Patricia and Timothy Steele are newly retired and having a hard time finding themselves in that retirement state. Patricia has no interest in the things she perceives other retirees doing. She doesn't have a knack for gardening or knitting or the desire to sit on the front porch rocking her days away. Timothy is starting to get on her nerves so her memories and ideals are starting to get a bit skewed. One thing that Patricia and Timothy have always done together is the April's Promise race in Finley. But even that is bringing some dissatisfaction to Patricia this year. Will things with Timothy ever be the same or are they destined to grow apart in their retirement years?
Oh my! This short story in the Forever Finley Short Story Cycle hits a little bit close to home! My husband and I are in that retirement state of life right now. No more work, children grown and out of the house, struggling to find a new purpose and goal in life, and most of all trying to figure out who is this person that we have been married to for 30 years?!
I really do become more and more impressed with Holly Schindler's writing skills the more I read her books. She has a way of capturing the realities of life and putting those realities into characters that the reader can relate to, empathize with and learn from. With Patricia and Timothy I felt almost like Holly was a fly on the wall in my house! Seriously, how many times have I caught myself looking at my husband and thinking "who is that gray haired man?" Or how many times have I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying something hurtful or hateful when my husband gets on my last nerve with something that he has done our entire married life? I love Timothy's character and how he was able to put things in perspective once more for Patricia. Yes, they got a little "lost" for a bit, but they will find their stride and move on together just like my husband and I have :)
Check out my reviews of the other stories in the cycle:
Come December
January Thaw
Forget February
Dearest March
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