The Blue Ribbon

Bessie Emma was a girl of 8 years, 11 months, and 13 days, which she would often remind you of. She had golden blond curls, eyes bluer than the ocean, rosy apple cheeks, and the prettiest pale skin you’ve ever seen. She almost resembled a baby doll. She was a little spoiled but it was hard not to spoil someone like Bessie.

One day during the late summer, her favorite season of all time, Bessie woke up around 8-o-clock, kicked off her white blanket with pink bows, got out of bed, splashed her face with water, and went downstairs for breakfast. She sat at the large dining room table and her father handed over a section of the newspaper and she pretended to read. The maid asked her what she’d like to eat. To which she replied, “I’d like a big stack of pancakes with whipped cream and blueberries on top, bacon, and a chocolate scone. Oh, and a cup of coffee. No cream or sugar.” This made her father grin from behind is paper. So the maid went back to the kitchen and brought fluffy pancakes with extra whipped cream and blueberries, crispy bacon, a chocolate scone from the best bakery in town and a fresh cup of black coffee. The maid simply adored Bessie and always wanted to give her the best breakfast she’d ever eaten. So the maid brought Bessie her breakfast. Her father peered over his paper as Bessie began to take a sip of coffee. She blew on the top and slowly brought the mug to her lips. She took a sip and swallowed. Her face wrinkled, as she tasted the most bitter and horrible drink she’d ever had. Her father let out a booming laugh and rustled her hair. And Bessie smiled the smile her father loved the most and she melted his heart, which she had a tendency to do.

He looked at her for a few moments. Then put down his paper, kissed Bessie on the top of her head, and headed to work at the local bank. Bessie followed him with her eyes and watched him through the window as he walked down the sidewalk with his brown, leather briefcase in hand wearing his grim sideways smile that didn’t seem genuine she noticed he always wore when he left home. She quickly gobbled her breakfast and ran up the staircase, her bare feet slapping against the hard wood, and went to her room. She changed into her day clothes and the maid came in and pulled back Bessie’s hair with a bright blue ribbon that matched the sash on her pale cream-colored, knee-length muslin dress. Bessie pulled on her stockings and slipped on her shoes, said goodbye to the maid and walked over to her neighbor and best friend Benjamin’s house.

She rapped on the door three times and waited impatiently, tapping her foot up and down. She couldn’t wait to go town to the railroad with Benny and all the other neighborhood kids. Finally, Benny’s mother came to the door.
“Come in, Bessie,” Mrs. Hopkins exclaimed.
“Thanks Mrs. Hopkins. Is Benny here?”
“Oh yes! I’ll go fetch him. Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
Bessie sat down in the sitting room and once again began tapping her foot. After a few minutes that felt like forever, Benny walked into the room. Bessie jumped up and flashed Benny an award winning smile.
“Hey Benny, buddy ole pal! Let’s go to the railroad! You ready Benny?”
“I don’t know Bessie… I have a bad feeling about it. Maybe we should just stay here,” Benny replied, staring at his feet.
“Aw, Benny. Don’t be such a downer. Besides, you have a bad feeling about getting out of bed or even talking to your mother. Let’s go!”
“No, Bessie. I’m serious. Something bad is going to happen.”
“Benny, we go there all the time and nothing happens. You’re being a chicken.”
“Am not!”
“Are to!”
“Fine. Let’s go to the railroad,” he finally relented. Bessie grabbed his hand and started walking with a spring in her step down Main Street and to the railroad. She waved to all the people she knew and shouted “thank you’s” at all the people who complimented her dress while Benny just rolled his eyes.

When they finally arrived, everyone greeted Bessie. She was the one they were all dying to see. She entertained them all with stories of adventures she had been on, as far as they knew anyway. She told them jokes and skipped rope with the other little girls. Then she had an idea. “Let’s play a game!” She exclaimed. “Lets see how far we can jump on the railroad! Whoever lands on the farthest piece of wood wins.” They group all agreed except Benny who stared at his feet. He just had a bad feeling about it. Every one playing lined up on the same wooden tie.
“Okay,” Bessie said, “On the count of three, we all jump. One! Two!” Right as Bessie said three, a train whistled and the chugging of the wheels seem oddly close. All of a sudden, the front car was visible and the children scurried off the tracks, all of them except Bessie. She tripped and fell on the track. Her beautiful cream-colored dress was caught on a bolt and she couldn’t tug free. Her eyes widened as she saw the train getting closer and closer and she tugged harder and harder. The girls clamped their eyes shut and the boys stared with wide eyes and shocked faces. Bessie looked up once more and saw the train, the last sight she’d ever see.

The police officers and doctors arrived not long after. They peeled Bessie Emma’s tiny little body off the track and removed the ribbon from her hair. Officer Smith with his head bowed walked over to Bessie’s parents and the maid. He handed them the blue ribbon and a single tear slid down her father’s cheek.

The funeral came around and it seemed as if the whole town came to see sweet Bessie Emma one last time. They listened to the preacher and Benny got up to speak. There couldn’t have been a single dry eye in the entire sanctuary of the Presbyterian Church. A procession followed and watched as Bessie was laid to rest in the cemetery. And her father laid her bright blue ribbon on her grave.