One late fall evening, a truck driver spotted a woman in evening wear walking down the highway. Always a nice guy, he pulled over to help the lady. She was distraught to say the least, and he calmed her as best he could and helped her up with into the cab of the truck.

She placed her purse at her feet and sat silent and shivering for some time before he asked, "Why are you out here, like this, at this hour?"

"I was on my way home from a dance," she replied after a minute. "I'm a teacher at the high school, and it's homecoming. I was chaperoning."

"But why are you alone on the highway, where's your car?"

She took a deep breath and said "My boyfriend is the principal, we argued, and we came in his car. I decided a walk would be good."

"Well, tell me where to take you, I'll take you home."

She told him, and it wasn't long before they had arrived. But when he looked, she was gone, the only evidence of her presence her purse still in the floor where she had placed it.

Driven by curiosity, he decided to knock on the door. An older man answered, and the driver asked what he knew of the woman. With a sad smile, the old man invited the confused truck driver in. He offered him a, beer, and motioned for the man to sit down.

"I wondered if she would come this year" he said, "she missed last year."

The old man lit a cigarette, and offered one to the truck driver. After a couple of drags, he went on. "It was my fault, you see, what happened that night. She took off walking, so upset. She was crying, and I let her go. I thought I would have a chance to make it all up later, when she got home."

"I don't understand. What was your fault?" asked the truck driver.

"I'm getting to that." said the old man. "You see, the lady was my girlfriend, and 20 years ago, we argued about something stupid, and she ran off. She was struck and killed on the highway by a drunk drive Now, every homecoming, she tries to come home to me"

The old man collapsed into tears, and the truck driver stayed the night to comfort him.