Mrs. Girard, 74
Mrs Girard was secretly saving every penny she could get her hands on, stashing it away in a bank vault across town under her maiden name.
2 min read
The untold secret:
Mrs. Girard had always dreamed of independence, but her marriage to a kind yet unemotional husband had left her feeling trapped and unfulfilled. For years, she played the role of the dutiful wife, but behind closed doors, she was secretly saving every penny she could get her hands on, stashing it away in a bank vault across town under her maiden name. Her secret stash of money became her lifeline, the only thing that gave her a sense of control in a life that had otherwise been dictated by her husband's indifference. She often imagined what life she would have lived if she would have walked away from her husband. She never shared this secret with anyone because it provided her with the freedom she needed to kept going.
About Mrs. Girard:
Mrs. Girard met her husband at a society event, where he was introduced to her as a successful businessman. At the time, she was still young and impressionable, and the idea of marrying into wealth and status was appealing to her. Though she didn't feel any particular spark with her husband, she rationalized that perhaps love could grow over time. However, as the years went by, it became clear that this would not be the case. The couple remained childless, due to their lack of intimacy, and over time their relationship became more of a companionship than a romantic one.
Despite the lack of love in her marriage, Mrs. Girard found solace in her pet dog, an unexpected companion she named "Sparky" who she rescued from a shelter. Her husband didn't mind the dog, and even agreed to have him around when they were both at home.
Every other weekend, Pierre, Mrs. Girard's husband, would meet with his dearest friend. Mrs. Girard enjoyed those quiet moments at home when the house was empty. However, one day, while flyfishing on a lake, Pierre fell off the boat while trying to reel in a fish that he thought he had caught. Tragically, he hit his head and drowned before his friend could even attempt to rescue him. It was later established that the fish he thought he had caught was, in fact, a wet towel that had been washed into the lake from one of the many nearby beaches.
Mrs. Girard has been a widow for 10 years now, and in that time, she has never needed to touch the secret stash of money she had saved. Yet, as her memory began to fade over the years, she forgot the name and location of the bank where she had her vault. Despite her best efforts, she could not remember the crucial information needed to retrieve her savings.
Today, like every day, Mrs. Girard can be found sitting on a bench in the park, writing in her journal, retracing her life and what she can remember in the hopes of one day maybe remembering the name and location of the bank where her secret stash of cash is still kept. The money that helped her maintain a sense of freedom and kept her going throughout her marriage was now the very same money that kept her active as she was experiencing the effects of her worsening dementia. Luckily she isn’t dependent on those savings to live her life.