WHERE'S OLIVER?

By Richard E. Noble

"Where's Oliver? ...
Have you seen Oliver? ...
Where's Oliver? ..."

"She can't find Oliver."

"I know.
It's sad, isn't it?
It seems like she and Oliver were married forever."

"Where's Oliver? ...
Has anyone seen Oliver? ...
Where's Oliver?..."

"Somebody ought to tell her ...
Not to be mean ...
Just in a way that she will understand."

"Where's Oliver?
Where is that man?
Where's Oliver?"

"Honey? ... Come over here and sit-down.
Yes, right here at this picnic table.
Oliver died sweetheart.
You know that don't you?
You remember? We had that big funeral?"

"Oliver died?"

"That's right sweetie. You remember now, don't you?"

"Oliver died?"

"Yes ... Over a year ago ...
You remember? ... Remember we had that big funeral?"

The old woman paused, thoughtfully.
She stared off vacantly into the cherry orchard.
She turned and looked into her questioner's eyes.
Her eyes were momentarily thoughtful.
Then slightly tearful.
Then suddenly wide and frightened.

"Wh...whe...Where's Oliver?" she asked.

"I don't know sweetie.
Maybe you had best look for him."

The old woman smiled.
"You know, I can never find that man when I want him.
I think I'll keep looking."

"Yes, maybe you'd better.

She rose from the table, then slowly shuffled her bedroom
slippers over the lawn towards their old farm house.

"Where's Oliver?" she cried out, warmly.
"Where's Oliver? ...
Has anyone seen my Oliver?
Ohhh ...where's Oliver?"

HERE I AM ALIVE

By Richard E. Noble

It's funny,
here I am alive,
and tomorrow I'm going to die,
and nobody knows that I have ever actually been here.

Nobody knows me.

It is like I sneaked in over the fence
when the world was closed.

I stood on the field ...

I held the ball ...

I played the game ...

but the roaring crowd never was, and no one saw me.

I've been here ... and there ...

and nobody has seen me come or go.

And when I die ...

nobody will care, or ask ..."God ...Why?"

I've worked like a fool,

and I haven't accomplished a darn thing.

I haven't been here.

I've hidden myself away, inside ...

And here I am alive ... and tomorrow I'm going to die,

and nobody will really know that I've ever actually been here.

And sometimes, I wonder ...

is there anyone who will really care?