Page 23

May 1, 2024.

Joe lives with his older brother in Houston and is still on parole.

To visit Clifton and Bosque County, he must obtain written approval from his parole officer.

He is free to travel anywhere in the state except Bosque County.

Approval is granted, and Joe has the paperwork in his car.

He has not visited Mickey’s grave in thirty-five years.

It is in an old cemetery in a remote part of the county, near the land her family has owned for decades.

The cemetery is neglected, poorly maintained, and as he steps through weeds and around old gravestones, he mumbles to himself, “Mickey would not approve of this.”

He finds her grave, steps closer, then stops and begins weeping as the memories return.

The feelings of loss are overwhelming: the loss of his true love and best friend, the loss of all those years in prison, the loss of a career he thoroughly enjoyed, the loss of friendships.

But he refused to lose his Christian faith.

He still prays and reads Scripture every day, same as in prison.

Always the teacher, he leads Bible study groups, same as in prison.

He will even play the piano for the choir, if asked, same as in prison.

He survived hell behind bars because of the strength he found in his faith.

God protected him, as he knew He would.

And Joe has long since forgiven those responsible for his persecution.

He can never forget people like Joe Wilie, Ron Brennand, and Robert Thorman, but he has forgiven them.

Staring at Mickey’s name on the gravestone, he wipes his eyes and shakes his head and softly asks the same questions he has lived with for almost forty years:

“Who in the world would want to hurt Mickey? And why?”