“Moon River”
Listen to this chapter, “So Short Was the Summer.”
Allen and Julie’s summer 1962 reconciliation was cut short by Allen’s leaving Riverdale—and Highview—to attend boarding school his junior year at San Margo Academy, while Julie returned as a senior to Highview Academy.
The late afternoon sun was slowly making its way down toward the western hills as the Macintoshes’ station wagon sped silently over the winding highway, its destination San Margo Academy in Escondido. The lively conversation they had started out with had dwindled, and now hardly anyone spoke except for restless, young third-grader Kenny Macintosh who was constantly popping up with something new. Thirteen-year-old Peter was a little quieter yet a little fidgety, half filled with the boredom of such a long drive and half filled with anticipation to see his big brother’s new school.
Pastor Macintosh, who sat in the back seat with the two boys, spoke occasionally as he pondered deeply many, many thoughts and ideas about many, many things. Mrs. Macintosh had been talking to the girl in the front seat beside her. But now, after she had yawned several times, she nodded her head. She would doze until the car would go over a bump and wake her up.
Julie Scott, the girl in the front seat, sat reflecting on the boy who sat beside her at the wheel. And of just what the future held. Frequently, she stole a glance at him as she remembered some particular event in their lives. But handsome Allen Macintosh was still, his eyes glued to the road ahead and his face reflecting none of the emotion he might have felt.
I wish it were this time next year, Peter thought, and I’d be on my way to San Margo, too, and have a big brother who’s a Senior. I sure hope I can work there all summer like Allen did. Only I’ll be there for four years instead of just two. But I know I won’t get as homesick as Allen did. ‘Course, maybe he had a little special reason. Anyway, I’d come home for the Riverdale County Fair in August and take my girlfriend, if I even have one then. Boy, I can’t wait until next June when I’ll graduate from eighth grade!
“Ooh!” Mrs. Macintosh gave a little squeal of surprise, waking up as Allen turned a corner rather sharply.
“Good morning, Mom!” Allen teased, chuckling.
“Take it easy!” she said good-naturedly as she yawned again. Well, being the mother of three boys, she got tired now and then. Especially after seeing that Allen got everything all ready for school. Motherhood and marriage. It was a wonderful thing when two people were so very much in love as she and Pastor Macintosh.
She thought of two other young people, Julie’s best friend Sandra Lee and Bob Miller, so very much in love and planning on marriage. How had they met, anyway? Ah, yes, Bob had dated Julie when his best friend Raymond Pierce was going with Sandra. Then Julie had gone on her vacation, and that’s when Bob and Sandra had fallen in love.
Mrs. Macintosh had watched with interest what would take place. She knew Allen had been writing to Julie, but what now? Would her son and this girl ever make up from the fight that they had carried on for ten long months? Allen owed it mostly to Bob and Sandra who talked to Julie trying to convince her he was really sorry. It had taken nearly two months, but now everybody was happy.
“Kenny, can’t you ever stop asking questions?” Allen directed this at his little brother.
“But, Allen, I just wanted to know—”
“Okay, okay. Yes, this winding old road will take us to San Margo and it’s only a few miles now. And that was the Elkfair City limits we just passed in and out of. And, yes”—he sighed— “tonight is the last time I’ll see Julie for quite a while.”
“Boy, Allen,” Kenny said in all seriousness, “I’ll bet you’ll sure miss her!”
Allen’s pretend gruffness melted into a tender smile as he looked for a moment at Julie. “I sure will, Kenny!” he breathed.
Julie felt a little strange as she walked into the boys’ dormitory with the Macintoshes as they helped Allen in with his things. Nothing but boys swarming around every place! And they hadn’t failed to notice that a girl was actually in their dorm. I mean, everybody knows about San Margo’s rules. No females ever came into the boys’ dorm besides mothers, sisters, and properly chaperoned sweethearts. But Julie soon got used to all the staring. She even went to see Allen’s room before they all went over to supper in the school cafeteria.
Eating in silence, Julie observed a lot in between returning Allen’s smiles from across the table. She couldn’t help but notice the many pretty girls wandering here and there. So this is San Margo—Allen’s school, she thought. It’s so different from Highview. I hope he’s happy here.
But she was distracted by a persistent giggle of a blonde nearby—why does Allen have to go here, anyway? We can’t be in love. He’ll date others, I know, even though he said he didn’t want to. And this’ll never last. It can’t—
She had a hard time swallowing that last bite of potato. Dousing it down with milk, she made one last silent resolve: “But whatever happens, I’m going to accept it. Please, dear God, help me accept it.” Then, “I wonder if he’ll write.”
When the meal was over, Julie and the Macintoshes went back to the dorm to make sure Allen had everything. Once in the room, Pastor Macintosh suggested, “Let’s have a word of prayer before we leave.” And so they did.
Allen walked out to the car with Julie. Pretty girl, he thought. I love her so much. I hope she knows there’ll never be anyone else to ever take her place—in my heart. I’m going to write to her at least once a week. Our romance will last—I know it will. God has been so good to us both. He’ll keep us together.
At the car, Allen kissed his dad and mom goodbye. “Your turn!” he teased, turning to Julie. She blushed. “I sure wish I could,” he whispered.
The rest of the Macintosh family were in the station wagon ready to go, and Allen and Julie stood beside the door saying goodbye. Pastor Macintosh looked at them tenderly with a soft smile on his lips. They are good kids, he thought. Not like the everyday run of teenagers. They are sensible and good Christians. They will make it all right in life. I am proud of them.
The sun had set; the gold and crimson faded from the skies. Some stars were already coming out, but it was not yet dark. In the deepening twilight, a strange quietness prevailed. Julie’s soft brown eyes met Allen’s. And their thoughts penetrated across the dusky silence.
It had been two years ago when they first met and soon afterward fell in love. It was young and foolish first love. They had had a year together at Highview Academy before something spoiled their romance. Neither of them liked to think about it. They had known each other two years now, but half of that time had been filled with hatred for each other, each trying to hurt the other in the cruelest ways possible.
That was last year at Highview. Circumstances forced them to go to school together, to see each other every day, enduring the torture they caused but didn’t really want. For ten months this had gone on until Bob Miller came along. At first Allen hadn’t really cared. But once he was at San Margo, away from home and away from Julie, he realized how much he really cared. Why, he hadn’t gone without seeing Julie for more than a week or two since they had known each other. And an entire summer was passing!
But God had sent a miracle. And right now it didn’t matter to Allen and Julie how it had happened—just that it did happen. Once again they fell in love—this time a God-centered love—forgiving and forgetting the unpleasant past. Maybe their love wouldn’t last; but if it didn’t, they would know that God had something far better in mind for both of them. Maybe it would last, standing the test of distance and time. And if it did, they would know for sure that God meant for them to be together.
Two years from now, what would happen? Allen and Julie both would be in college. They had shared dreams of going to college with Bob and Sandra, and then maybe someday the four of them— But that was up to God. One year from now, would they still be in love? Only time could tell.
Now, Allen’s deep blue eyes, also a little moist, looked for a long moment into Julie’s. My sweetheart, he thought. You’ll always be my only sweetheart. He touched her hand lightly, then took it in his own for a quick second. “I’ll write you—I promise!” he said.
Julie got into the car and looked up at him through the open window. “Goodbye for now, Allen,” she said.
“It won’t be too long, sweetheart,” he whispered. “Remember, I love you.”
Julie smiled gently as the station wagon pulled away. Looking back, she saw Allen waving slowly. She waved back. For a long moment, he watched the car until it had disappeared into the darkness. Then he turned and walked thoughtfully back to the dorm.
In the car, Pastor Macintosh had turned on the radio to an “easy listening” AM-FM station, and soft music flooded the air. Julie just realized how tired she really was, and she settled back and closed her eyes. But just before sleep came, her thoughts expressed the mixed emotions she felt:
I left him standing there that night,
The night we had to say goodbye.
I think I saw a little tear
Just in the corner of his eye.He kissed his mom goodbye, and then
He looked so tenderly at me.
And with our eyes we kissed goodbye,
‘Cause that’s the way it had to be.Then for a second, very brief,
He gave my hand a little squeeze
As if to say, “I’ll miss you, dear,
But you will write me, won’t you—please!”I still can see him standing there…
In my eyes, too, I felt the tears.
I heard him whisper, “I love you,”
And then, “Sweetheart, just two more years.”For neither time nor circumstance
Nor distance, great though it may be,
Is greater than the love we share—
My love for him, his love for me.And someday he’ll be home again;
Somehow the months will pass away,
And somewhere I’ll be by his side,
I know—somewhere, somehow, someday.