Courting Buggy: Nurse Hal Among The Amish (19 page)

“
Thanks, I'm sure enjoying it,” Jim said,
handing the lines to Noah so he could park the buggy behind John's
buggy.

“
Looks familiar,” Cooner Jonah
commented.

“
Enos Yutzy's son, Eli, owned the buggy,” John
supplied.

“
Sad thing that,” Cooner Jonah said. He held
his hand out to shake Adam's hand. “Wilcom, Adam. Glad you could
come.”

Jim said to John, “My sorrel did all right following
you.”

“
I noticed that,” John replied. “That is
gute.”

The night air had a spring freshness to it. The
peepers were in full voice, and the bull frogs croaked on the pond
bank in the Rogies pasture.

The boys took off for the old brooder house where
David kept his coon dog and his father's old red hound, Mose. They
conjured up stories about what was in store for them in the late
fall when they took their hounds hunting.

“
A pleasant evening for a birthday gathering,”
John said, sitting down in a chair on the porch.

“
Jah, that it is,” Cooner Jonah agreed as he
lit the lanterns attached to the porch posts.

Jim and Adam nodded as they sat down.

The men waited while the women cranked the ice cream
maker and cut the cake. As the women chit chatted, men crossed
their legs, placed their crossed arms over their laps and stared
out into the darkness.

John said, “You hear what happened to Johnnie Mast
this afternoon?”

“
Nah,” Cooner Jonah said.

So between John and Jim they filled Cooner Jonah in
on the accident. Cooner Jonah said, “So that is why the helicopter
flew over. We must pray for Johnnie to be well soon.”

“
It will take a lot of praying from the looks
of those wounds,” Jim said.

For awhile, the men sat in silence, contemplating
Johnnie Mast then Cooner Jonah switched gears. He started chuckling
to himself.

John said, “What's so funny? Let the rest of us in on
it.”

“
I was just thinking about what Bill
Hershberger told me the last time I met up with him at the
salebarn. You ever hear him talk about the good potato crops he
raises?”

“
Sure, he always boasts more about it than he
should. When I asked him once what he put on the ground to get a
gute crop like that all the time he would not tell me,” John
said.

Cooner Jonah said, “He would not tell Samuel Nisely,
either. I was close the other day, listening. Actually, he's a
little too boastful for my taste, too. When Samuel asked how his
potato crop was last year, Bill said his fields were so chock full
of potatoes you could hear them grumbling when you put your ear on
the ground. 'Roll over. You are crowding me,' the potatoes
said.

Bill stuck his thumbs under his gallouses, reared
back and told Samuel, 'Once a greenhorn asked me for a hundred
pounds of potato. I set him straight real fast. I do not believe in
cutting into one of my potatoes. You buy the whole potato, or you
take your business elsewhere.”

Jim chuckled.

Adam slapped his knee.

“
What did Samuel say?” John asked.

Cooner Jonah replied, “He was not sure if Bill was
serious or not. Finally, he told Bill he'd heard all he needed to
know. He guessed he was too much of a weakling to start raising
potatoes like that. More power to Bill for being so brave. While
Bill looked puzzled, Samuel winked at me and walked away.”

The men laughed.

“
You have some good story tellers down here. We
talked to a fellow the other day at the salebarn that had me
convinced he keeps his girlfriend by herself in a room in his
house. Turned out to be his horse,” Jim said.

Cooner Jonah chuckled. “You met Ben Krayman I take
it?”

“
Jah,” John replied.

Not to be outdone, Jim had a story of his own. “We
got a fellow just about like your potato farmer living in the next
county over from me. He's always bragging about raising better corn
crops than the rest of us. A farmer that lives next to me said he
met up with this guy in town. He made the mistake of asking the man
how his corn crop turned out last fall. We had a summer drought so
it was a concern to most farmers that the corn might have suffered
some.

The guy claimed he sent his son, Wilbur, to check on
the growth of their corn. Wilbur wasn't a tall lad, so he took a
ladder with him. When he found a tall stalk of corn, he leaned the
ladder against it and climbed up until he could reach the top
joint. From there, he proceeded up the stalk to the top and looked
out over the field. There was enough corn for a rich harvest Wilbur
figured.

He started back down the corn stalk. He realized
suddenly that it had kept growing while he was at the top. He
stepped from joint to joint, but it grew so fast he never had time
to reach the ladder. He froze right where he was, afraid of
falling.

Wilbur's father said he wondered what was taking the
boy so long to come back. He knew there was no use in hunting for
him in that tall corn, so he climbed to the top of the windmill to
look. He saw his son's predicament soon enough, and gathered the
neighborhood men to help him. They tried to chop down the
cornstalk, but the cornstalk was growing so fast eighteen inches
separated every chop. Finally, they gave up. Wilbur was forced to
stay on the cornstalk until the drought came, and the corn finally
stopped growing.”

The boys had perched on the edge of the porch,
dangling their feet. They giggled at the stories.

Cooner Jonah took the opportunity to say, “I hear
tell you Lapp boys have a tale of your own about the coon
hunt.”

Noah and Daniel looked serious.

John asked, “Something happen I did not hear
about?”

Cooner Jonah said, “Heard that coon hound pup of
theirs tangled with something bigger than he was, and he lost. Came
back all scratched up.”

Noah and Daniel turned away as their father said,
“Ach, you mean when Biscuit went into the gooseberry thicket. He
will learn what to stick his nose into and what not to as he gets
more experienced.”

“
Expect he will,” Cooner Jonah agreed with a
chuckle.

David, said to Noah, “Biscuit? That your dog's
name?”

“
That is just what Mama Hal calls our dog,”
Noah excused softly.

“
Right,” Daniel said. “We call him
Dog.”

“
Unhuh,” David said, grinning at
them.

“
Go over to the dawdi house and see what is
keeping your dawdi,”Cooner Jonah said to his son. “He should be
here with his company for his birthday celebration.”

The boys took off on the run. Noah and Daniel were
eager to get away before John came up with more questions about the
coon hunt. The boys came back with Peter shuffling along beside
them. The elderly man sat down in the chair Cooner Jonah reserved
for him. Without a word of greeting to the company, he crossed his
legs and stared into space.

Cooner Jonah whispered to John, “Look at Daed. He has
gruddel vullahs woolly lumps in his beard. He forgot to wash his
face.”

John said, “Jah, but it is gute to know that he is
drinking milk which is gute for him even if he did snag onto a few
lumps.” He leaned around Cooner Jonah. “Nice evening, ain't so,
Peter?”

“
Sure is, Charlie,” Peter replied.

John looked confused.

Cooner Jonah whispered, “He thinks you are his
brother.”

Anna came to the screen door. “You can come in now.
The ice cream is ready, and the cake is cut.”

They all gathered around the table. Hal made sure to
get the place next to Peter on his right side so she could observe
him. While the others were taking seats, he patted the table on his
left. “Dolly, here is your chair.” Peter smiled warmly at her.

Tootie flushed at the attention as she sat down.

When the elderly man peered in Hal's direction, she
smiled. He gave her a blank look. Hal said, “Happy birthday,
Peter.”

Suddenly, Peter's eyes widened as if he was seeing
her for the first time. “Denki, Sara.”

Anna set the first bowl heaped with ice cream and a
large slice of cake down in front of Peter. She whispered to Hal,
“His wife was Sara.

Hal nodded that she understood. It was clear how
confused Peter had become. He thought she was his wife, but he
selected Tootie to sit on his left which should have been reserved
for his wife if she was alive.

Anna and her girls served the cake and ice
cream and sat down. They bowed their heads for a silent prayer then
they all sang
Happy Birthday
to Peter.

The elderly man surely didn't like icing. It was true
a great plenty of the powdered sugar kind was heaped on the white
cake. Hal noticed Peter scraped as much of the icing onto his spoon
as he could. He stared at his spoon, wondering what to do to get
rid of it so he could eat his cake. He swiped the spoon under the
bottom of his saucer and left most of the icing on the
tablecloth.

That's one way to get out of eating
sweet icing. Wonder what Anna will say when she picks up that
saucer?
It ran through Hal's mind as she observed
Peter,
Anna's probably used to Peter doing
strange things.

“
The cake is delicious, Peter. You're lucky to
have a good cook like Anna in your family,” Tootie said.

“
I am. Maybe we can talk her into baking you a
birthday cake, Dolly. Your birthday is not too far from mine,”
Peter replied.

“
We'll see,” Tootie said as she took a dainty
bite of ice cream. She picked up her paper napkin and waved it in
front of her face. “It's a bit warm in here, isn't it?”

Peter agreed, “Jah.”

Hal thought about Peter's statement.
Is Aunt Tootie going to have a birthday soon? How
would Peter know that? Nah, Aunt Tootie's birthday is months away,
I think. Note to self. I need to ask Mom.
As she watched her aunt and Peter, the scent of roses suddenly
came to her. Strange. It's a little early for roses to bloom.
Besides, she couldn't remember ever seeing a rose bush or trellis
close to the Rogies house.

Everyone chatted and laughed, having a good time as
they ate. John said to Cooner Jonah, “Did you ever find your post
hole digger?”

Cooner Jonah looked stumped. “I did not know it was
missing. David, the post hole digger is in the shed with the other
tools, ain't so?”

David said slowly as he tried to recall the last time
he saw the digger. “I think so.”

Peter's intent eyes focused on the men as he strained
to hear their conversation. One of the girls must have said
something that was funny to the other children. They all burst out
laughing. Suddenly, Peter's fist hit the table as he snapped,
“Silence! Why are you all laughing at this old man?”

Cooner Jonah looked flustered. “We are not laughing
at you, Daed. We are enjoying our visit with our friends.”

Anna said in a quiet tone, “These are your friends at
this table with your family, Peter.”

Peter grabbed Hal by the arm just above her wrist so
quickly she didn't have time to dodge him. His strong grip squeezed
her arm. The demented look on his face and in his cold eyes kept
Hal from resisting him as she waited for what would happen next.
The sun darkened patina on his skin flushed a red tint. “Sara, I'm
tired of you making fun of me.”

Hal bit her lower lip to keep from crying out from
the pain. John jumped up to come to her aid. Hal put up her other
hand to stop him. “Nah, John, sit back down.”

“
No one is making fun of you, Peter” Anna said
in despair. “Turn loose of Nurse Hal's arm. You are hurting
her.”

“
I intend to teach Sara to do the right thing.
She should not laugh at anyone let along her husband,” Peter
argued.

“
But,” John began. He wanted to correct Peter.
Hal wasn't the elderly man's wife, Sara. She died eight years ago.
Peter knew Hal very well. He visited with her at the service
meetings all the time.

Hal shook her head slightly at John. “Peter Rogies.”
The elderly man focused on her as she said obediently, “I am
forlornly sorry for having offended you. I promise not to do it
again, and I pray that you will forgive me.”

“
That is better,” Peter said
sternly.

Tootie patted the table by his left hand. “Peter,
have you finished eating?”

He focused on her. “Jah.”

“
How about you and me go for a walk? It's
awfully warm in the house, and I could use some fresh air,” Tootie
said.

Peter released Hal's arm. An angry welted ring of
finger marks swelled up on her arm. He seemed not to notice he'd
hurt her as he focused on Tootie. “A walk sounds like a gute idea,
Dolly.”

When Tootie glanced at her, Hal said softly, “Don't
go.”

Tootie stood up. “We'll be fine. We're celebrating
Peter's birthday after all.”

Peter followed Tootie. She took his hand that
now offered a gentle touch, and they went outside. Hal messaged her
arm gently as she watched them leave. She was aware that beside and
across from her were empty seats and lingering over them was the
scent of roses in full bloom.
Roses! Fudge!
Aunt Tootie bought rose perfume. She had something with Peter in
mind all along. Oh, please, Lord, don't let anyone else figure this
out. That woman is going to get us in trouble for sure, and it
won't be her that has to stand before the member council for
fornication.

Anna had tears streaming down her face as she came
around the table and hugged Hal. “I am so sorry. Did Peter hurt you
much?”