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- 11/20/2023
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
ARROW - 234. Chapter 234
t was too early to go to sleep, “Let’s go and see Uncles Tommy, Pepe, and Michael.” A unanimous agreement.
I locked up, left a note for Colin, loaded the van and we were off to the Home. “Grandad, do they have peanuts?”
I looked at him, he knew if they did it would be gone. So we detoured to Uncle Ivan’s for peanuts. The problem would be space.
As it turned out, Ronnie’s five boys decided to walk back to the Home. I wasn’t in favor of that until Ivan Junior said he would take them the back way. Now I was confused. To my knowledge, there was no backway.
While Ivan loaded the van with peanuts, Elsie entertained Richie’s children and Ronnie’s girls.
“How is Pierre? Every time I roast peanuts I think of him. “
“Before he leaves to go back home, I’ll bring him over. Colin and I will go to Paris with him. He wants us to see his cottage. I should have brought his photos with me.”
“I would like to see him and find out how his peanuts are doing.” Then Ivan started to laugh.
When Ivan laughs his whole body shakes. Looking at him now, I see his grandfather. I knew his grandfather would be very proud of him.
Loaded with peanuts, Ronnie’s girls and Richie's children rode with me to the Home. When we arrived, there the boys were with their friends from the Home waiting for me at the gate. As they opened the gate, I drove through very slowly.
When I stopped, the passenger door was opened, and the girls and Richie’s children got out. This gave me time to get to the door before the older boys started to unload the peanuts. I wanted to make sure I would have two bags to take home.
“Grandad, we walked here.”
“You did, weren’t you afraid of the cars on the road?” I knew they didn’t come by the road. I wanted to check out this path Ivan spoke about.
“No, Grandad. We came from the woods.”
I acted like I didn’t understand. “You came from the woods? I don’t understand.”
I love these boys, “Come, Grandad, we’ll show you.”
Now the boys from the Home had unloaded the peanuts for the Home leaving me with two bags, so taking my hand the boys led me to the back of the property. The girls followed the boys with the peanuts, I watched as they entered the kitchen door before following, or being led, to the woods.
Behind the chicken coops, was a fence. It looked like it was relatively new. “This is new.”
“That’s the path, Grandad.”
“I didn’t know it was here. You boys are a regular Daniel Boone.” Now I knew they probably never heard of Daniel Boone. That will be tonight’s story around our campfire. I had a fake campfire that was lit by a battery. We used it before when the children stayed overnight. I knew with the boys living closer, there would be many of these nights.
Walking into the game room, “I smell peanuts.” That was when the kids noticed me. Pepe left, returning with a cup of coffee for me. I had to be careful that I didn’t spill it, grandad had to sit in a rocker according to two little girls. Pepe took the coffee, while I was escorted to the rocking chair and two young ladies were sitting in my lap.
Pepe was going to hand me my cup, he took one look. “Dad, I’ll get you a cup when we go upstairs.”
Now I was being entertained. I had to say hello to certain young ladies’s dolls and had to examine certain young men’s planes and boats. I realized that I missed these kids. I sat with them for a while. Kissing their heads, I told them I’d see them at dinner. I wanted to check on James who now has assumed the role of head chef at the Home.
You don’t realize the changes that take place. They seem to slide by and then you wake up and a change has occurred. You begin to wonder when and how these changes occur and why you were unaware of them happening. In some ways, it is frightening, you are brought face to face with your age and the realization you are old. Time is limited.
I told James about Pierre getting “I Marcel” translated into French. “I would like to see the draft.”
“I’m sure Pierre will mention it tomorrow when we come for lunch. We are going to fly home with him Sunday night. He said we will fly the company plane,”
“How long are you staying?”
“I’m not sure. We will stay at Grandmere’s house. He is excited about us seeing his cottage. Have you ever had the desire to go and check on the School?”
“I have thought about it. Peter and I have discussed it but I don’t think it will happen. I have, “I Marcel” and I can relive those times by reading that book.” I always noticed tears in James’s eyes when he talked about Marcel. I may be his brother but Marcel was his savior and mentor.
Sitting in the sunroom where Mary and Clara sat, we reminisced about the first time we met. How the cooks thought Colin was a life savior when he would bring in a case of chicken legs, or cases of milk. “Many times we would only have old bread and then there would be a knock on the door. a delivery man would unload cases of vegetables, hot dogs, hamburgers, hams, and eggs. It was like Christmas. I remember grilling hot dogs the day you arranged for that man to push his grill to the house so we could celebrate the Fourth of July grilling as if we were a normal family. That was when I met you, Brother.”
We hugged, I know there were tears in James’s eyes cause there were tears in my eyes as we reminisced.
“Aha, so this is where you are. I told Tommy you were on your way and we have been waiting. Gerry wants to introduce his new secretary to you.”
“What happened to Lois?”
“She retired and is living on the fourth floor. You’ll see her at dinner.”
I hugged James, “I’ll join you at the kitchen table for dinner.”
Walking toward Tommy and Pepe’s apartment, “What is so significant about eating at the kitchen table?”
“You have eaten at the kitchen table at the club. What did you feel or see that was unusual?”
“I could see the food being prepared.” “And?” “I got served by the chef as it was prepared and also had tastes of food I hadn’t ordered. I was asked my opinion and if I had a question, it was answered by the chef and sometimes with a small taste.”
“Exactly”
Walking into Tommy and Pepe’s apartment. Tommy was in the sunroom talking with Gerry and an attractive young lady. “There you are. I thought the children wouldn’t let you go. I smell peanuts. Where you at Ivan’s?”
“Yes, and the peanuts you smell are from Pepe.”
“Dad, this is my new secretary, Claire.”
“Welcome aboard, Claire. I wish you success.” Looking at Gerry I gave him a thumbs up. Gerry was a quiet young man, smart, well-liked and close to me. I think even though I was close to all of my children some needed extra attention. I did check Gerry’s background, he was an only child and close to his father. From what I understood by reading his background, his mother couldn’t have any more children and as a result, he had their parental devotion. Being close to his father, he transferred that closeness to me.
In a way, they all were closer to me than Colin. I was home, Colin went to work, and he fulfilled the father image. Up in the morning, off to work, and then home in the evening. The boys enjoyed telling him about their day. But with Gerry, he had to pull the information from him by asking questions and then telling him about his times as a young boy. I believe that is what led to Colin purchasing the boat.
“Tommy, did you know about the path behind the hen house that led to Ivan’s farm? I just found out about it today.”
“One of the boys that helps Ivan mentioned it. He said something about having a secret route to Uncle Ivan’s farm.”
“I wonder why he hadn’t bought Smitty’s place. That is the only farm between the Home and his farm.”
“Smitty has that one son who works his farm. I don’t think Smitty has any relatives. When I have spoken with him, he never mentioned any family outside of his.”
“I don’t think Ivan could handle any more farms. I think he still hires boys from here.”
“I know farming is a lot of work, but the boys that do work for him and his son, love it. They say he treats them as if they are family.”
“I noticed when I went for peanuts this afternoon, that his vegetable stand was closed.”
“He now delivers. The next time you are over there ask him to show you his vegetable truck.”
“I wonder if he would deliver to me.” Saying that I thought about the apartments. I’ll bet he would deliver there.
“What about those old people that came to his stand? He practically gave them free food.”
“He delivers to them as well. He said they offer him coffee and sometimes a slice of pie or cake.”
I thought his Grandfather would be so proud of him. And before you ask, with that thought I heard the rocking chair.
We chatted until it was time for dinner. I did eat with James in the kitchen but I conned him into having dessert in the dining room with me. And yes, I had to share my dessert with not only Richie and Ronnie’s children but also the little ones who sat with me in the game room. I was surrounded by kids, and I loved it.
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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