The following “letter” is part of the continuing series from the unpublished novel by James Garrett, “Benicia Letters Once More”. He does not plan to publish the book but instead is choosing to share the letters with the readers of the Benicia Herald. The letters continue the storyline of Garrett’s first novel “Benicia and Letters of Love”. Each “letter” tells of love in one of its many forms from a separate point of view. Benicia is represented prominently in the letters because of Garrett’s deep fondness for the city of Benicia. He hopes readers see themselves or others they know in the letters because the concept of “Love” is universal.

Mr. Garrett,
One of my memories of love in Benicia is what a boy and a girl held for each other. It was as hot and heavy as it could be at the time and was honest from each, but they were too young. If the chance had come for their connection when they were a little older, I think it might have lasted.
The guy was a good baseball player. Benicia was kind of a backwater then and he didn’t have much of a chance to be seen by scouts, but he was still pretty good for his age. He could have developed and at least have had a shot at a minor league contract.
Any hope of that ended when his girlfriend became pregnant.
When I found out the girl was pregnant, I went to see the young man. When I looked at him he seemed lost. He was making a project for a social science class. It was a model building using small pebbles held together with mud against a cardboard backing for the walls. He was sitting on the ground putting pebble after pebble onto a wall section. He was the same young man I had seen before, but he was about to become a father.
They each graduated from Benicia High School and got the best jobs they could. If she would have been showing her pregnancy, she never would have been allowed to continue at the school.
The house they bought, with help from their parents after about two years of living in an apartment, wasn’t much to look at when they got it. They made it look really nice. They did love each other and the child they shared.
Finally they got divorced. I think things just got to them too much, but I’m positive they loved each other.
They each later re-married. From all I’ve learned they are as happy and successful as those two words are interpreted by various people to be. They each have children from their re-marriage.
They were two good kids who truly loved each other, but they were just too young.
Old Eyes

James Garrett is a lifelong resident of Benicia and a former teacher at Benicia High School. He is the author of the following novels: “Benicia and Letters of Love,” “The Mansion Stories,” “Chief Salt,” and “One Great Season, 9-0!” He also compiled a three-volume work titled “The Golden Era: Benicia High School Football, The 1948 through 1960 Seasons, “A” History with Comments.”
He can be contacted at jgstoriesnpoetry@aol.com.

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