Once upon a time in a quiet village far from the big city there lived a family named MacGuffin. The elder MacGuffin owned a bakery and worked very hard for his family. Both he and his wife wanted only one thing for their children: that they be free to study the arts the way their parents never could.
And so it was that the eldest daughter, Edwina, not only learned to play the violin but performed so beautifully the villagers would happily gather at the local playhouse whenever she gave a recital.
The middle son, Peter, took to painting. He worked masterfully in both oils and watercolors and would often amuse his father's customers by drawing quick sketches of them on their visits to the bakery.
And the youngest daughter, Loreena, was a dancer. Oh, but not just a dancer. She was a vision of delicacy and grace and yet strong and agile when she would leap or spin. Her every feeling and emotion could be read in her movements and she entranced all who ever saw her perform.
Unfortunately as the years went by and despite their parents fondest hopes the vicissitudes of life compelled the MacGuffin children to at last pursue more practical endeavors as a means of financial support.
Edwina eventually found work as a seamstress at the local dress shop. She soon became very skilled at her job but the work required her to use her hands all day which left her too tired to practice the violin.
Peter finally took over the family business and this required him to rise very early each morning to bake and then to stay at the bakery throughout the day to sell the baked goods. With a new wife and a child on the way he no longer had the time or energy to paint.
Loreena, however, was insistent that she live her life as a dancer so after much discussion it was decided she would venture into the big city to seek her fortune. Her parents gave her what money they could spare and sent her on her way.
With her limited means Loreena was forced to choose an apartment in the poorest part of the city and it was small and shabby compared to her home in the village. She went to auditions daily for every kind of dancing job but although she was an excellent dancer the city was full of excellent dancers and they were all vying for the same jobs. Day after day Loreena would leave her apartment with hope and enthusiasm only to return tired and no closer to fulfilling her dream.
One day while returning from yet another audition Loreena was confronted by a man with long hair, dark glasses, and a beard. The man pulled out a gun and demanded that she give him all her money. "But sir, I have very little money left and I need it if I am to remain in the city to pursue my dream," she said.
"I don't give a shit, bitch!" the robber responded. "Hand over your cash or I'll roast you!"
"Oh sir," Loreena said, "since I was a child I have wanted to live my life as a dancer and...." But before she could finish the robber fired his gun and shot Loreena dead and then grabbed her purse and ran away. There were several witnesses to the crime but it turns out the hair, beard, and dark glasses were a disguise and the police could never find the villain.
All this happened many years ago. Today Edwina is retired and no longer plays the violin because of the arthritis in her hands. Peter still owns the bakery but with a wife, three children, and two grandchildren his painting is a thing of the past. And of course Loreena is in the village cemetery buried alongside her mother and father.
There's no moral to this story and it occurs to me now that perhaps I should have mentioned that before I let you read this far. I hope you're not too disappointed.
- C. S. Winter
