Message in a Bottle

Magda’s memoirs were kept in a little diary. She died at the age of seventy-seven. Her landlady who was her only friend kept the following memento.

“I was lucky enough to disembark the sinking ship. Thankfully, I did awaken in a hospital room some time later to live on. Fortunately, the old gentleman whose name I may never remember, sneaked a bottle of Vichy water under his jacket tucked  neatly into the backside of his trousers. I grabbed the empty vessel before it was tossed  into the dark, cold sea. There within, I placed the note I always kept close to my heart. I added only the date before sealing it into the bottle, thus if found, a person would have some historical reference. The note was wrapped in my purple satin hair ribbon and gently fitted into the bottle with the hopes it would be discovered one day. My only regret is the loss of my precious note; written on the fine rice paper he gave to me. It was the last sheet of his last gift to me, and I vowed to keep it forever. It contained years of hurtful tears over the loss of my true love, but now it is gone. "

                     
         
         It was June of two thousand seven. A few puffy white clouds did not scare the elderly fisherman from his next catch. He sighted the bottle serenely floating on the calm turquoise waters. He netted it into his boat and liberated the message.

  “My darling James, I will always love you. If I do let go of this note it is only because I fear I shall die soon. I pray then; I shall be with you through eternity.
Love,
Magda,”
  April 15, 1912


word count 1646