Love is Love

Chapter 56

Grace Parker has to face a painful end but also gets a blessing. -- 1969

Pass me not O Gentle Savior

Hear my humble Cry

While on Others Thou are Calling

Do Not Pass Me By

- Fanny Crosby – William Doane – Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior


Love is Love

“Grace, you look rather flustrated. Have the Methodist Women been arguing over fifty cents again?”

“I should not even let it matter. It doesn’t matter, but Maggie Vickers.”

“She trading you pullets for the price of large eggs, again?”

“I told her I would not pay the same price. She is always going on about paying for their farm, pinching her pennies. She even saves water.”

“The water is dependent upon the aquifer can’t actually be saved. Hard to pay for a farm with pennies. They are paying for their farm same as we did. Pray you have decent crops for a few years after borrowing all that money.”

“I know she was a depression child; we all went through it. Sometimes some of the women can be so small and petty. They have the habit of being giving and selfish at the same time. “

“The world had the penny pinchers before the depression. Some people can’t even enjoy a sunset. I was out with the conservation board and we stopped for lunch. Grisham always gets a plain hamburger because he won’t pay a whole dime more for a slice of cheese. Now we don’t waste money in restaurants, but if I’m out like that I’m going to get a cheeseburger if I want one.”

“Isn’t Grisham just as grouchy as his Dad?”

“He been practicing on it should have it down pat in another six months. Put it aside; I’m glad you’re home. Let’s think on the good things.”

“Maggie was prying about Kenny and explaining to me how much I was wasting buying the Gold Medal flour. We were baking to give little loaves of bread out on Sunday. I was providing the flour. Driving home, it got to bothering me. You are right, put it aside.”

“Kenny seems to have found a home on that island studying the minnows.”

“Eldon he is on Crete and it is the Minoans.”

“I admit I was floored when he told us he wasn’t interested in women and never had been. I would like to think it wasn’t who he was, but he seems to enjoy his sculpture. He has a right to be who he is.”

“It never seems right; I just think about my creative little boy. I do not think about things that upset me; I know he is such a good person.”

“I guess we should be glad for Max Greene’s younger brother John. He stopped some boys about to beat up Kenny in the eighth grade. John said they must be a bunch of sissies, four little sissy boys beating up one boy. He wasn’t gentle and even though there were four of them they soon ran away. He told Kenny to act more like a man and he’d have less bullying. John was a year older than Kenny. Kenny said he went all through high school and even in the army thinking he had to act like John Greene. Kenny said after he was out of the army and went to school he couldn’t act anymore. He decided he would find a life away from here. He has, he’s successful, and he likes living on the Creek Island. “

“When and what are we going to tell the boys?”

“We should write them all when we get back from the hospital. We will know what to write then.”

-

“Eldon, we should be able to complete everything in three weeks. A septic tank and field are expensive but a good thing. We can finish the new bath and bedroom. It will not look like you tacked a room on, I will make it look right. It should make a nice downstairs bedroom with a new bath. Some people your age might move to a smaller more modern house.”

“We will live our lives here.”

“Would any of the boys come back?”

“Tom is considering buying the farm, but I do not know.”

“We’ll do right by you; Grace will enjoy it. We can use the old warsh room and that north entrance no one uses, give us the dimensions we need. Much more convenient than having everything upstairs.”

“Thank you, Leland. We are going to visit Grace’s sister and then her brother. Here is Tom’s office number call him if you need to; I will check with him at night. Do it right. I was born in this house. Grace was a neighbor; she was eighteen when we got married. House has been good to us. I want to leave it right for who comes after, hopefully it will be family. Either way I like to leave things cared for.”

-

I am writing all of you. I will mail them the same day, but I don’t know when you will get them. Your mother had surgery on Thursday. She did have a tumor and it was cancer. She is still in hospital, but we will be going home possibly by the end of the week. There may be treatments the doctors are still discussing things with us. I had a bedroom and bath added downstairs off the living room. The bath can be accessed from the summer kitchen, as well. It should make a good place for Grace’s recovery. It is serious, but we do not know what the future will hold. Pray for your mother,

Love from Mom and Dad

-

“Having everyone come home more often has been one advantage of getting cancer. The only one, I think. Tom didn’t mention Carol, did he to you?”

“I didn’t want to pry, but he said they hadn’t heard from Carol for over a year. The world is in turmoil, she left with a boyfriend. She hasn’t been in touch; they just don’t know. “

“Carol was such a good girl when she was here. Always willing to help and seemed to really enjoy the garden and learning how I cooked. I hope she’s not hurt. I would like to see her again.”

“Another thing in life we don’t control. How do you feel?”

“I feel no worse than I have. It was depressing when they told us the cancer had spread.”

“What can I do?”

“Oh Eldon, you’ve done everything I could ever ask. I would like to go to church as long as I can. When it’s nice I want to walk in the garden or sit on the porch. If I decide to cook something don’t tell me to rest. I will rest when I have to, but you can clean up after me. I want to die at home if at all possible. I don’t know how this will go. The doctors said it will be our last year. We’ve had fifty-one great years all in this house. No one has had a better house or husband for fifty-one years. I am blessed. Are you going write the boys or call them?”

“I thought I would write I will get it correct then. Kenny has been sending the most beautiful cards. The mail seems to be reliable.”

-

“Hello”

“Hi Dad, its Lance or Kenny as you still call me. Is it too late? I’m never sure I am sometimes an hour off.”

“It’s about ten, but I think your mother may be asleep. She has been going to bed by 9. I can wake her.”

“Don’t wake her I want to come home. I can stay and help.”

“It would be great to see you here. It’s been a long time.”

“I have a request. I know it is a lot to ask.”

“We could buy the plane ticket.”

“No, I am doing well money wise. I have already booked tickets tentatively. I want to bring my partner and friend for the last twelve years. I know that you may not want us to come, but he wants to see my home and meet my parents. We’ll stay very low key. We are not trying to make you uncomfortable or embarrass you.”

“I will probably still call you Kenny. We want to see you. We will get along just fine.”

“I was sure you would. I appreciate how fair you have always been. I hear people tell stories that are really horrible. You and Mom are kind, even when it is difficult. We will help and you won’t be sorry.”

“OK when are you coming?”

“We would be there Wednesday afternoon at 2:12 PM according to the schedule.”

“I can drive to the airport and get you. Your mother can be alone a while.”

“Thank you, Dad, your saying yes is about the greatest gift you’ve ever given me.”

“You are my son and we want to see you again. I won’t let my confusion ruin it.”

“The travel agent said it was the only arrival at the airport in the afternoon, we shouldn’t have much problem connecting. “

“I just met Leon and his wife a couple of months ago. It is a rather slow low-key airport.”

-

"Thank you for giving us these three months. You and Rene have been wonderful to Grace. I don’t think your Mom will last much longer.”

“No, she will not. You have a person to help administer the pain pills. We would stay to be here at the last, but more and more people are going to come. It is embarrassing for you and Mom.”

“We wouldn’t let that separate us.”

“The minister has come since Mom was too ill to go to church. He assured Mom all would be in heaven who repented of their sins. He emphasized the repent as he looked at me. After he left Mom said it wouldn’t be heaven without all her family. She said Rene was a fine friend. She didn’t see we had any different sins than anyone else. It is time for us to leave and Franklin normal to resume. Would you come visit us in Crete it is a lovely climate?”

“I have never left the United States. I can’t imagine it at my age.”

“I will try to get back again, I don’t know when. I make money appearing at the shows and selling works at our shop. I need to return.”

“You have made a good life, thank you for sharing it with us. I have come to respect Rene very much. I had my doubts when you called, I am glad he got to see your home. When Grace dies it will never be the same home.”

“It will in my memory”-Kenny/Lance and Rene gave Eldon a hug and they took their bags to check in.

-

“Eldon did the boys plane get off OK?”

“Yes, it left on time.”

“They were so good to me. The pain is getting worse; they don’t need that memory.”

“More of the family is coming. We will be here for you.”

“Carol have they heard from her?”

“I don’t think so, Tom would have called if she had gotten in touch. They had a fight over the war, music, boyfriends, and what girls should wear. Helen didn’t bend much. It may take time before she overcomes her anger”

“Carol is a smart girl; she will get back. She will be here in this house again. I can feel she will.”





Photo  by Manuele Dellanave