Late one evening, while visiting his grandmother who lived in rural Indiana, Robert entered her home pale from fright.
"Robert, you're late coming home. You look terrible! What happened at the party? Did someone play a joke on you, hurt you, insult you? What is it? Come sit here." Eugenie motioned to the worn, burgundy colored sofa in the living room.
"Grandma, I heard it." Robert said as he sat down next to her.
"Heard what, dear?"
"I heard crying on the old covered bridge. There was no one there. But, I heard crying."
"Oh, Robert. People hear the crying quite often on that old bridge. It's Suzanna."
"There wasn't a girl on the bridge."
"There is in a way. Let me tell you about Suzanna." She said and took a deep breath.
"Suzanna was a sweet, blond teenager rather idealistic and naive. She was just seventeen when the war broke out in the Pacific. At the time, she had been secretly meeting up with a young Japanese boy, Hideo. Because their relationship was unacceptable, they would rendezvous at night on the old covered bridge.
When the Japanese Americans were ordered to internment camps, Hideo's family, even though they had lived in America for two generations, were included. The night before Hideo and his family were to be transported to the camp, Hideo met Suzanna on the bridge and they pledged the lover's promise of devotion and fidelity.
As fate sometimes takes us to unexpected situations, Suzanna became with child. Her parents were beside themselves with anger. They insisted she find a way to contact Hideo.
When Suzanna read Hideo's response, she cried and hid in her room for days. Hideo's parents had forced him to deny the paternity and he was not allowed to continue any further communication.
Now, Suzanna's baby, Aimi, looked like a doll with black hair, fair skin, and black eyes. Suzanna loved little Aimi, took good care of her and always kept her by her side. But, when her friends, family and neighbors continually scorned and ignored her, Suzanna became despondent.
One night, with Aimi in her arms, Suzanna walked onto the covered bridge. Remembering her passionate moments with Hideo, a pain tore through her heart and soul. Then, she pulled one of the trellis boards away from the bridge's wall and threw Aimi into the river below. She cried out as she jumped off the bridge after her baby."
"So, it was Suzanna I heard on the bridge?" Robert said.
"Yes. If I had done the right thing and accepted that baby, your mother would have a sister and you a beautiful aunt. Now, at night, I have to live with the cries coming from the old covered bridge."
"Robert, you're late coming home. You look terrible! What happened at the party? Did someone play a joke on you, hurt you, insult you? What is it? Come sit here." Eugenie motioned to the worn, burgundy colored sofa in the living room.
"Grandma, I heard it." Robert said as he sat down next to her.
"Heard what, dear?"
"I heard crying on the old covered bridge. There was no one there. But, I heard crying."
"Oh, Robert. People hear the crying quite often on that old bridge. It's Suzanna."
"There wasn't a girl on the bridge."
"There is in a way. Let me tell you about Suzanna." She said and took a deep breath.
"Suzanna was a sweet, blond teenager rather idealistic and naive. She was just seventeen when the war broke out in the Pacific. At the time, she had been secretly meeting up with a young Japanese boy, Hideo. Because their relationship was unacceptable, they would rendezvous at night on the old covered bridge.
When the Japanese Americans were ordered to internment camps, Hideo's family, even though they had lived in America for two generations, were included. The night before Hideo and his family were to be transported to the camp, Hideo met Suzanna on the bridge and they pledged the lover's promise of devotion and fidelity.
As fate sometimes takes us to unexpected situations, Suzanna became with child. Her parents were beside themselves with anger. They insisted she find a way to contact Hideo.
When Suzanna read Hideo's response, she cried and hid in her room for days. Hideo's parents had forced him to deny the paternity and he was not allowed to continue any further communication.
Now, Suzanna's baby, Aimi, looked like a doll with black hair, fair skin, and black eyes. Suzanna loved little Aimi, took good care of her and always kept her by her side. But, when her friends, family and neighbors continually scorned and ignored her, Suzanna became despondent.
One night, with Aimi in her arms, Suzanna walked onto the covered bridge. Remembering her passionate moments with Hideo, a pain tore through her heart and soul. Then, she pulled one of the trellis boards away from the bridge's wall and threw Aimi into the river below. She cried out as she jumped off the bridge after her baby."
"So, it was Suzanna I heard on the bridge?" Robert said.
"Yes. If I had done the right thing and accepted that baby, your mother would have a sister and you a beautiful aunt. Now, at night, I have to live with the cries coming from the old covered bridge."
