Chapter 5: Joe 1950

It was late summer in 1950 when Joe pulled his truck on top of the hill at the back of his family's farm there in Harrison Indiana. He could just barely make out the tree-filled valley in front of him through the darkness. He reached for the Contex 35mm camera that lay on the seat next to him and stepped from his truck. He took a deep breath of the crisp morning air. The sweet smells of the maple trees in the surrounding woods filled his lungs. He glanced to the horizon; the thin clouds in the distance were beginning to turn light pinks and oranges as the sun made its way into the sky. He moved around to the front of his pickup and pulled himself atop its hood. He slid back to the windshield and rested his back on the glass as he tried to find a comfortable spot. When he did get into a position that was remotely comfortable, he took another deep breath of the morning air and let the stress of life run from his body. As he sat there, he couldn't help but smile as he remembered his mother. She had started each day with the sunrise for years. Every morning, she would creep out to the swing in the backyard, swaying in the breeze, sitting quietly as she awaited the arrival of the day.

As a boy, Joe couldn't understand what it was she found in the horizon each morning, but as he sat there, leaning against the windshield of his truck, he seemed to find some understanding. He liked to think that she knew he was there each morning. He thought she might be looking down on him from the heavens as he tried to make up for lost time.

Joe sat there for some time, thinking of her and remembering how life seemed to be so wonderful when she was around. He drifted through his thoughts, remembering sweet moments of his youth and only finally being roused from the recesses of his mind when the morning sun broke through the clouds. The orange rays filled the sky with light and the morning glow reflected off the fog that had settled in around the treetops, making the forest in the valley below disappear in the sun's blinding glow. He smiled again as he looked away from the horizon and gazed into the heavens.

"Good morning, Mom," he whispered.

Joe closed his eyes, letting the warmth of the sun wash over him. He cleared his mind, letting the power of the morning take over, and after a moment he looked to the horizon and grabbed his camera. As he peered through the eyepiece and focused in on the vibrant pink and orange sky, the morning's beauty mesmerized him. He snapped one picture and another as he tried to capture the new day's splendor. He knew all too well that the pictures didn't do justice to the beauty of the day, but he felt he had to try. He snapped one last photo and slowly lowered the camera to his lap. He let out a loud sigh as the emotion of the morning filled his mind. He hadn't remembered the last time a sunrise had affected him like this one. For years, he had been collecting pictures of sunrises, some from this very hillside, and others from far-off lands during the war. Each one he took made him feel closer to home and somehow more distant at the same time.

As he sat there that morning, he was overtaken by a strange emotion, one that had been lost to him for some time. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he almost felt a sense of excitement. Joe didn't understand why he felt as he did, but a part of him didn't want to think too hard for fear that his newfound joy might somehow slip away. At that moment, a cloud moved in, breaking up the morning light and casting a shadow across the truck. Joe broke his gaze from the horizon and glanced at his watch. He took a deep breath and exhaled heavily as he realized he had to go. He climbed down off the hood slowly, trying to squeeze each moment he could out of the morning, but as his feet touched the ground, he knew it was time. He made his way around the truck and stood by the driver's door. He couldn't help but snap one more picture and then he finally took his seat behind the wheel. Joe turned the key, sparking the engine to life; the mechanical rumblings from the truck broke the deafening silence of the morning. He could see the birds in the distant trees leave their roost. He watched them as they flew into the valley below. Joe reluctantly eased the truck into gear and pointed it toward the fence that ran along the lane.

As he drove, he looked around at his family's farm. The remnants of his childhood surrounded him. He could see the broken-down fences that once held the family's cattle desperately in need of repair. The gates that marked the entrances to the fields had all since disappeared, and for a moment he wished he could return this place to its past glory, make it something his father might be proud of again. As Joe drove past the rows of broken-down fences, he realized there weren't too many places there that didn't hold a memory for him. In the distance, he could make out the top of the old oak tree that he would climb when he wanted to hide from the world. Over by the tree line to the west were the remnants of the old rope swing that he used to dangle from for hours. Even further in the distance, he could make out the banks of the blue river that he would float down as it carved its way through the farm. He couldn't help but feel sad as he missed those carefree days.

Joe continued to bump across the field for several more minutes, only slowing as he came to one of the old barns that dotted the farm. He pulled up in front of it and looked to the roofline as he grabbed his camera, bringing it to his eye and focusing on the door of the hayloft. The sagging boards on the roof allowed the sun's rays to show through the open doors. As he snapped his picture, he could see a kaleidoscope of light spreading through the morning haze. He lowered the camera and turned his attention to the barn itself. The red faded building had seen better days. The large doors that lined the front of it barely clung to their hinges, and boards were broken and missing on all sides. The whole thing looked as if it would fall if you pushed it right. Joe couldn't help but smile as he remembered this place and how he had stolen his first kiss there.