Hello all. I have been trying for several years to find a story of Ray's that I read as a child. It has stayed with me for many years, as many of Mr. Bradbury's stories have, but this one left a particularly indelible impression.

It was about a man who had made a pact with a few of his friends that no matter what happened, they would all reunite twenty years later, under an old oak tree if I remember correctly.

The man had thought about this encounter his whole life, looking forward to it with anticipation. He wondered how much the other had changed, and also what the others would think of him.

Ultimately, he was the only one who showed up.

If anyone remembers it, please let me know the title or anything else you can tell me about it.

Thanks!

Ron

Terry Bisson had a story called "There Are No Dead" where a trio of childhood friends grow up together and eventully go seperate ways, but reunite every year. The story follows them through their lives, carreer changes, marriages, divorces etc. They always talk about returning to the "stone" or "shrine" or some such thing never clear to the reader. One of the trio dies in middle age. The two survivors think they've waited too long to return (once again unclear to the reader) to their secret place. They make their pilgrimage regardless. And awaiting them is their missing friend... as a ten year old boy. The story ends with the three boys running through the brambles.

It's very very Bradbury.

[This message has been edited by grasstains (edited 03-12-2006).]

Couple thoughts: there's a story, "First Day," in "One More for the Road," about four friends showing up late in life at a flagpole in a schoolyard, but it's very recent, all four show, and

(slight spoiler, sorry)

none speak.

What you wrote put me in mind of a story that comes back to me from time to time which I never quite "got" when young. For one thing, it was written as if a true incident, like first person or something, but I think it was ficiton. I think it was popular enough to appear in the "Reader's Digest" and some school textbooks. A group of friends who enjoy sailing in a small boat (like a large rowboat,) vow to always meet and sail in "The Sparrow." One friend, Jimmy, is drowned, "The Sparrow" is washed away, and they think they can't keep their vow. Years later, when the remaining friends are all together, "The Sparrow" turns up. One remarks that Jimmy is still gone and another says, "No, he's here."

I guess the meaning was supposed to be that Jimmy was still there in spirit and "The Sparrow" turning up at just the time when the remaining friends had reunited was no coincidence. I'll try to identify this story, but it's definitely not by Bradbury, and sorry I can't help you on the other, although it's at least enough Bradbury like to be by him.

(Usually, at this point, I post a link to a discussion about all the resources for identifying stories, but alas, it's on the new board, so I'll have to put together another.)

If your story can't be identified here on the Bradbury forum, the best place for identifying unknown titles and authors online is:
http://forums.abebooks.com/abesleuthcom

Be sure to post a distinctive subject header, not just "looking for a story."

The next place to go is to the Isaac Asimov forum on Google Groups, or IF YOU MUST, Usenet:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.books.isaac-asimov?lnk=sg

While there, be sure to crosspost to rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.books, and rec.arts.books.childrens so as many as possible helpful readers see it. If a few trolls see it as well, that's the risk you run on Usenet.

If all else fails, this place
http://www.logan.com/loganberry/stump.html

charges $2.00 per stumper, but they are excellent, widely read, and your stumper will stay up until solved, rather than being bumped down by new posts as on message boards.

Last of all, and MOST IMPORTANT: if your stumper is solved by any of these sources or elsewhere, PLEASE post it back here under this same thread, which you can find if it's been bumped down by searching for posts under your user name, so no one here goes on searching for it!