Trouble Can Be Good

Chapter 17

Trouble Can Be Good

 

It was a week later after Mike died that Ma had a strange visit from Mr. Stringum as I watched his delivery truck pull into the farm.  Pa was working in the cornfield and my brothers were busy making deliveries in town. Mr. Stringum came to the door as I hobbled over to open it half drenched with water; while Ma was in the kitchen taking out fresh apple pies out of the oven.

I shook his hand and he briskly rubbed my hair like he always does. Telling me I needed a hair cut in the worst way. He said he came to visit my Ma and I asked if it had anything to do with me being in trouble again. He just smiled and said. "Yes and no. Just tell her I am here for our appointment son.”  I kindly led him to the living room and had him take a seat while I returned with Ma.

I was itching to find out what was going on, but it could wait or could it? I informed Ma that he was here and she told me to go out and play with Sam and my sisters in the back where we had just started a water fight. Sam was losing badly and needed my help, grabbing my small bucket went back to help with a slow sneak attack around the side of the house.

I nailed Julie good coming around the corner as the water ran down the back of her hair, she squealed swinging hers and missing me; nailing Anna in the face instead. Sam didn’t waste time and nailed Anna on the other side. Quickly he ran behind me refueling for another round as they went back to their side and reloaded.

Later that night, Ma had gotten a strange phone call from my Aunt Margaret stating that she and the boys would be down within the week and to prepare her a room to stay in. It was to remain a surprise until then. All she said was we had company coming at the end of the week. Ma could hold a secret better than safe in a bank.

No matter how hard you tried to pry it lose the tighter the safe got. It was two days before she gave the ok when Mr. Stringum came back with a long tube with a big red bow on it. Handing it to Pa. Pa’s face turned three shades of white from shock as he bent over the kitchen table and unrolled a long roll of papers that looked like plans. All he said. “You want me to build this by spring?”

Mr. Stringum nodded yes; grinning like a cat with cream all over his face. Pa was dumbfounded stating over and over. “There was no way he could build something this big by spring; maybe in two years with the boys, but not by spring.” 

All Mr. Stringum would say was. “You let me worry about that, the lumbers is on the way and plans are in motions. You can thank his Grandma and his Aunt Margaret boy if you want someone to complain to,” Slapped him hard on the back and said good day and chuckled walking out the door.

Pa stood there for a good half hour mumbling that it can’t be done; as he stood tracing his fingers over the long lines and kept looking out the window in the dining room. I asked. “Pa you taught me nothing is impossible when you a have family that loves you. So spill it before we drag you outside and drench you good, and you know we can do it.” Robert and Will stood ready and willing with our sisters grabbing buckets to say let's do it. 

Ma was laughing so hard she had to grab the back of the chair to keep from falling over. She told Pa to put it way and that she and he would break open that safe that contained a secret that would change our lives forever. Remember trouble can be good and this was going to be one of those times. Dinner was more quiet than usual as we tried to wait as we squirmed in our seats.

At last, Pa sat down his fork and smiled to Ma at the other end; she, in turn, gave a nod. Pa stood taking his butter knife and tapped his water glass. “Boys, I hate to say that our hard work has been wasted.” Then he dropped the bombshell on us.” It appears we are building a new house instead of adding on to this one.” We gasped as the words came down.

“A new house Pa?”

He nodded his head and sat down taking his handkerchief and wiped his brow. “And this boy’s they think we can build by spring.” Ma said that it would all work out somehow pulling out a list of chores that needed to be done before our guest arrived. She wanted to give a good impression.

I am not saying that Ma doesn’t keep a clean house. Just the opposite compared to the trailer my parents live in. Our farmhouse was cleaner then most homes I had been in. But Ma always went the extra mile and we would do anything for her and Pa when they needed our help. None of us groaned when we rose early the next morning and way before the rooster crowed.

We cleaned every nook and canny until the wood sparkled clean, not single dust mite or cobweb was overlooked. The wooden floors scrubbed and shown with fresh varnish and hard wax that showed your reflection, no sir; my mother could not hold a candle to Ma when it comes to a clean house or her cooking. I was a long ways from skin and bones as Aaron and I benefited from my Ma’s cooking, she made sure that we never went hungry. There was always plenty to eat the second you walked in the door.

Aunt Margaret arrived early the next day somehow our rooster missed her as she came knocking at the door. All gussied up in a new pair of overalls and farmers short sleeve dyed bright yellow so bright you would think she was the sun. You would have to blink to get your vision back. She stood almost as tall as Pa wearing a good pair of cowboy boots that seen better days.

Not a single gray silver hair was out of place as she gave you wink that set you right at home saying. “Good morning folks. I believe this is the Downing Farm if I am not correct by the words on the mailbox says it is. It seems you had forgotten to leave your porch light on. Now I am in need of some breakfast and tall cup of Joe and then I’ll settle in.”

Ma and Pa gasped seeing her standing in the doorway like a bright new penny. Grandma did warn her that she was nothing like the rest of the family except she could teach a mule to dance a jig before the day was through. With warning best say nothing when it comes to religion unless you want a tongue lashing that would leave you speechless, and had a pot of fresh Joe on the stove when she comes. Which Ma apparently forgot; she and Pa are tea drinkers mostly.

Aunt Margaret set the ground rules the second she stepped in the house; gave each of us a smile before she turned her sights on me wearing my bright blue gown while my green one was drying on the line from the water fight the day before. Ma was still busy making a third one out of yellow that I knew if I stood on any street corner I’d be seen for miles. But it didn’t faze Aunty M any, regarding my strange dress. Daring any of us to call her differently relation or not she adopted us not the other way around. Yes,’ sir Pa was counting in his head regarding our extended family.

Aunty M picked me up in her arms as if I was no bigger than a small fish, weighing me as she sized me up, stating. “Lords boy, what they been feeding you; corn husks? Back home a small wind would blow you and your brother Aaron into the next county. I should know considering I just came from there and gave your parents a piece of my mind, and something to chew on.

“If they so much as lay one finger on him they won’t be coming up for air from the beating I intend to give them. Yes sir boy, I know every darn tooten thing regarding every darn tooten secret that is hiding in that mind of yours. So spare me those surprised looks and give me a kiss and big old fashion bear hug.” So I did, but hers left me breathless; saying “will work on that son.”

Ma thought Mary and Lizzy were a handful when it came to running a house or her kitchen. To say Ma was huffing and puffing would be an understatement. Aunty M didn’t even break a sweat. She may be in her late seventies, but to everyone else, it seemed she was only in her prime. While she worked several pans on the stove and large bowl on the counter mixing hotcake batter; I could have sworn the table groaned when Aunty M laid all that food on the table.

With lots of Link sausage, beacon and large slabs of ham; hotcakes that seemed would feed an army; hash-browns scrambled eggs and large fist size breakfast muffins and two glasses of milk and orange juice to wash it all down with. And to think Ma and Julie just went shopping, Aunty M would have our pantry emptied before the day was over at this rate.

Aunty M planted her foot down before we were even allowed at the table, demanding to see our hands and faces. Taking each one and tsking like Doc Hatfield does from time to time. Turning them over and over shaking her head pointing to the kitchen sink to wash them again until she was satisfied not Ma, her. Stating her boys must have clean hands and faces before they sit at her table.

The lumber arrived two days later while us kids were cleaning the house again, scrubbing it until everything looked like a new shiny penny. Aunty M signed the order having her boys she referred to them, not us. Having them put it in our freshly cleared hay-field for the time being.

While we watched with amazement the long line of trucks piled high with lumber. Aunty M had just finished Pa’s inventory out in the barn when the Mayor arrived with some of his boys which included the Chief of Police and Doctor Hatfield. Apparently, the Mayor knew her just as well as Grandma did. Yes, sir secrets were not safe in her hands. They couldn’t hide deep enough with Aunty M around.  She knew just about everybody and their business; including a congressman or two.

Aunty M stating with huge bear hug placing her arms around the Mayor's shoulders; “I don’t like it, Brad, that his brother Aaron is not safe in that home. His Grandmother nearly kicked off at Mike’s funeral, and now she doing her best living in that viper nest keeping them for killing him." She only paused long enough to push her fingers on the chest to say to him face to face. “They need professional help, Brad, you know it and I know it. That damn family Services can just go straight to hell for as I am concern. Mike and his Grandfather would be madder than wet hen if I don’t make it my business. So you either put him back into the Downing’s custody or mine, or I will take him with or without their damn permission. If I have to call the president himself to make it happen.”

When it came to Aunty M, the world stood on its ear and bends its knee to her. You don’t tell her want to do, you just do it. I was so proud of her standing up for me and my brother. Within one hour he was back on the farm with a signed document, bathed by his Aunty M personally and my Ma and dressed in brand new pair of overalls by lunchtime.

My parents couldn’t leave the farm fast enough, as I watched them cow tailing it home. Neither my father nor my mother would dare to upset her with the Police Chief standing by, as she pointed a finger hard into my father’s chest. Growled so many cuss words that would make a pirate blush. Whatever she said, his face turned five shades of white while she growled. “Git off this farm and never return, because the next time you do, you will be dealing with me and my very powerful friends.”

Aunty M didn’t mince words, you jumped to the order. Yet she had a gentle side that would warm you inside and out that said you belonged to her and she wasn’t afraid to show it. She knew me better than anyone could when came to problems that I was facing. She would curl up next to me some nights when the night terrors came and lay my head on her shoulder as I told her of the one I was having.

She growls fowl names that would make a sailor blush as she cursed the living demon b*****d that gave them to me as I lay there crying in her arms. Lightning storms were the worst; it was years before I was no longer afraid of them. I could see the long fingers of lightning cress-cross the sky, with its loud thunderous boom as it crackled in the air.

I could feel something dark and evil standing by me or in the room with me. Sometimes would I see my father standing over me with his belt in one hand and a large kitchen knife in the other with my mother next to him with another? Sometimes I saw other things like human monsters from bad foster homes and the atrocities they did to me over and over again.

(The list has piled on since then, I will go into more detail later on. Aunty M seemed the only one that really understood me and my nightmares. She died before I was in my last foster home if she hadn’t died. I have no doubt that I would have remained with the Downing’s until I was old gray. But I don’t blame her, she did what she could, making sure Aaron remained on untouched to this very day.)

If you have ever heard of a shanty town or some would like to call a floating city. Santaquin was one that had enough open space that one would never look or think twice about it happening in their own hometown. Aunty M and her husband Mike before he passed away, were deep into the workings of creating towns that floated or became some of the known towns in out of our American states. Some were known as “Hill Billy Territory or some like to call farmers country.

Aunty M had more powerful government friends that you could shake a stick at. When came to abused children she was a front runner helping to pass bills to keep children safe from abused parents.  She could fit right in with the high society in one day which some of us down worlders would call “the Mucky Mucks;” that very same night be swinging a jug of top-grade moonshine with the rest of us. (Yes sir, the world was a sorry place without her when she passed away.)

She, too, was known as a black sheep within our family tree; not caring one single bit about how people thought of her as long as they stayed on goods terms and fought for what was right. She was the best friend you wanted on your side, but if you weren’t a friend and didn’t see eye to eye; As fast as white lightning (another name for moonshine or corn-husk whiskey) could burn your insides she could be your worst enemy. Because there wasn’t a hole deep enough to hide in once you pissed her off. Sad to say that my parents crossed that line one too many times.

Aunty M was responsible for finding my parents a shrink that could hold their own by not taking any of their bull; passing on some of those hidden secrets that she had gathered from their own neighbors in every single town they lived in; as far back to the time they were both children. I tell you if there was a secret regarding my life; she knew it inside and out. Right down to the smallest detail and then some. How did she know them? I would give my eye teeth to find out. I should point out that between Jeff and Aunty M. They knew more secrets than the government themselves.

Pa was on the verge of going out of his mind when came to getting work done building our new house. Every time we started Aunty M would set her foot down saying, “Not yet boys, we are needed elsewhere today.” She would load us up in Pa’s pickup and drive us all over the state of Utah to places I never even heard of or seen on a map. She had gotten clearance from Doctors Hatfield and Whitmore that I could go as long as I took things slowly. Let me tell you before the week was out; I had whole closest full of the most colorful gowns that a rainbow could not outshine; where she found that many I will never know.

She worked us from sun up to sun down building rail fences to helping farmers build new hay barns or help with bringing in their summer crops. I was mainly the water boy that kept a cold canteen of water for our group which seemed to grow on a daily basis. Or she’d have me sawing posts or helping out wherever I could. Most days we stayed in Santaquin helping our neighbors. Pa was getting worried as the school year was approaching and he knew fall and winter would be upon us. Aunty M put him at ease always stating. “Boy, get cracken. That house will be done when I say it will be done, not a minute sooner.” Then she would hand him a posthole digger. “Trust your Aunty M.”

What we didn’t realize that what had taken place down home was she’d been planning something big. (I tell a better story of this in my book Masks Behind Shadows.) Apparently, the Mayor and Mr. Stringum had been hard at work putting Aunty M and her boy’s plans in motion. We came home one day, long enough to do our chores when the city boys came by looking for Pa to sign a waiver to use some of his lands; for the farmer’s picnic. If you never been to one or not heard about it? Due to you city folks; it is nothing like a County Fair or Summer Picnic that lasts for a day or two with carnival rides and then is gone coming back the following year. No sir. A Farmers Picnic is farmers that travel far and wide to attend.  Remember what I said about floating towns?  This is where it starts.

First, it started small, not more than a half mile from our farm. Santaquin city plumbing and electric before Qwest and Rocky Mountain Power became a big name. Each town controlled its own power and water and gas. Like I said Aunty M had more fingers in more pies than any lone city official. Before Pa could say what in tarn nation is going on? We were being invaded before the week was done.

Farmers would come in droves to set up tents that looked like small city blocks. They would help clear fields and bring our crops in just so they could have the room. Pa was dumbfounded seeing the white tents spring up out nowhere. Pickups and wagons lined the rows with everything they owned. Some would call them squatters or hobos; some of my best friend’s, were nothing more than hillbillies back then, came from this very picnic.

Yes, Sir, Pa was really coming unglued when he stopped counting tents somewhere in three to the four-hundred range, and more were coming every day. Aunty M rented out Pa’s pasture herself when they ran out of room in the temporary barn. So she could have her own horse and buggies delivered personally to the farm and some of her homeboys set up camp right on the farm itself; Pa lost it when he overheard the last count was over nine- hundred which didn’t include all the children running around the farm and up and down the road.

Still Aunty M worked us hard, and made sure we never left the house without a full stomach; I could only guess the grocery bill must have been pretty steep with all the of Aunty M’s hand-picked boys to help Pa run the farm; Ma and my sisters with Aunty M kept everyone feed that stayed on at our farm. So we could focus on other projects that were on Aunty M’s to do list. 

Pa ended up leaving Ma’s dining room table outside on the new foundation while Aunty M had Mr. Stringum and some his boy’s put up a roof that hung over it and two sliding doors that led from the dining room to our new outdoor patio; and our dining room became Pa’s and Aunty Ms home office. With maps all over the walls that were full of pins, and a long list of work taking place from all over the county.

The phone line buzzed all day until Aunty M unplugged it for mealtime and bedtime. Pa would screech and holler until he was about to bust a blood vessel. He had reached his breaking point being notified that something needed to be settled before the panic had officially started, and it hadn’t been more than a week when all this happened. It seemed like a whirlwind of activity. 

Aaron had so many new friends back then with all the love he could possibly muster. Aunty M was good as her word when it came to his welfare and mine. Grandma seemed better too when she came to visit from time to time when she could take a load off leaving Don home to take care of himself. (Like I said he wants no part of this and kept his distance when it came down to whatever my Grandma was up to.) Too bad, he would have loved to have seen the mischief that would have shocked him to his very core.

That some members of his family were under the hush rule; and I am not talking closes relatives. I am talking about Uncle Joe, Uncle Randal, Aunt Lavern, and even Aunt Gail and Mira (Grandma’s real sisters.) Held secrets from what Aunty M was doing. I will see if I can sneak some pictures of them in. But Aunty M was the ring leader; there are no two ways about it. 

You would think the farmer's picnic had already started, but I tell you it takes time and organization and Aunty M was good when came to organizing this kind of shindig; she and Mike did this kind of thing it seemed all the time.  She called it helping your neighbor. Like I said Mike would give the shirt off his back to help a stranger in needed, she was the same way.

Pa had reached his breaking point when the Mayor stopped by with the Police Chief to check on things. He was all gussied up in a nice suit and old fashion bow tie. Aunty M had given Ma and my sisters the day off to relax and in a nice hot tub with nice bathing salts for those sore tired muscles. Aunty M was just about to send Pa and us boys down for our bathes laying out a nice suit of clothes for Will and Robert while Julie was busy dressing Sam and Aaron in matching light blue shirts and nice pair of farmer overalls and sneakers.

I, of course, I wore my favorite bluish gown that Ma made me and a new pair of sandals. Will and Robert looked amazing in matching light green short sleeve shirts and jeans with new sneakers. They almost wore their gowns so I wouldn’t be out of place. But we had seen several of the boys wear them while they rode their bikes up and down the road. So I told them I would be just fine if they chose not to. Besides, it wasn’t like I would be dancing with any girl at the picnic for a while yet, anyway. Not that I was shy around girls, but I didn’t feel wearing a gown such as mine would make a very good impression.

 

Pa was in no mood to go to a party with all the chaos going on. Was about to give Aunty M a tongue lashing when the Mayor and Police Chief knocked at the door. All he could do is mumble something about running out of time with all these people on his land. For peat sakes, he had a house to build and not a lot of time to do it.

He turned and nearly growled opening the door seeing the Mayor and his small posse of the city council and the Police Chief; all gussied up. “Wayne,” the Mayor said. “I would be honored if you could do a favor for us simple town folk. I need a sheriff down here that can run things with a cool head; while keeping these fine citizens on a leash during their stay here. The Police Chief and I can swear you in providing you’ll take the job. Of course you can pick your own men to help you; after all. We don’t expect you to do it alone.” 

That was the last straw as he turned and yelled. “Aunty M, what in tar nation are you doing to me now? I have a house to build and time is running very, very short!”

Aunty M said. “Give us minute boys.” Dragging Pa outside on the new patio, whatever she said calmed Pa right down in mere seconds and kicked him in the butt towards the door and our guests. Pa accepted the job without so much as a fuss saying. “Boy’s, we have a party to attend, so you better hurry.”

Ma and the girls came into the living room watching the Mayor and his boys leave. He was dumbfounded by how pretty Ma looked in her brand new dress of blue and white silk and lace with straps that covered her bare shoulders that we boys gave her a few weeks back and how pretty our sisters looked nearly made us go gaga, gaga with the same style as Ma’s.

Julie’s was a light blue with white silk around the middle and Anna’s was dark lavender with white, each had a fresh circle of daisies in their hair.  Pa worked his jaw as he eyed Ma up and down. She looked like an angel on steroids even prettier. Ma asked. “Trouble?” 

Pa merely said “yes and no” then smiled saying how pretty they all looked. Quickly freshened up and dressed in the best suit that he had.

Taking Ma by the arm as the rest of the family followed. Aunty M looked great in her dark green dress with white lace trim and cream color shawl for her shoulders; she gave a loud whistle making us cover our ears. We watched as her buggies pulled up to the porch to take us down to the picnic in style. (Like I said; I tell it better in my series, so basically you are getting the cliff notes.)

Heaven couldn’t have looked better as we rode down to the picnic with lanterns lighting the way. All our hard work seemed to pay off as we noticed the painted signposts pointing the way towards the large open space lined with tables and a large bandstand where a band was playing music; while others danced under the stars with strings of lights that looked like extra twinkling stars. It was hard to believe that this was our hay field just a week ago and now we were holding the farm's picnic; tables of food piled high with foods that would tempt any boy or man, begging to eat his fill and still be hungry for more.

Aunty M brought the buggies to a stop while groomsmen helped the ladies out. Grandma stood waiting for us to arrive near the temporary stable talking to the Mayor wearing a pretty blue summer dress with little white daisy’s painted on it and brand new summer bonnet. Pa took Ma’s arm Will and Robert followed suit with Julie and Anna. I followed slowly behind hobbling the best I could with my left arm around Aunty M to keep from falling; crutches don’t work very well on uneven ground. I cursed them almost twisting my ankle in a pothole, but Aunty M wouldn’t let me fall as she guided me over to a reserved table with our name on it while Grandma came over taking Aaron and Sam’s hand; taking a seat next to me with a quick kiss on each of our cheeks and a big old bear hug.

My parents stayed home with my sisters far as I know, because I didn’t see them anywhere; which was more than fine with me. It wasn’t long before Mayor shouted out as someone brought him a microphone, giving his welcoming speech; (cliff notes.) “Welcome folks to our farmer's picnic this year being held here at the Downing’s Farm. Just some minor business to take care of then we will eat and begin tonight’s entertainment. First off, we’d needed a show of hands regarding our choice of Sheriff.” Pa sat up ridged as his name was brought to a vote. Not a single nay’ was heard just whispers of congratulations up and down our table; Pa turned three shades of red from embarrassment as he was called up to be sworn in. Ma was proud as peacock taking his hand when he returned and gave him a breathtaking kiss. Boys going “Ma” Aunty M shushing us, so we could hear the rest of the speech.

Mayor announced that he and some of the school board had decided to open a schoolhouse for all the children that weren’t local. While they room and boarded here during the farmer’s picnic and with Aunt Lizzy as our teacher and Julie would be her teacher’s aid; adding me and Aaron and Sam to the list as well as Will and Robert and the Whitmore boy’s and their friend Peter.  Pa and Ma nearly choked as Aunty M quickly said. “What did you think a farmers picnic is. A simple County Fair? Hardly.” Tsking, how much trouble she had gone through to arrange something out of the blue.

Pa said, calmly. “I knew you were up to something. I just didn’t think this what you had in mind. Aunty M, I could just strangle you.” 

She lightly patted his cheek. “But you won’t, dear, considering this is how you are going to build that nice, new house by spring,” she said, whispering. “I brought you the help you needed to do it. Now be quiet and have a good time or I’ll take you out back behind the barn and spank you until your bottom is blue.”

Pa had no doubt that she would and neither did I for that matter. Aunty M could hold her own no matter how big Pa was. I could envision him over her knee in a heartbeat. (Nothing more was said regarding the cliff note version.)

Reviews

[M Garcia]

Another nice chapter. Off to read more.

[Shep]

thanks for the review