Authors: Mary Christner Borntrager

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Juvenile Fiction, #Religious, #Christian, #test

Andy (10 page)

BOOK: Andy

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Page 79

it best to discuss it some other time. The singing went well, and Andy felt better until. . . .

The boys hadn't seen Andy in the feedway of the barn as they were preparing to leave.
"Buwe
, remarked Ezra Miller, "did you see
Fettkessel
(lard kettle) get all red-faced and feisty when his dad asked where he was before supper?"

"Ya," answered Johnny, "and I haven't seen that old dog of his around. He probably penned him up somewhere."

"We ought to find out where and let him out," Ezra proposed.

"I wouldn't," advised Mosie Wagler. "Andy is a good boy, once you get to know him."

"Sure, only you Waglers and that Aire Mast think so. I've heard she thinks he's pretty nice, too. How nice is he when he gets so mad?"

"Well, I suppose there's one bad egg in every family," Mosie remarked.

This really hurt Andy's feelings. One of his few friends called him a bad egg. He couldn't believe it.

Andy had a hard time going to sleep that night.

Page 80

15
A Good Trick

"Andy, did you lock Shep in the workshop last night?" Jake asked his son.

"Ya, Dad, I did."

"Fer was
(why)? What did he do?"

"He didn't do anything," Andy answered.

"Then I want to know why you did it."

"I guess because I'm the bad egg of the family," Andy replied sarcastically.

"What kind of answer is that? I never heard anyone say such a thing."

"Well, I did, and from someone I
thought
was my friend."

"Are you sure? Who would ever say such a thing?"

"I'll tell you who." Andy related the previous evening's happenings. His dad listened patiently to everything.

"Let me tell you, Andy," he counseled, "sometimes it's not easy to deal with boys like Ezra and Johnny.

Page 81

And I'm sure Mosie Wagler didn't mean it. He knows about your temper and your weight problem, but counts you a friend.

''Mosie did tell the boys it wasn't wise to let Shep loose. Don't put yourself down, Andy. I've heard you say that you're just a nobody. God never created a nobody.

"Think of this, Andy. God loved you enough that he sent his Son to die for you. You must be worth a great deal for him to do that."

How could Andy answer such a statement? He didn't say a word, but he did have a lot to think about.

"Now," declared Jake, "we can't lock Shep in the workshop anymore. He made a mess of things. It is a
Wunner
(wonder) he didn't get hurt. My good saw and scythe were knocked down as well as some hammers and wrenches. It's no place for a dog."

"Well, you never let me build a house for him, Dad. I kept asking for permission to make a doghouse."

"The choice was yours, Andy. Remember?"

Oh
,
what
'
s the use?
thought Andy.
If only I were twenty-one so I could be on my own
.

Several months later, Esther said to Andy, "I'd really like to go to singing this Sunday night. Won't you take me? Aire Mast doesn't have a way either, and I thought she could ride along."

Andy didn't go to singings very often, but Esther had just turned sixteen and wanted so much to go. His sister often did favors for him, so he could hardly refuse.

"Do we
have
to take Aire?" Andy asked.

"We don't have to, but I thought it would be neigh-

Page 82

borly. She's a nice girl and one of my best friends."

"But I don't know her very well. What will I say?"

"You probably don't need to say anything. Aire and I have no problems talking," Esther assured him.

"Das glaawe ich
(that I believe)," laughed Andy. "Girls, they
gaxe
(cackle) like hens."

"We do not," Esther protested. "Are you taking us or aren't you?"

"Let me sleep on it," Andy teased.

"In that case, you can wait for the half-moon pies until you've slept. I made some fresh this morning."

"Tell you what. If you give me some of those pies, I'll promise right now to take you."

Esther knew Andy's weak spot. It must be true, she thought, that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

Andy ate two half-moon pies, and Esther got her promise.

"You won't change your mind, will you?" she asked her brother.

"Well, now that the half-moon pies are gone, I just might," Andy said mischievously.

"Oh, no, the pies aren't gone. There are plenty more where those came from."

"In that case, then, I'll be sure to keep my promise."

Sunday arrived, and as their custom was, the family went to church. Esther could hardly wait to tell Aire that they would take her along to the singing. It had all been arranged.

"We'll pick you up around seven."

"I'll be ready," Aire said.

True to Esther's statement, Andy need not have

Page 83

worried about making conversation. The girls kept up a lively session all the way to the singing.

The buggy was built to seat two comfortably. Since Aire was more on the stout side she sat beside Andy and held Esther, who was a sprite of a girl.

When they arrived at the Mullet home where the singing was being held, Andy stopped by the front gate. As the girls stepped from the buggy, Andy told Esther, "Let's not stay too long."

His sister just smiled and nodded. She wondered what he considered
too
long.

"Your brother doesn't care much for singing, does he?" Aire remarked as Andy went to tie his horse to the hitching post.

"Oh, he loves to sing. It's just that some young folks give him a hard time."

"I've noticed," said Aire. "I think it's cruel and unChristian."

"Yes, it is, but I wish he wouldn't let it bother him so. Dad says if he wouldn't let it upset him, the boys would quit."

"That sounds like my parents. Oh, Esther, I know something about Andy's pain. The Swartz girls and some others say pretty mean things about me. It isn't easy."

"Oh, Aire!" exclaimed Esther in surprise. "I didn't know."

"Es macht nix aus
(it doesn't matter)," Aire stated. "Come on, let's go inside."

But it did matter. It mattered to Esther, for Aire was a nice girl and her friend.

To Andy's relief, none of his tormentors were pres-

Page 84

ent and singing went well. He freely sang from his heart. His clear tenor voice carried across the room and blended well with others.

He forgot about time and couldn't believe it when the parting hymn was announced. The song which always ended the singing was "Blest Be the Tie That Binds." Then everyone was joking and visiting for a while.

Before Andy went to get his rig, Esther pulled him aside for a private word. "I have something to tell you. Don't be upset with me, but one of the boys just asked to take me home.

"I talked to Aire about it, and she said she doesn't mind driving home with you. Andy, I've waited so long for him to ask me. I hope you're not angry, because I told him I'd go along."

Andy was speechless. Did his sister have this in mind all along? What could he do since his Esther had promised? He guessed the fellow was Louis Farm-wald, but Esther was trying to keep it a secret. So Andy just shrugged in agreement, and soon Esther was out the door into the dark to catch a rideher first date.

This had been the most enjoyable evening Andy had ever spent with the
Yunge
(young folks). He would try not to spoil it now. But he certainly wished the ride home were over with.

"This is very nice of you, Andy," Aire remarked as she got into the buggy. "Maybe I could have gone home with the Rabers, but they would need to drive out of the way. Since you go right by my place, I hope you don't mind."

"Ya," Andy replied, "I go right by."

Page 85

They drove through the spring night, with only the sound of the horse's hooves and the buggy wheels crunching on the gravel road.
Why can
'
t I think of something to say?
Andy wondered. He was not comfortable with this strained silence between them.

For want of anything better to talk about, Andy blurted out,
"Wie viel Kieh melkst du
(how many cows do you milk) ?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt foolish. What a thing to say!

Aire, however, promptly answered, "Altogether we milk fifteen. I myself milk four. Do you like animals, Andy? I do."

Her response to his silly question was so natural, and without making fun of him, that Andy felt at ease and risked talking some more.

"Oh, I sure do like animals. They seem to understand me better than some people do. Ach, I bet you think I talk
dumm
(dumb)," he said rather lamely.

"Not at all," Aire assured him. "Believe me, Andy, I know what it's like not to be accepted by some of the
Yunge
. Mom says not to let it bother me, but it's easier said than done."

Here was someone experiencing what Andy was all too familiar with. The ice between them was broken, and for the first time in his life, Andy paid attention to a girl. The talk flowed better now as they shared and built up a layer of trust in each other.

As they neared the Mast home, Aire spoke further of her feelings. "Andy, I've really enjoyed this evening, especially the ride home. Your sister seemed to play a trick on us, but I'd say it was a good trick." She laughed with a light trill.

Page 86

Andy liked the sound of that laugh. It seemed musical, not harsh and mocking as he heard so often from the boys. She had said his name several times, and that felt good.

Andy did not consider her bold or forward. No, she was genuine and friendly. He liked that.

As she turned toward the house, Andy said, "Good night. Maybe Esther can play a trick like this on us again sometime." "Maybe!" And again Aire laughed with that delightful trill.

Andy started his horse toward home. What a wonderful evening this had been! He would never forget it. As he drove along in the friendly dark, he sang the parting hymn again: