Andy - 3. Chapter 3

It was a week later when I got a call from my lawyer. “I have all of the papers signed. They were very angry until I explained the law about endangerment of a minor and what that would mean for them. I have the first check what do you want me to do with it?”

“Send it to me along with your invoice. I’ll see if it can be cashed. I appreciate you handling this.”

“It was a pleasure. My oldest son is gay and I don’t understand people who toss their children out like that. My son is a smart, compassionate young man.”

Thanking him, “I look forward to meeting you again at the Fall conference in L.A.”

The following week the check arrived with the signed papers and his invoice. The check was made out to Andy, I went and got Andy to take him to the bank. “I have a check from your mom and dad which you need to deposit in your college fund. I need to make a bank transfer to cover an invoice. We can do both.”

“Don, I need to make a bank transfer to cover this invoice and this young man needs to open a college account.”

“Okay, I can help you with the transfer from here, but Andy needs to go to one of the tellers and they can help him. I’m assuming you’ll be on his account.”

“Yes. Andy, Jeannie is free. Go to her and I’ll be over to counter sign as soon as I’m finished here.” By the time Andy got to Jeannie’s window there was a customer in front of him. That gave me time to finish up with Don and be there when Andy’s turn came.

“Hi Jeannie, this young man wants to open a college account, I’ll co-sign for him. I showed Andy where to sign his name on the back. He handed the check to Jeannie. She took the check and placed it in a reader, took a blank deposit book, entered the number on the book, hit entered. The amount of the check was automatically posted to the book.

“This is a record of your deposits. Each time you make a deposit, you need to bring this book.” I looked at Andy’s face as he took the book.

“Thanks Jeannie.”

“Andy lets go and get some lunch and then I want to discuss something with you.”

We went to an Italian restaurant in town. “The food here is very good, pizzas as well as the Italian specials. I’m going to have a bowl of soup and with a large Italian salad.”

“Are you sure the pizzas are good?” I nodded yes. “I’ll have a medium pepperoni pizza.”

“Get a large, then you can have some for a snack later. Add extra cheese and mushrooms. Those are very good.” I smiled as I winked at him.

Lunch was good, he was amazed at how big a large pizza was. “This is enough for another meal let alone a snack. When they say large, they really mean it. I know you paid more than what a large pizza would cost somewhere else, but here they are worth the extra cost.”

Returning to my office, “She has been calling every thirty minutes.”

“Okay thanks. That was your mother who keeps calling. I had an attorney serve them with a writ stating they must provide seven hundred dollars per month until you are eighteen. That check you deposited today was the first. I also had them sign a parental release form which clears the way for me to adopt you as my son, if you agree. Do you want to talk to her? You can, if you want me to stay while you talk to her, I will. Or, if you prefer to talk to her privately, I’ll leave, I don’t want to talk to her. I have already told her I never wanted to hear from her or speak to her. The decisions is yours.”

“What if she wants me back?”

“That’s up to you. You’ll always be welcomed at the farm.”

He sat in the office. When I looked at him he was a mile away. “Uncle, why haven’t you married?” I expected this question would come up sooner or later.

“I almost got married once.”

“What happened?”

“I just finished getting my law degree when I proposed to a young lady who lived on the other side of town. We were high school sweethearts and decided we’d wait till I graduated before getting married. Everything was set, the day when we’d get married, I made the honeymoon arrangements. The day arrived, I was at the church waiting for her to arrive. I think everyone in town was there. I waited two hours pass the time she and her family were to arrive. I knew something must have happened. A police officer came to the church and spoke to the minister. When the police officer left, the minister asked me to go to his office with him. Then I knew something terrible had happened, I thought maybe there was an accident and she was in the hospital. The minister told me she and her family were in an accident and none of them survived. For me that was it. I vowed then that I’d never marry until we met in Heaven.”

“Wow, I never knew that. I asked my mom and she said that you were engaged at one time but she didn’t know why the engagement fell through.”

“I never told her or anyone why I didn’t look for another girl. You’re the first to know.”

“Scott. that’s her again”

“Andy do you want to answer?”

“Yes, hello…yes this is Andy….he doesn’t want to talk to you…he said he told you that he no longer considers you his sister…no he left as soon as he knew it was you…yes, if he asks me then I’ll say yes in a heart beat. You and your husband didn’t want me, he does….no, your husband isn’t my father just as you aren’t my mother…no, you are not, you were just a vehicle to carry me until I was born. Mrs. Logan, I’d appreciate you not bothering me anymore. My dad doesn’t want you to call him nor me, good bye.”

Hanging up, I pulled him on my lap as he cried into my shoulder. No fourteen year old needed to go through this. Tomorrow we’ll visit a very special place for me. “What do you say, let’s go home.”

On the drive home, we stopped at the grocery store. I needed hot chocolate mix and mints. Andy smiled, now he knew the secret of my hot chocolate. Checking out, Andy took the bag to the car while I talked to John the store manager. “Any idea what corn prices are going to be next year?” In our farm area, the crop that determined how well the farmers are going to be for the year, was corn. I think every farmer planted corn on a rotating field basis, we did as well when mom and dad were alive.

“With this rain it should be a good crop. Old Smitty’s corn is about eighteen inches high. I don’t think the other farmers are that far ahead. He has that machine he built which plants the seed without the need to till the land.”

“That figures he always wants to be first to market.”

“Well, he does bring the first to the Grange. I’m not sure if he understands that the price of corn is set early based on several factors. In fact, I’m having a meeting tomorrow to discuss corn prices. There are a lot of factors besides first to market that influences the price. I just think Smitty wants to maintain his reputation and it does provide a good indicator of crop size. If he has a good crop the other farmers will as well. See you, I need to get home.”

Walking toward the car I could hear Andy talking to someone. “Hey Uncle Scott, look who was waiting for us.” Andy was petting a dog. I knew what the next question would be, “Can we take him home?”

“I don’t know? She could be someone’s pet.”

“How can we find out? He really likes me.”

“Andy she’s a lady, maybe if you go and ask Mr. Andrews in the store he may know.

I watched as he took off for the store. I remember the dog I had. He showed up on our back porch. Mom gave me some scraps to feed him. She told me to take him and get him clean before he could come into the house. She thought he was about five years old and she was close to being right, he died seven years later. I buried him on the farm by the old shed.

“Uncle Scott, he said she just showed up one day and was hanging around the parking lot, people were feeding her scraps. So can I keep her?”

“Sure, but she is your responsibility. When we get home you need to bathe her and we need to take her to a vet and have her checked out. Oh, here is ten dollars, go and buy some dog food.” He took off like a bullet and he had a big smile. I think he needed this after that phone call. I put the dog in the back seat. Andy came back with a ten pound bag of dog food.

“Mr. Andrews said this is a good brand. Here’s you change.”

“You can keep it. Let’s go home so you can wash your dog. I can’t tell if she is black or brown.” As it turned out she was both.

That evening there was one happy boy. The dog sat beside him, I went to the shed to see if I kept anything from my youth. I did find a wooden bed, I remember mom gave me an old pillow and blanket to use. Those items now were located underground in Busters grave.

“Andy take this, wipe it out and I think you'll find an old pillow in the attic. While you are up there, look and see if you can find an old blanket.” He was off with the dog following him upstairs. Soon he come down with both items.

“ Can I put her in my room.”

“Yes, but if there's a mess, you have to clean it up.”

The rest of the evening, Andy played with the dog. I’m not sure who tired out first. With a big yawn, “Uncle Scott, we’re going to bed.” I gave him a hug and scratched the dog behind her ear. Andy needs to give his dog a name. I watched the news and then went to bed.

I was up early, I had a full day planned. I needed to stop at the school, set an appointment with Judge Oliver concerning the adoption of Andy, and the growers meeting at the Grange. I sat down with a cup of coffee and some toast when a sleepy boy and a jumping dog came into the kitchen. Without saying a word, Andy and the dog left the house. I kind of figure why the dog left the house and probably why Andy was up.

I started making hot chocolate for Andy. I set out a bowl, a box of cereal and the milk. I had just finished when Andy came in with the eggs and the dog. “Andy, I need to leave, I have a very busy schedule. Be sure to feed your dog and set a bowl of water out for her. You need to give her a name. If I finish in time, we’ll take your dog to the vet and get her checked out” I gave him hug and left, I wanted to stop at the school before I headed to my office.

That evening while eating dinner, “Andy, you’ll start school this coming Monday. We can go shopping tomorrow for school supplies, you’ll need gym clothes and a school bag. According to the principal, she recommended a note pad, unless you want an old fashion paper tablet.”

“Wow, a note pad. I asked Dad, I mean Mr. Logan, for a note pad, he said I didn’t need one, I could use a paper tablet like all of the rest of the kids.”

“I should have bought one when I bought the computer. I know they are very popular among the college crowd. We’ll get one Saturday. You have a vet appointment as well, we’ll make a day of it. The smile I got was payment in full.

Saturday turned out to be a great day, the vet said our new guest was in good shape but we needed to have her spayed. We made arrangements to have that done as soon as possible. I didn’t mind the dog, but I didn’t want to have a litter running around the farm.

Picking out school clothes, gym outfits, gave me insight into Andy’s school friends. “Uncle, can we buy these for gym, my friend Roy wore this kind and he said they felt great, I couldn’t have them because you know who said there were too expensive. He couldn’t see why I couldn’t wear cut off jeans.”

The total time we shopped, it went like that. I just made sure the clothes were of good quality and would last the school term. He actually did very well, when he tried on the clothes he looked nice, they were what he wanted, I thought his face would be tired from smiling so much.

The highlight of the trip, besides stopping for pizza, was the purchase of his tablet. He had some ideas of what he wanted, I turned him loose with the salesman. “Make sure he gets what he wants and not select a tablet because it’s cheaper.”

He already had a computer and printer so there was no need to look at them. “Okay Scott, I’ll make sure he gets the best we have.” I knew Sam would be sure he got the best and, the most expensive, after all this was his business. I waited at the cash register to pay. It didn’t take Andy long, he was pushing a cart with several packets of printer paper. I didn’t see a tablet.

“Where is your tablet?”

“Since I have a computer I thought a tablet was too much”

I looked at Sam, I was frowning, Sam knew he better get a tablet. He took off while the clerk began to ring up the paper. Before she finished, Sam slid a tablet on the counter.

“Andy, take these out to the car. I’ll be along in a minute. Sam, is there anything else?”

“No, you bought the computer and printer the other day.”

Walking toward the car, I saw Andy reading something. It was the information on his tablet. “Ready to go home?” He nodded yes. “Andy, I want you to do well in school, if you need anything, I expect you to tell me, okay?” I got a smile, he was happy and so was I.

Next week we have the adoption hearing. That should be a slam dunk with the papers his parents signed. I felt good driving home. Andy might not be my biological son, but never the less, I’ll treat him as if I was his real father.