The following “letter” is part of the continuing series from the unpublished novel by James Garrett, “Benicia Letters Once More”.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 day my wife, Opal, said, “You protect me and I protect you, each in our own way.” I don’t know what brought up the topic.
What nice words she said.
We have lived and loved in Benicia for many years. We’ve seen many people come and go and we’ve seen many people as solid in their roots as Mt. Diablo, which we see from our front windows.
I never thought of us protecting each other. There were things I knew I needed to do as her husband and as a man, but that they just came with the territory.
For her part if she senses something is wrong with me physically or emotionally she asks me about it.
I’ve been a physical presence when it was needed, and she has been the one with the cool hand on a fevered forehead.
She makes sure I go to the doctor and dentist at the appointed dates because she knows neither is high on my priority list. I’m a good patient, but attend those meetings out of the need to do them.
If something needs to be done around our home that I can do, I never refrain from doing it. That is all part of my role.
She knows where every dollar is, and if she didn’t we would probably be living under a bridge somewhere and I’d be fishing for our dinner.
One time she showed me how to get money out of a wall by putting a plastic card in it and pushing some numbers. Amazing magic!
She knows how to run all the electronic gadgets with which we are now blessed or burdened. She also knows who to call as my “Attack Secretary,” as well as answering with a polite way of saying I will not be talking with the caller and they need to speak with her.
I remember her birth date, my birth date, social security number, military service number, telephone number, and email address. She knows all of those plus any other dates, numbers, or combination thereof as it applies to our lives. I can ask for any information, piece of paper, or where to find something and she almost magically makes the article appear.
People for centuries have spoken, written, and sung of love, and that will never end. All the things which constitute love between two people stems from “being there” for the one you love. That “being there” takes whatever forms the person in love shows and everyone is different. The point is they do the best they can all the time. They will succeed and they will fail in their efforts. Their actions will be understood and mis-understood, if recognized at all. Again, it is all in “being there”.
I will always protect Opal, and the love I have for her proves to me she will always protect me.
Kane

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 entitled “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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