Post by melindajo2000 on Aug 27, 2010 7:25:41 GMT -6
Sacred Vows
By melindajo2000
Today was the day that Miss Ellie was dreading. Ever since the call came that a body had been found, she had found herself crying herself to sleep, though no one knew it. Her husband was dead, and today it would be final. Jock was never coming back. He was a good man, and deserved far better than what the fields of Central America brought him. She would see to it that he would be given him a proper tribute. He deserved as much. He was a great man, and she would see to it that he would be remembered as much. If only she could get this darned dress on. The buttons were so stubborn- when where they ever so stubborn? Where her hands ever this slow to fasten? Finally, after two hours of dressing and fixing her hair and makeup, she was ready to go to the service. She wasn’t really ready, but she was able to go to the service.
JR couldn’t believe this was his daddy they were laying in the ground. Just because a body had been found and identified and dental records and such that didn’t necessarily mean it had to be his father. He would know it was him the minute they opened the closed coffin. Only then would he be satisfied that that man in that box was Jock Ewing. He needed to know if his daddy was really dead, or so help him, he would spend the rest of his life tracking him down. His daddy was immortal.; he’d never just walk away just like that. Not his daddy.
Bobby was anxious to proceed with the funeral. He was ready to put behind him all of the hurt and the anger and the tears that Jock’s death had caused. Finding a body was just what the family needed in order to heal. That was the only way this family could heal, especially Miss Ellie. Bobby could be strong enough for everyone, but for how long? He needed to close this chapter, he needed his mama back, and he needed to see his daddy one last time so he could stop being strong, if only for a minute, so he could be Jocks’ boy one last time. Just one last time.
Gary prayed that that was his daddy they found. He’d assumed by the chain Bobby found that Jock was dead. And so he started to hate himself for not being part of the search. For not being there when Jock needed him the most. But he could one thing for his father. He could give him the kind of burial that that would suit a gentle giant like Jock Ewing. And Gary would see to it, peace on his head.
As everyone got to the service early, the first thing JR did was run up to the coffin and open the lid. Everyone tried to stop him but there’s no stopping JR in action. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks, watching, waiting for his reaction. JR turned around, tears on his face;. No one knew what that meant. Was it Jock in there? JR went to sit down at the front, next to Miss Ellen. Who would go next to see who it was? All eyes were on Miss Ellie. She would know better than anyone if it is Jock but no one dared to ask her. So Bobby went up and looked, and like JR, he began to cry and sat beside his brother. Gary looked around and did the same as JR and Gary, he approached the coffin, looked in it, cried and then took his place in the family line up. Pam was sitting by Bobby, and Val and Lucy was sitting with Gary, and Sue Ellen and John Ross was sitting with JR, who was sitting next to Miss Ellie. Seeing as it had now been turned into an open casket ceremony, strangers began to line up. Miss Ellie stood up and walked over to the coffin. She stared at it for a long time. She turned around to face the crowd.
“This is not a open casket ceremony. Only my boys and myself have gotten to witness the face of my husband, Jock Ewing,” She said firmly but sadly. No one questioned her as she shut the casket.
“And now I think it’s time we begin this ceremony…”the minister began. He read many key passages from the bible, including Psalms 23. The Lord is my Sheppard…… Sue Ellen and Pam both began to cry at that passage. Miss Ellie kept holding on, even though she knew that it was her husband that she was letting go of for sure this very night.
“And I’d like to thank you all for coming. This concludes our services at this time.”
“Like *&(^ it does!! “ bellowed out JR. “We’ve all got a lot to say. You don’t cut off a Ewing, not when it comes to our daddy!”
He stood up, followed by Bobby and Gary.
The minister profusely apologized, then sat back down.
“I’m John Ross the second, And I loved my daddy. I did everything in my life for that man. He was the reason I worked so hard, I pushed others to work hard, he’s the reason I always got what I wanted. I know most of you don’t agree with the methods I used to get what I want but my daddy installed in me a sense of pride in your work. My sense of pride is stronger than most, and I owe that to my daddy. It’s second to none. I dare you to find me one person who has more pride in their work and their accomplishments than I. “ The room grew quiet. “I though so. Can’t be done. Because I win. Who taught me to win? My daddy. He didn’t raise any fools . He taught me to work hard, play hard and win hard. I lose hard too. And this time, Daddy, I lost big. I lost real big.” JR’s voice started choking up with emotion and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. “And Daddy I need you to show my how to handle this loss. Cause I don’t think I can do it on my own.” With a few tears running down his face, he walked over and kissed the casket, and then without a word sat down and held Sue Ellen’s hand.
Gary stood up next. “Daddy and I didn’t always see eye to eye. He pushed me hard, just as he did my brother JR. But I didn’t always push back. Sometimes I fell. Sometimes I didn’t even know if I could get back up. I got lost along the way but Daddy was always the moral compass I used in finding my way home, wherever that home might be. It might be in California or it might be in Dallas, but with my daddy as my guide I knew I could never get lost, really lost, as long as I had him to guide me the way back. He’s gone now. What am I going to do now, daddy? I’m going to think about everything you’ve taught me, the things you say I never listened to. But I’m listening now, Daddy. I’m listening now.” He saluted the casket and sat down and embraced Valene and Lucy.
Bobby stood up and looked over at the casket. “You were a proud man, a tough act to follow. I always expected you to be fair, to do the right thing no matter what, and to honor your word. Looking back, in business, that’s what I expect from my men. I can see now that I’ve become a lot like my father in many ways, and I say that with much humbleness and gratitude. If I’m even half the man he was then maybe I’m all right after all. We all need to get back to our roots now and then. If it’s taken this to remind me of this then I’m going to do some soul searching and make sure that his death was not in vain. I promise you that it won’t be.”
With that, Bobby sat down and took Pam and Christopher in his arms and embraced them.
“Well if that’s all…” the minister began.
Miss Ellie walked up to the casket and turned around to face the audience.
“You’ve all made your vows. That’s wonderful. But what about the vows Jock made to me? The vows that we’d love and honor each other for as long as we both shall live?”
The room grew quiet. There were no words to answer, nothing could give her the peace she was searching for that night, or for the rest of her life.
The end.
By melindajo2000
Today was the day that Miss Ellie was dreading. Ever since the call came that a body had been found, she had found herself crying herself to sleep, though no one knew it. Her husband was dead, and today it would be final. Jock was never coming back. He was a good man, and deserved far better than what the fields of Central America brought him. She would see to it that he would be given him a proper tribute. He deserved as much. He was a great man, and she would see to it that he would be remembered as much. If only she could get this darned dress on. The buttons were so stubborn- when where they ever so stubborn? Where her hands ever this slow to fasten? Finally, after two hours of dressing and fixing her hair and makeup, she was ready to go to the service. She wasn’t really ready, but she was able to go to the service.
JR couldn’t believe this was his daddy they were laying in the ground. Just because a body had been found and identified and dental records and such that didn’t necessarily mean it had to be his father. He would know it was him the minute they opened the closed coffin. Only then would he be satisfied that that man in that box was Jock Ewing. He needed to know if his daddy was really dead, or so help him, he would spend the rest of his life tracking him down. His daddy was immortal.; he’d never just walk away just like that. Not his daddy.
Bobby was anxious to proceed with the funeral. He was ready to put behind him all of the hurt and the anger and the tears that Jock’s death had caused. Finding a body was just what the family needed in order to heal. That was the only way this family could heal, especially Miss Ellie. Bobby could be strong enough for everyone, but for how long? He needed to close this chapter, he needed his mama back, and he needed to see his daddy one last time so he could stop being strong, if only for a minute, so he could be Jocks’ boy one last time. Just one last time.
Gary prayed that that was his daddy they found. He’d assumed by the chain Bobby found that Jock was dead. And so he started to hate himself for not being part of the search. For not being there when Jock needed him the most. But he could one thing for his father. He could give him the kind of burial that that would suit a gentle giant like Jock Ewing. And Gary would see to it, peace on his head.
As everyone got to the service early, the first thing JR did was run up to the coffin and open the lid. Everyone tried to stop him but there’s no stopping JR in action. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks, watching, waiting for his reaction. JR turned around, tears on his face;. No one knew what that meant. Was it Jock in there? JR went to sit down at the front, next to Miss Ellen. Who would go next to see who it was? All eyes were on Miss Ellie. She would know better than anyone if it is Jock but no one dared to ask her. So Bobby went up and looked, and like JR, he began to cry and sat beside his brother. Gary looked around and did the same as JR and Gary, he approached the coffin, looked in it, cried and then took his place in the family line up. Pam was sitting by Bobby, and Val and Lucy was sitting with Gary, and Sue Ellen and John Ross was sitting with JR, who was sitting next to Miss Ellie. Seeing as it had now been turned into an open casket ceremony, strangers began to line up. Miss Ellie stood up and walked over to the coffin. She stared at it for a long time. She turned around to face the crowd.
“This is not a open casket ceremony. Only my boys and myself have gotten to witness the face of my husband, Jock Ewing,” She said firmly but sadly. No one questioned her as she shut the casket.
“And now I think it’s time we begin this ceremony…”the minister began. He read many key passages from the bible, including Psalms 23. The Lord is my Sheppard…… Sue Ellen and Pam both began to cry at that passage. Miss Ellie kept holding on, even though she knew that it was her husband that she was letting go of for sure this very night.
“And I’d like to thank you all for coming. This concludes our services at this time.”
“Like *&(^ it does!! “ bellowed out JR. “We’ve all got a lot to say. You don’t cut off a Ewing, not when it comes to our daddy!”
He stood up, followed by Bobby and Gary.
The minister profusely apologized, then sat back down.
“I’m John Ross the second, And I loved my daddy. I did everything in my life for that man. He was the reason I worked so hard, I pushed others to work hard, he’s the reason I always got what I wanted. I know most of you don’t agree with the methods I used to get what I want but my daddy installed in me a sense of pride in your work. My sense of pride is stronger than most, and I owe that to my daddy. It’s second to none. I dare you to find me one person who has more pride in their work and their accomplishments than I. “ The room grew quiet. “I though so. Can’t be done. Because I win. Who taught me to win? My daddy. He didn’t raise any fools . He taught me to work hard, play hard and win hard. I lose hard too. And this time, Daddy, I lost big. I lost real big.” JR’s voice started choking up with emotion and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. “And Daddy I need you to show my how to handle this loss. Cause I don’t think I can do it on my own.” With a few tears running down his face, he walked over and kissed the casket, and then without a word sat down and held Sue Ellen’s hand.
Gary stood up next. “Daddy and I didn’t always see eye to eye. He pushed me hard, just as he did my brother JR. But I didn’t always push back. Sometimes I fell. Sometimes I didn’t even know if I could get back up. I got lost along the way but Daddy was always the moral compass I used in finding my way home, wherever that home might be. It might be in California or it might be in Dallas, but with my daddy as my guide I knew I could never get lost, really lost, as long as I had him to guide me the way back. He’s gone now. What am I going to do now, daddy? I’m going to think about everything you’ve taught me, the things you say I never listened to. But I’m listening now, Daddy. I’m listening now.” He saluted the casket and sat down and embraced Valene and Lucy.
Bobby stood up and looked over at the casket. “You were a proud man, a tough act to follow. I always expected you to be fair, to do the right thing no matter what, and to honor your word. Looking back, in business, that’s what I expect from my men. I can see now that I’ve become a lot like my father in many ways, and I say that with much humbleness and gratitude. If I’m even half the man he was then maybe I’m all right after all. We all need to get back to our roots now and then. If it’s taken this to remind me of this then I’m going to do some soul searching and make sure that his death was not in vain. I promise you that it won’t be.”
With that, Bobby sat down and took Pam and Christopher in his arms and embraced them.
“Well if that’s all…” the minister began.
Miss Ellie walked up to the casket and turned around to face the audience.
“You’ve all made your vows. That’s wonderful. But what about the vows Jock made to me? The vows that we’d love and honor each other for as long as we both shall live?”
The room grew quiet. There were no words to answer, nothing could give her the peace she was searching for that night, or for the rest of her life.
The end.
