine, taking it back with me to my humble hospital.

I would be embarrassed to admit how long it finally took me to fix that machine, but a promise is a promise. And Lord knows I could not charge her for all that time. I would have to settle for the bright smile after smile I witnessed upon calling up her cherished memories, one by one, on the next visit when I delivered it back- along with a greatly reduced and modest charge.

So thrilled she was to finally have access again to those memories, she called me back in as I was leaving, and handed me a check. Looking down, my mouth dropped.

"Oh no," I said. "This is WAY too much."

"No no, it's not enough," she insisted. "You have no idea what this means to me, and three other so called 'doctors' could not fix it. Only you did. Please, I beg you- take it, and thank you so much." She gave me a hug like she was my Mom, and sent me on my way.

I would call her once in a while to check on her and her machine, and she always appreciated those calls. "Oh it's running great," she would say. Then one day she called and wanted a new accessory for it, and I was happy to assist. Once again I found myself staring at the majestic dragon head, totally mesmerized, as I installed the addition.

"That is awesome!" I would say. She knew how much I adored that thing.

But apparently all good things must come to an end. A mere year after I had met her I got a call from a mutual friend of ours who told me she was sick. So I went to visit her, and she laid some very heavy news upon me: Two days prior doctors had discovered that her body was completely consumed with a very malignant cancer. She was informed that she had only three months at best to live.

I was so sad for her. This really sucked. I didn't even know what to say other than I was so sorry, and how I had enjoyed our time together. So at the end of the visit I hugged her one last time. But as I was leaving again she stopped me.

"Here, I want you to have this," she said. And she handed me a box. I opened it to find my favorite dragon, all wrapped up in paper.


"Wow, really?" I asked, trying to contain my excitement amid the heavy, devastating news.

"Yes, it's not going to do me any good any more with where I'm going soon. It is something you always loved, and you can remember me by. And it has a little secret."

Astonished, I thanked her profusely and gave her one last hug. It was so difficult looking at her as I left, knowing what was going to happen.

And nearly three months to the day, I got the call from our mutual friend, that she was indeed gone. Another life taken by cancer. So sad.

In the months that followed, I kept looking at it occasionally, wondering what the secret was. And then one day I removed a little piece on its nostrils and discovered that I was now the proud owner of a real fire-breathing dragon:


For my dragon is also an incense burner.

I miss you Gail.
May your soul RIP.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

This is beautiful. True story?

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: TrueAmerican

This is beautiful. True story?

Am so sorry to say, yes, very true.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

I'm happy you had a wonderfull friend. And built her this little pyramid with your words.

What a beautiful and yet very sad tale

May the dragon always burn bright and fly high

in loving memory of your friend

Gail the dragon rider


ty for sharing

Riouz

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Wow!!! That was a Beautiful Story!!
Being True, makes it all the better!!!
Thank You for Sharing that with Us!!!

S+F for You!!!!!! Syx.

Thanks everyone!

As a point of interest, her husband was ex-CIA. One day he told me they knew who killed Kennedy for sure, but that he couldn't tell me. He told me it would be declassified one day, but probably not in our lifetimes. Or maybe when I would be too old to remember or care.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

That was a wonderfully heart-felt dragon story to share with ATS!

There is sadness therein, but true sadness would be having never met at all, then we would never have your experience to hear and ponder.

I love the style - I felt like I was reading a modern-day fairy tale.

Thank you, best wishes!

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Hey TrueAmerican!
Wow, that was fabulous! So sad yet so beautiful.
I like your writing style.

What a perfect tribute to a friend...a story.

S&F
jacygirl

Ok so, who wants my dragon when I die?

I gotta pass it on to someone! You must love it, adore it, and give it false idol worship! It is the religion of no religions, the prophet of doom, and soothsayer of overlords!

This touched my heart!

A beautifully well-written story, TrueAmerican

I'm sorry the inspiration for it was the death of a friend.


J

TA, that is a touching story. So sad to lose someone you were close to, but also wonderful to have those memories and a beautiful dragon's head to cherish.

Namaste,
YogaGinns

Thanks, yes, I do miss Gail. We didn't talk that often after her machine got fixed, but every once in a while. She was always kind to me. Her husband though was sorta weird. CIA sorta weird.

So, no takers on the dragon? I wasn't planning on dying soon, but you never know.

but also

originally posted by: zazzafrazz

but

also

What? You happy I'm gonna die? You're dying too, I might remind you.

Ok so, no one wants my little dragon.

= sad story
= good story

You made her world a happier place so she will always remember you with a smile. Thanks for sharing.

originally posted by: TrueAmerican

Ok so, no one wants my little dragon.

I would love to give your dragon a home, TA

originally posted by: LadyJae

originally posted by: TrueAmerican

Ok so, no one wants my little dragon.

I would love to give your dragon a home, TA

Ok, it's yours. You might have to wait a while though. Then again, you might not. Send me your name and address to my email at [email protected]. Subject: RE: Dragon. I'll put you in my will!

In tribute to Gail, and also those who have commented that this story is sad but beautiful, I dedicate the following song "Mirage" from one of my absolute favorite albums of all time- Jean-Luc Ponty's "Enigmatic Ocean"



Sad, beautiful, and encompassing all the trials and tribulations of life. I lose myself in this track. I mean like, completely gone! For those that don't know Jean-Luc, you've got a lot of catching up to do.