About Clyde Compton
Clyde Compton is a Hope resident, member of Hope Town Council and business owner whose "Real Life Fables" started during a writing seminar.
Slowly inch by inch the young child crept down the darkened hallway of her home, tingling with fear of being discovered.

Suddenly the voices became louder as she reached the entrance to her parents bedroom. "I hate you," were the words most often used in the conversation behind the door. Many sleepless nights the child had made this trip praying that just one night she would hear the old sound of laughter.

Clinging to the wall not only from fear but curiosity she hears the word most children dread beyond all others -- "Divorce." Devastated she runs to her bedroom and sobbing hysterically. She falls into a fitful sleep. Dreams of happier days when she and her parents were together at the park having picnics and sitting on the swing in the backyard kept coming back to her -- time after time.

"I will run away," she whispers to the shadows as the voices became louder and louder.

Sitting in the dimly lit hallway of the nursing home the old lady closely watches the door open and close hoping against hope that someone would come by tonight to see her.

"Lights out," came the sound over the intercom and she knew another day had come and gone. Lying in bed alone, she remembered the times when all her family would get together and celebrate any special occasion on the calendar. Many years of love and caring for her children and grandchildren seemed to have ended the day they put her into this nursing home.

"How I wish we could all be together just one more time."

Standing there beside the coffin, I looked down at my father's face. So many years have come and gone that I hardly recognized him anymore. Separated by many miles, we occasionally talked by phone but never seemed to have the time to get together. Work, family, money -- there always seemed to be a reason until I got the final call.

Suddenly I catch myself daydreaming about all the times he stood and watched me play baseball hoping I could get just one hit, and the time he cried at my high school graduation because he was so proud that I had not given up.

Today my life is changed forever, only if I could go back in time and change some of the things I've done and not done maybe I could find peace within myself. Man has always blamed the evils that he has done on himself, I really believe it's a matter of time.