REGARDS FROM THE RAINBOW ROOM
by Lisa W.
 

Standing patiently with a slight slouch, too narrow shoulders and
careless attention to the unruly shock of short, dark hair, the young
looking man slowly drew himself up to a careful posture with attention
to both demeanor as well as comfort.  The hair was meticulously brought
to order as well, while the young man transformed into a gentleman
dressed in a distinguished tuxedo under a classic long coat regarding
the unadorned door to the apartment.  There was almost a reverential air
of expectation touched with hesitancy.  The portal held no clue as to
the lives of those whom it guarded from the outside world.  Methos let
out a sigh and wondered, somewhat idly, if this would be the last time
he would have the opportunity or need to come this way again.

Pushing aside that morbid thought, he looked at the pale lavender iris
corsage held in his left hand and raised his right to tap upon the
door.  Each year he had performed this same ritual and, for the past 50
years, though not all at this local, he was greeted with enthusiasm and
joy by Mrs. Marjorie Phillips.

The thought of Marjorie, her copper tresses and burning green eyes
brought a shy smile to his normally taciturn countenance.  Though
Marjorie no longer sported the untamable mane of her youth, her piercing
eyes had never lost their power to entrance and discern and make a
mockery of his most fastidious fabrications.  If it had not been for her
eyes, Methos assured himself, he would never have returned after that
first meeting; and that, he now knew, would have been more the pity.

Opening the door with quiet dignity, Marjorie regarded her guest with
affection and invited him to join her inside for the moment it would
take to settle her affairs before going out.  Cpt. Benjamin Mayhew
entered the comfortable apartment while Methos settled himself into this
persona in much the same manner as one shrugs on a favorite and well
worn sweater.  An open decanter waited upon the sideboard with two
crystal tumblers to celebrate the turning of another year.  Marjorie
permitted her guest to present her with the corsage; lavender, as she
knew it would be, to accent the deep purple of her gown and set off the
stunning luminance of her eyes.  She tended to the small libation which
would begin this ritual practiced over so many years and across so many
crises while she determined the most reasonable manner in which to ask
her guest for yet another favor.

     ***************************************************************

Captain Benjamin Mayhew reviewed the ragtag group of soldiers he
gathered around him.  This was to be the last push of a very bloody
campaign of a very bloody war and he wondered, not for the first time
and hopefully not the last time either, exactly how he came to find
himself in this position.  The position, of the moment, was in command
of this conglomeration of men.  No, he amended to himself, as he viewed
the worn faces and frightened eyes of the boys who looked to him for
leadership and succor; these were only youngsters who had seen more
horror than their short lives should have allowed them.

How was he to tell his weary troops that they were not going home, at
least not yet.  How could he prepare them for what he knew was coming.
Then again, how was he to prepare himself for the next step.  Germany
was losing and in so doing was taking as much evidence with her as she
could.  The world was not to see the truth of the Nazi machine; the
truth that her meticulous minions had so painstaking detailed while
taking delight in the infliction her goals.

Captain Mayhew had seen; he knew the truth.  It was precisely that truth
which brought him to this impasse; which had forced him to act with such
wry disregard for his own personal survival edict, to do nothing.  At
the beginning of this War he had been merely inconvenienced.  Having
survived so long, this simply seemed another bump along the road and it
was nigh time to relocate to a warm and welcoming climate.  What should
have proved to be a temporary measure became the road to ruin.

While making the appropriate arrangements for papers of transport and
means of escape,
Benjamin became embroiled in the relocating of "undesirables" and the
forging of documents for the frightened masses also attempting to escape
the enclosing snare of the restrictive laws confining them.  He knew the
risks and he knew without a doubt that if he did nothing this time, his
soul would be forfeit, if it were not already.  This once he would not,
could not turn away. Forever was a very long time in his book and he
already had more than enough regrets to fill his several lifetimes.
Perhaps this effort would serve as some small coin in the debt he owed
his own humanity, or perhaps he only did it for the children.

Faces too young to understand the ugliness of life, eyes too large with
questions which youthful minds could not articulate, bodies too weary of
abuse when they should have been growing and glowing with the insistent
blush of life.  Children were a future of which he could only dream and
the wanton destruction of this possibility was a perversity of nature
which he could no longer condone or ignore.  He had had too much
experience with this particular infliction of travesty to time; though
even he had never imagined or practiced this scale of destruction.

Thus, for three years he worked with the underground in a futile attempt
to rescue the children.  Success was measured by falsified documents and
failures were measured in ashes.  The stench of the smoke permeated
every living space while the papers were so few.  They all knew it was
only a matter of time until the operation was discovered and the
rescuers themselves became the victims, yet they persisted.

Benjamin Mayhew had not been his name then.  It is unimportant the name
that he had  used.  That person was dutifully recorded on one of those
meticulous lists of the Nazi machine and only existed in the memory of a
few, most of whom were also on those lists.  He had been lucky, if it
could be called luck, that there was no transport to the work camps from
the area in which his group had operated.  They were killed on the spot
and dumped in an open pit to rot.  The message was clearly sent that
opposition met with certain and swift retribution.

When he regained life, shuddering with that first renewal of breath and
taking in the foul air of decaying flesh, he vowed to see this to
completion.  The forgery network behind the lines could no longer
operate but he had other options.  He swore to himself and the dead
among whom he awoke that he would make his escape and continue the
effort from another direction.  He was a man who kept his oaths; which
was the very reason he so rarely made them.  This one would be kept; for
the children, for the future.

Now Captain Benjamin Mayhew had the difficult task of mustering
exhausted bodies and
overwhelmed minds to the incomprehensible operation of the liberation of
the camps.  His unit was one of several that would move to provide
freedom to a population of slaves who were no better than upright
corpses.  How was he to prepare these boys for that reality he wondered,
while he looked over his troops.

The losses had been extensive during the months since the invasion at
Normandy when the tide had finally turned to favor the Allies.  His unit
had been promised some R&R after the last action but this was not to
be.  Germany had made clear her intentions to obliterate the evidence
and time was not a luxury to be found. Therefore, Captain Mayhew did
what all commanders did when confronted with unrealistic goals and
overwhelming odds, he bade his men rest as best they could and left the
future to fend for itself.  Tomorrow would come regardless of his will
and he would deal with the aftermath.  There was no manner by which he
could prepare these sons of the American heartland for the truth and so
he did not try.

The efforts made to push to the Camps almost made all that went before
seem a cakewalk.  As Germany realized her position, she tried to inflict
as much damage as possible to any remaining obstacle.  She nearly
succeeded in this task.  The irony of the success of the Allies was that
what remained was less than useless.  Such was the behest of war to the
survivors.  The amazing manner in which lives are rebuilt is the
testament to the indomitable spirit of man.  The fact that war comes so
regularly is the abyss of man's inability to welcome that same spirit in
times of peace with pure acceptance.  Perhaps these children who had
seen so much, experienced such horror, would bring a future which would
finally remember and take to heart the slogan "Never Again".

Benjamin did not hold out much hope in this cause, but at least he had
seen this conflagration to a conclusion.  He and his men had survived.
That they remained whole and sane was a tribute to the quality of the
leadership and time Captain Mayhew spent with each man in his own
fashion and according to his needs.  It was in this process of
regrouping and returning to the command centers and the long road home
that tragedy struck.

To have survived all that had passed only to be brought low by an
innocent confusion seemed more an act of intervention by the gods to
whom he no longer paid tribute than the reality of war.  While on the
return march the troop made camp in an apparently abandoned farm house.
As they settled for the night it seemed prudent to post guards against
possible stray soldiers.  No one in the company, with the exception of
Captain Mayhew, spoke any language other than English.  This had not
been a problem in the past as the language of rifles and tanks was
universal.

No one was expecting the frightened children who had been in hiding in
the barn on this farm.  Certainly, the appearance of a gun in the hand
of an eight year old boy standing in front of his very frightened
younger sister would bring a man more to laughter than to concern.
Corporal Phillips could not reasonably have expected the children to
understand him nor for them to believe that he was a friend.  This did
not deter him in his attempt to calm the situation nor his belief that
he would be obviously recognized as one of the "good guys".  What then
happened is not open to interpretation as the sharp report of a
discharged weapon shattered the twilight and stole the life of Corporal
Phillips.  He was 24 years old on the day he died, another statistic to
be added to the cost of humanity's insatiable hunger for more.

Captain Mayhew was among the first to respond to the tragedy.  This was
fortunate for both the children and the soldiers.  He was able to calm
the children and remove the weapon from the boy.  In his quiet manner he
controlled the anger and frustration of the men and tried to comfort
Corporal Phillips as he drew his last breaths.  Even with his medical
knowledge, there was no possibility of saving the man and so he let him
speak his final words.

Corporal Phillips was a reticent man at the best of times.  Now, with
only moments to marshal his thoughts and say what needed to be said.  He
spoke of the young wife he left back home and the child he had never
known.  He requested that his commanding officer not let the cruel
announcement of his death be delivered by telegram, but rather that
Captain Mayhew personally tell his Marjorie that he had been a brave and
good soldier and he had done what needed to be done.

This request was not within regulations, though that rarely had stopped
the good Captain before. It most certainly would not stop him this
time.  Captain Benjamin Mayhew pledged that he would not only deliver
the message in person, but that he would see that Marjorie and her
daughter received the help necessary to deal with this loss.  Captain
Mayhew brought all of his men home, save one.  To his way of thinking,
there was no option but to be certain that the wish of Corporal Phillips
be fulfilled.

*****************************************************************

Retired Cpt. Benjamin Mayhew escorted a refined and dignified Marjorie
Phillips gracefully out to celebrate their annual reunion.  That the
good Cpt. appeared to be the junior of the two was a twist of fate which
had woven time in an unexpected manner.  Arriving at the Rainbow Room,
both Benjamin and Marjorie gave conscious thought to this particular
evening and the time of their first meeting as music of a bygone era
drifted in among the quiet conversations.  Birthdays, anniversaries,
Saturday night out and the curious came to celebrate one last evening at
the Rainbow Room.  Couples moved on the hardwood floor which graced the
dance club, surviving  for more years than most of the guests had
memory.  The gleam of the crystal chandeliers reflecting off the smooth
floating wood surface illuminating and transmuting the elegance of the
waltzes and the foxtrots, sparkling for the latins and giving security
and solidity to the patrons relaxing at supper.

This was the final Saturday night.  The club was being closed,
remodeled, renovated and
gentrified; or perhaps not the last as nothing could be more genteel
than the grand ballroom of the Rainbow Room.  For more than 65 years
this was the meeting spot for young lovers to plan a future, to
celebrate an occasion or simply dance to the Big Band sound while
holding closely to one another.  This was the destination as those
lovers remembered family and friends, as the solid looks of youth slowly
matured and refined similar to the wines served with the five star
menu.  Here, for nearly half a century, Methos keep his obligation and
shared an anniversary with a women he had only come to know this once
each year; at the Rainbow Room.

As Methos squired Mrs. Marjorie Phillips on the grand dance floor of the
Rainbow Room he reflected on the twists and turns of time and chance
which placed this strong resolute woman in his arms each year on the
anniversary of her marriage to Jerome Phillips.  To Marjorie, he was and
always would be Captain Benjamin Mayhew.  When she noted the seemingly
ageless Captain Mayhew on one anniversary date, she remarked with quiet
acceptance that he was who he was and that was all that mattered.  He
had helped her survive the shock of loss of her husband and been a
support in those first years when she needed such help merely to see
tomorrow.  He returned each year with the promise of one night to
remember her only love.  He never made demands on her which she could
not meet and he willingly allowed the luxury of her grief once a year.

For Methos, the solidity of knowing this remarkable woman, watching her
mature and raise her daughter and watching that daughter having children
of her own, gave him grounding in this century.  He had not considered
when he made his promise what it would mean to him as the century
unfolded.  Now, with the turbulence of the past several years, he
realized that he had gained as much as she, perhaps more.

******************************************************************

Cpt. Mayhew had managed to arrive at the Phillips home prior to any
notification of the death.  He stood at military parade rest while he
regarded the solid door in front of him.  The moment deserved respect
and a quiet reverence stole over his features as he lightly rapped upon
the door to gain the attention of those within.  An older woman opened
the door a crack to inquire as to the purpose of the visit.  Upon seeing
the uniform and the tightly held posture of the caller, the woman called
to the interior of the apartment for Mrs. Phillips and invited the
stranger into the living room to wait.

Cpt. Mayhew noticed the austerity of the interior appointments of the
rooms as he had
recognized the poorer aspects of the surrounding neighborhood.  Life had
not been kind to the Phillips household and now it would be even less
so.  He recalled his promise of help in addition to simply bearing the
news and determined that, at least in this regard, he could make a
difference. The difficulty would be in the consideration of the good
Mrs. Phillips and her willingness to accede to the need for assistance.

Marjorie Phillips had just settled her baby daughter for an afternoon
nap when the announcement from Mrs. Bannock brought her to see to the
caller.  Upon reflection, Marjorie could remember in exacting detail
every particular of that afternoon.  At the time however, it had seemed
as if she were wading through a room filled with cotton; neither
movement nor sound felt defined.  The quality of her understanding was
limited to the presence of an officer in her home; a man she did not
know, and a duffle bag which she did know.  Perhaps she had fainted,
though she did not recall losing time.  She was not even sure that the
officer had spoken the words which he had come to deliver, though she
knew at that instant her Jerome was gone.

Cpt. Mayhew turned to face Mrs. Marjorie Phillips when he heard the
small noises announcing the arrival of the woman he had sought.  He said
not a word but knew at once that the full import of his visit was
immediately known to this woman.  She made a small sound with pursed
lips, perhaps "Oh!" was what she had said, as she sat herself heavily
upon the divan. Benjamin noted the decanter upon the sideboard and
quickly poured a generous amount of liquor into a glass for restorative
value and sat next to Mrs. Phillips, helping her to drink, to focus on
the here and now.

When she looked at him again, there was finally an indication in her
riveting green eyes that she had rejoined the moment.  He introduced
himself and spoke of the courage and determination of her husband and
the manner in which he had comported himself during the many months of
their service together.  He spoke of small things that told the woman
sitting on the divan how well this man had known her Jerome, perhaps
better than she herself had.  Marjorie listened while Benjamin spoke and
she was transported to a place she did not know and learned to love the
man she had married but would never grow old with.
     *******************************************************************

As they danced the first waltz of the evening, Marjorie thought back to
that day when she met the Captain.  That was the first of what would be
many gifts that Cpt. Benjamin Mayhew had given her and it made accepting
kindness from this stranger easier.  The end of that afternoon, when
Janie woke from her nap, saw Cpt. Mayhew on the floor playing horsie
getting his dress uniform throughly dirty.  Marjorie had then decided
that the good Captain was really an angel in disguise.  Over the years,
she came to realize the startling truth of this initial assessment.
  ********************************************************************

It was during the twentieth anniversary of that first spontaneous
invitation for an evening out on the town that Marjorie came to some
conclusions about her companion.  The habit and pattern of this annual
meeting had become as much a part of who Marjorie was as the memory of
that first anniversary.

Cpt. Mayhew had become a trusted friend during the several months
following the delivery of the news which had brought him to Marjorie's
door.  He had remained in close proximity and regularly visited the
Phillips household bringing needed gifts and respite from the drudgery
of daily chores.  He was never intrusive in his assistance maintaining
that he was merely fulfilling an obligation to a good soldier and
companion.  After the first few weeks of this attention, Marjorie could
not argue that his assistance was both well intentioned and much
appreciated.  While she was unaware that he had maneuvered the
circumstances to provide her with a job, one  which allowed for time and
income to support herself and her Janie; she would not have been
surprised had she known.

Therefore, it came as only a little unexpected when he suggested an
evening out to celebrate the life that would have been.  He knew the
date of her marriage to Jerome and proposed that that would be a fitting
day for this purpose.  With some little trepidation, Marjorie had
accepted his invitation.  Her hesitancy had been on many levels, the
least of which was concerning the expectations of  this man in return
for his solicitude.  Her greatest concern, she realized only at the
conclusion of the evening, was that she really had not known the depth
of her feelings and commitment to her late husband.

Cpt. Mayhew had come to call upon her that first time in the same
fashion that he did in all the subsequent years.  It was the first time
that Marjorie Phillips had seen the Captain in other than a uniform.
While he cut a fine figure in the khaki and green, he was even more
impressive in a tux.  He had presented her with a corsage, a lavender
iris, which he had dutifully affixed to her less than glamourous evening
attire while remarking to her kind acceptance of allowing him to escort
her for the evening.  His old world mannerisms in attention to these
details eased Marjorie's nervousness.  He must have realized that she
had never been out on the town nor dated anyone other than her Jerome.
While she had not given any thought to these issues, clearly the Captain
had determined that this would be a special evening for her to remember
and be comfortable in her reminisces.

It was the most wonderful outing of her short life.  They had gone to
the Rainbow Room, the most elegant facility in the town for an evening
of dining and dancing.  After the first few moments of embarrassed
silence and concern that she was under-dressed and out-classed, she
quickly was dissuaded of this belief by the kind and unremitting
attention of her companion.  He had eased her into this world of
carefree abandon with his gentle conversation and warm support while
squiring her on the dance floor and ordering a meal fit for royalty.

She had never really learned to dance, there was neither time nor energy
during her youth and certainly there was none now while working and
raising her daughter.  The Captain had taken charge of this aspect of
their evening with the same determination and unobtrusive direction that
he applied to his assistance in her daily affairs.  Marjorie simply
enjoyed being the center of his attention and fairly glowed at the small
signs of approval they drew from the other patrons of the Rainbow Room.
By the time that they were ready to depart, Marjorie no longer felt as
if she did not belong.

She had spent the night talking of her life with Jerome and making plans
for a future that did not include him.  She finally allowed herself to
mourn what had been and could honestly believe that there was promise in
the days to come.  Marjorie did not realized at the time how much she
had needed the opportunity to release the hurt and fear that was just
below the surface.  Feelings that she did not allow in front of Janie or
in the workplace.  Marjorie had spent the time since learning of her
fate just trying to move from one moment to the next with no regard for
the past and no hope for the future.  This evening had given her a
moment to regroup.  Cpt. Mayhew had been both an ear to listen and a
strong arm upon which to lean.  On that first anniversary date, Marjorie
Phillips took charge of her own life even though she was not aware of it
at the time.

When returning from the Rainbow Room to her small apartment Marjorie
invited the Captain in for a nightcap.  She was unsure as to what might
follow.  Truth be told, she was less sure that she didn't want something
more to come of this friendship than that she did.  In the end, the
Captain had excused himself after just the one drink with no suggestion
to any further involvement.  The next that Marjorie saw or heard of Cpt.
Benjamin Mayhew was a letter telling her that he had returned to his
unit as his extended leave was up.

That was the last that Marjorie ever expected to see or hear from the
Captain.  It was quite an unexpected surprise when, 6 months later she
received an invitation, return address unknown, for an anniversary date
at the Rainbow Room.  Having no way to respond to the missive, she could
only wait in silent anticipation to see if the Captain would show up.
In the meanwhile, she determined that, should he come, she would not be
an embarrassment in either the finer points of proper etiquette, proper
attire or the ability to dance.
     *******************************************************************

It took many years and subsequent anniversary dates before Marjorie
fully  realized the import of the gift that Captain Benjamin Mayhew had
given her that first year after the devastation of the loss of her
husband.  She found purpose and she found joy and she made for herself
the most of the opportunities that had been presented.  None of these
things would have been possible had it not been for the quiet assurance
of a man she only knew once a year.

It was on the twentieth anniversary date that Marjorie was finally able
to return, in some small part, the immeasurable gifts given. After that
first year and the subsequent invitation, there had been no other
specific plans for each following year.  Marjorie had simply known that
on that date, each year, Cpt. Benjamin Mayhew would be at her door,
dressed in a tuxedo holding a lavender corsage and they would go out for
an evening of dinner and dancing at the Rainbow Room.
    ******************************************************************

While the years were not unkind to Marjorie, she had begun to realize
that there was something unique about Cpt. Mayhew.  It was not so much
that he did not appear to age, she saw him so infrequently that she was
in fact certain that memories alone had kept him frozen at the same age
as when she first met him.  Rather, it was a distraction she noticed at
the oddest times during their conversations.  It almost appeared that
the Captain had to consciously remind himself of who he was, when and
where he was and, most importantly, why he was there.  Not with any
unkind intentions, Marjorie began to be concerned that the Captain was
unwell and in need of some assistance that she could offer.

With this end in mind, Marjorie confronted the Captain with her worries
about his health.  He looked startled and amused by her comments though
he did not give them short shrift.  While making no specific answer to
her questions, he generally allowed that he was well but would take the
matter under advisement.

The evening proceeded much as all previous anniversaries had with one
small exception toward the end of the night.  As they left the Rainbow
Room and were waiting for a cab to return to Marjorie's apartment, the
Captain was assailed by an apparent acquaintance.  This friend clamped
Benjamin upon the shoulder calling him Adam and commenting that he
didn't think a college student could afford a tux and an evening at the
Rainbow Room.  Then the young man had the audacity to wink at Marjorie
and call her Mrs. Robinson.  With a shock of recognition Marjorie looked
at the Captain with the eyes of mother of a college student and realized
that the man who escorted her could more easily be a date for daughter
than her.  After all, she had seen The Graduate and knew who Mrs.
Robinson was!  Benjamin saw the realization dawn in her eyes and rather
than make comment or excuses or even present an unreasonable
explanation, he simply said good-bye and turned to walk away.

The proud upright figure that Marjorie associated with Cpt. Benjamin
Mayhew drew in upon itself, with shoulders slumped and hands shoved
disconsolately into the pockets of the ever present overcoat, and turned
his back on this life.  Marjorie could not leave it at such an ugly
impasse.  This man had meant life for her when there was none.  This man
had given her hope and courage and had allowed her to become the mother
of said college student and all that that entailed.  He had looked so
dejected when he knew that Marjorie was finally seeing him without the
benefit of eyes clouded by memories of the years which had passed.

Did it matter that there was some secret to the miracle of this man.
All that Marjorie knew for certain was the thought that she had at that
first meeting.  One in which a kind stranger told her of her loss and
then made it bearable.  The years had been good ones and her love for
her husband had been as much of an anchor as the anniversary dates at
the Rainbow Room.  During the first few years Marjorie occasionally had
hoped for more than once a year with this quiet supportive man.  After
several more dates had passed, she realized that what she really wanted
was someone with whom to remember.  Marjorie had called him her guardian
angel all those years ago, and on this anniversary she learned how close
to the truth that assessment had been.  Did it make a difference that
while she and the world grew older there was at least one man who would
remain unchanging though changed in the process and the effect he had on
those about him.  She knew her answer and could not let the opportunity
walk away in bereft silence.

Marjorie had run after Benjamin catching him by the arm to halt his
progress away from her.  She had looked deeply into his questioning
eyes.  There was concern and some slight fear of her new knowledge she
realized with surprise.  Did he not know that she could never cause him
harm.

What she told him on that cold and empty street was that it mattered
little to her who or what he was.  All that was important to her was
that he had been and would continue to be  the rock upon which she
relied to provide strength and support when hers faltered.  That she had
taken as an example the care and concern of a stranger to teach her
daughter the meaning of life.  That without him her life would have been
much the poorer in the passing of the years.  She hoped that she had
said enough to convince him that his secret, whatever it might be, was
safe in her heart and that she would not ask him to reveal it.  She
prayed that he accepted her and she tried to convince him that she
accepted him.

He had smiled with his eyes but there was a depth of sadness there that
would not be dispelled.  He had turned and continued to walk the way he
was going without any further comment.  Marjorie did not know if the
next year, on the anniversary date, whether the Captain would return.
She determined to be ready for him regardless.
     ******************************************************************

That was thirty years ago.  The Captain had returned the following year
and each year after that.  No comment between them ever discussed that
night again.  During the many evenings at the Rainbow Room they would
speak of events of the year just passed.  Janie had grown to be a
successful businesswoman and mother with three children of her own; two
boys, Jerome and Benjamin, and a girl, Hannah.  Marjorie had been
privileged to alleviate some of the pain of loss on that anniversary
when Benjamin told her of Alexa.  She had noticed some years prior to
that an excitement conveyed by his manner that she could not remember
seeing since their first few years of meeting.  She had not asked but,
in his renewed zest for the present, he spoke of a budding new
friendship with Duncan.  Marjorie could still picture in her mind's eye
the devastation of her angel the year that they met and he had believed
his past had come to divest him of any future.  The following year there
was a subdued acceptance that while things were not the same, there were
always possibilities and there was promise.

*******************************************************************

This year would be different than any other.  Marjorie had set herself a
task that would not allow for failure.  Benjamin arrived as expected,
tuxedo and lavender iris and his strong right arm to guide her failing
eyesight.   Many years prior to this anniversary date Marjorie spent
time recording each of the previous anniversaries.  She did this not for
anyone else but to remind herself of each occasion in order not to
falter and forget at an important moment.  Each year after that she
wrote of that evening's date when returning to her silent apartment.

She had known for several years that her memory lapses were becoming
more pronounced and her ability to remain alone and functioning was
becoming severely impaired.  She did not want to forget Benjamin or
confuse him with her grandson of the same name, but she did that more as
the days passed.  Marjorie had written her memories of the time she
spent with Benjamin and she read them each and every day so that when he
came for their date, he would not know of her infirmity.  Her difficulty
became so pronounced and noticeable that her daughter wished to have her
move in with them, or at the least, have live-in 24 hr. care.

She resisted the suggestion until even she could no longer provide an
argument against this
action.  That was the day she forgot where she had placed her
anniversary diary.  She was so confused as to time and date she
mistakenly believed that was the very day that Benjamin was to come.
She had dressed in her gown and waited patiently for his arrival even
though it was only mid-morning.  When she heard the knock at the door
she went expecting Cpt. Mayhew.  It was an open question as to who was
more at a loss, Marjorie for seeing her daughter or Janie at seeing her
mother dressed for an evening out when Janie had come only to take her
to her doctor's appointment.

Janie knew of the anniversary date.  She remembered her mother speaking
of a Cpt. Mayhew though she could not recall ever meeting him.  As her
mother's disease progressed, Janie began to be convinced that there was
no Cpt. Mayhew to come for the date this year.  Her concern was such
that as the day approached she tried to convince her mother to allow her
and her husband  Jason to wait and go with her.  Marjorie argued and
begged and finally bargained that if they would allow her this date, it
would be the last one and she would move in with them the next day.

When Benjamin arrived, as Marjorie knew he would, she found herself
re-living those first few years.  As the course of the evening
progressed she could not recall with certainty which year it was or, at
times the topic under discussion.  She never noticed the look in
Benjamin's eyes as he realized the degree of her forgetfulness and
guessed the reason.

For Marjorie the anniversary date was as all others had been.  She was
blissfully unaware that the Rainbow Room was to be destroyed in the zeal
for newer and better.  She was equally unaware that Janie and Jason had
made reservations for that evening to be near, in case she went out.  On
seeing her mother with a young man when she had been expecting an older
gentleman, Janie asked Jason to find out what was happening. Seeing an
opportunity to question the young man when he excused himself from the
table with Marjorie, Jason also excused himself and left on his
errand.   Upon returning, Jason reported that the young man was Benjamin
Mayhew III and he had promised his grandfather that he would keep the
date that year when the old gentleman had
passed away.  Benjamin explained to Jason that his grandfather wished to
have him tell Marjorie in person of her friend's passing.  Janie and
Jason were satisfied with this explanation and remained to offer any
assistance that young Mr. Mayhew might need should the occasion arise.

In a moment of complete lucidity, Marjorie realized the extent of her
lapses that evening and looked to Benjamin for one last gift.  She
realized that he understood more than she had wanted him to.  Taking
from her purse the anniversary diary and handing it to him, she asked
simply to be remembered.  Turning, she spotted Janie and Jason sitting
at a recessed table.  Beckoning them to join her, she turned her
simmering green eyes once more to her angel and bid him a final
farewell.

Methos remained seated long after Marjorie left with her daughter and
son-in-law.  He would not be returning the following year.  He knew with
a certainty that Marjorie no longer really even remembered him.  He was
a dream, a figment of a reality that once existed but was no more.
While he had been her angel, she had been his barometer measuring the
tumultuous raises and falls of the past 50 years.  He long ago realized
that someday he would lose this cornerstone to his foundation of this
century; he did not realize it would be so soon.  Perhaps it was fitting
that with the ending of the Rainbow Room, and the completion of the
millennium, this phase of his life should also draw to a close.  Yet, he
remained seated, loathe to recognize the finality of this particular set
of endings.

Methos did not look-up from the diary held reverently before him when he
felt the increased  thrum of presence.  He had seen Amanda and Duncan
celebrating a final farewell to the Rainbow Room in the manner it
deserved.  Though he had never told Duncan of the significance of this
date, or that he came each year, the Scot somehow learned of it
none-the-less.  Methos was glad for the support their appearance meant
as they silently seated themselves and waited.

Methos finally acknowledged them, looking at each, hazel eyes swimming
with unshed tears, all he said was that she had asked to be remembered.
Duncan nodded in understanding and rose gathering Amanda with a gesture
as well as offering Methos the welcome of his heart if he so choose.
The three friends left with no backward glances, the last patrons of the
Rainbow Room.