mysterious woman

It was, perhaps it still is, popular to take aerial pictures

of farms, frame them, visit the relevant farms and try

to sell them. I had a suitcase full and walked from farm

to the farm I didn’t sell many and was tired when I came to

a small farm, so minor that it was not in my portfolio.

I was thirsty it was July but, I wore a suit with tie to look

businesslike. Knocked on the door it was opened by

a woman who looked affable – this was long ago these

days no one opens doors to strangers- I asked for some

water and she led me to a well lowered a bucket and up

came a pail full of the coolest nectar. We spoke, a widow

a tractor accident had killed him, and she was childless.

I felt a strong sexual pull towards her and could read in her

eyes she felt the same also, but I was too timid to act on it.

I thanked her warmly and left. Years later I read about her

had been married five times and poisoned all her husbands’.