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A Short Story on the Website of |
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Ole's Step to Freedom
Ole Leeson looked across the harbor toward land. America!
The land of opportunity, the land of freedom and fresh starts. Ole wanted
to start over, to be free - no one to hold his dreams back, no one to tell him
no, no one to marry. Getting on the ship had been the first step in his fresh
start. Time to figure out step two. A tall, red-headed Norwegian didn’t exactly blend
into the background, not at home, not on the ship, maybe not in America.
America was big, very big. Perhaps he could disappear if his name never
reached land. He couldn’t risk his family tracking him down. He spent a moment fantasizing about all the different
places America had to offer. There
was Minnesota; the Hanson’s and Jorgenson’s had moved there. “A land so
much like home,” Minnie had said. Oklahoma,
where they are giving the rich, fertile land away. Or California with all that sunshine and gold. Where
to live in America was a decision for another day. Today’s dilemma was how to
reach land a new man. There was only one thing to do.
Ole stood on the rail of the ship watching the heavy waves.
It was a long way down. Ole looked around, looked down, closed his eyes
… and jumped. |
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