Niel Allen 2

About a million thoughts were going through my mind in that moment: what are my friends doing or learning at school?; what is my mother doing at home?; why did mother choose me to stay with this old man?; what am I ever going to learn from him? The thought of home never escaped my mind. Oh! how I wanted to go home! There was love at home; I could feel its warmth; but Niel Allen's place lacked that very feeling...it was cold, dark, and definitely loveless. My eye caught glimpse of a photograph on the hard oak oval coffee table. The frame was worn and faded; the glass was scratched--it was an old fixture of a frame yes. It definitely was not pleasing to look at...but the photograph was lovely. It shown Niel Allen, definitely a much younger man, and a beautiful woman...both with beaming smiles on their faces. I looked at the background of the photograph...it was taken right in this cabin; in fact, right around the area that Mr Allen was sitting now. So this place did feel love at one time; it was warm and cozy...but not anymore. I scanned the other pictures in the living room--all of them were of Mr Allen and I suspect his wife. I then looked over at Mr Allen's hand, hoping to see a ring to confirm my suspisions that he indeed was married at one time. His skinny frail finger barely kept the ring from falling off. It looked brand new--shiny and without a scratch. "Amazing," I thought. In all the pictures, the house was well-kept and happiness abounded. I wondered what had taken that joy away. My outlook on Niel Allen had shifted somewhat. I longed to know more about him and his story; but I almost felt rude for asking. Maybe later on today. It's still pretty early.