The wind was blowing as the young man tried desperately to read the paper. He was sitting on the deck of his newly built home with a cup of coffee on the table next to him. Fighting the blowing paper was frustrating him to the point of aggravation. Soon he had to go to work, and all he wanted was to read the New York Times.
The young man, John, was a 30 year old farmer who had lived on his family's farm all of his life. His great grandfather had traveled to the states many years ago from Italy and eventually landed in Missouri. John and his family lived in the very home built by his great grandfather. Recently he and his wife added on to the original home to accommodate their growing family. John had always been proud of his heritage but unfortunately knew very little about the life his great grandfather had lived previous to the farm in Peabody, Missouri. Unfortunately, there were never any written documentations or family discussions about his life before missouri. Somehow that part of his great grandfather's life was deliberately held secret. It was on this day the secret began to unravel.
As the wind ripped the paper out of John's hand, he angrily gathered each of the sections while trying to chase them down. The last section he picked up was smashed against the fence in his yard. He tried to retrieve the paper from the barbed wire, but it got caught and tore in half. The half that remained on the fence, was hanging like a sign deliberately placed there. John looked at the paper before reaching for it and what he saw was astonishing! There in the obituary section was the name John Verruchi! His name was John Verruchi!
John snatched the paper from the fence and examined it carefully. It read that a John Verruchi, age 40, was killed in a car accident. He had lived in Manhattan and was an architect for a major company in the city. He was survived by his wife,and three children of the home. It did not list any one preceding him in death, which John found very unusual. John folded the paper, placed it in his pocket, and headed for the house. Knowing he had to get to the fields, he didn't have time to think about the strange coincidence right then. So off to the bean field he went.
Later that night, when the last of the beans were combined, John was sitting on the porch just pondering over the obituary. John's wife sara came to join him after she had put the twins to bed. John showed her the obit and she was as astonished as he had been earlier that day. For several minutes nothing was said. Then finally John spoke up to say he was going to New York. Sara couldn't believe it. John had never left the farm for any reason let alone go all the way to New York, but Sara could tell he was serious. Never had she seen such determination on John's face. She knew he had to go. However, secretly she felt there was no connection between the two Johns, but she did not breathe a word of this to her husband. Sara knew John would have never made such a rash decision without good reason. John on the other hand was not sure what was driving him, he just knew he had to go.
John had always been a very quiet, almost backward man. Traveling to unknown places was always a fearful thought, and up to now he had never had a reason or even the desire to leave the safety of the farm. What was so important about a name in the paper to make him travel half way across the country? Ok, it was his name, but truly it could mean nothing. If his name was Smith, Jones or Adams maybe he could overlook the coincidence. But Verruchi! As far as he knew, his family were the only Verruchi's in the states. The story was his great grandfather was an only child. Whatever the reason for this John Verruchi to be in New York, John had to find out!
So in late October after the harvest and everything was quiet on the farm, John planned his trip. He had kept the obituary even though of course it was little help. he only knew he needed to start his adventure in Manhattan. Sara, of course needed to stay home with the kids, so John was faced with the knowledge he would be entirely on his own. That thought terrified him! He had never been comfortable in crowded cities the few times he had been to St. Louis to the Cardinal game. He envisioned the streets of Manhattan to be much worse. Plus, he had never flown before which he needed to do. His truck would never make it that far and he needed to leave the minivan with Sara. So flying would have to be the mode of transportation.
John had Sara make all the arrangements because he had no idea how to start. Sara was so concerned about John's going, due to the fact he had always been shy and backward. If John couldn't make his own reservation, how could he possibly function in New York City without her? Only time would tell.
Finally that day came. Sara and John left for St. Louis. John was flying nonstop to Kennedy airport arriving later that evening. By the time Sara would be getting back to Peabody, John would be landing in New York. John was so nervous, but Sara helped him through the airport which was comforting to him. When they finally parted at the gate, John had seconded thoughts, but didn't let Sara know. He knew this was something he had to do. Something was pulling him to New York!
On the plane, John read the obituary for the dozenth time. He was still reading it when he landed at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. What was he going to do now?
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