My Dearest Naomi (36 page)

Lester vigorously nodded his head, and no one commented further. The logic was pretty obvious for all to see. To be certain though, I said he could stand up and apologize, as well as Jackie and Dakota, but that his seat would stay where it was. I don’t know if I did the right thing, as it’s hard being prosecutor, judge, and jury.

Oh, I had a misquote in my last letter. We didn’t go to a young folks gathering last night, it was a family deal, which turned out to be just as much fun.

Lonnie and Luella’s grandchildren have been here all week. Luella is enjoying herself to the fullest, and I’m getting a taste of what happens when the grandchildren are around. The quality of care definitely goes downhill. Lonnie looked glum at the kitchen table all week, which I think keeps his food service from completely falling off the cliff. Mine is still okay, so don’t worry. I don’t need much anyway.

I did get my shins kicked under the table by swinging feet until I learned to keep them out of the way.

The calendar in my room was just turned over to the month of April. Ah…the last one to turn before I see your face again. Yippee! Christmas seems like another world away, so long ago and so distant.

This week has been hectic at school, with the rush on to complete the books and the children’s minds on little else but getting out of those four walls. I take deep breaths, and I vow that we will make it somehow.

I caught Dawn cheating today again. Last week she tried cheating on her spelling words, so this time I talked with her and asked if she didn’t know it was wrong to cheat. She claimed, amidst great sobs, that she had never heard of such a thing. I pitied her, as she seemed half scared out of her wits when I called her up to my desk during recess time.

I sent a note home with her sister Dakota, explaining things to her mom. Hopefully another talk at home about the evils of cheating will do the trick. The school year is almost over, so I didn’t take any drastic steps. I told her we’d have to take further steps if this should happen again. Hopefully a blowup is preventable, as I will try my hardest to avoid it.

Tonight is a volleyball game in the gym, and then Sunday the young folks singing. The very last one I will attend before I leave for home. A very sweet thought indeed.

I’ve written another poem for you. I hope you like it.

See you in the near future,

Eugene

Thinking, musing, longing,

Hoping, sighing, wishing,

Pondering on how sweet you are,

Wishing you were not so far

Away from me, our miles apart,

Still bring you closer to my heart.

Sorrow mines my heart away,

With pain from day to day.

Leaving all that space to fill,

Emptiness that never will

Be full and life complete,

Until our hearts again will meet.

April 1

Thank you for the wonderful Easter card. It’s so beautiful, and the words inside just wonderful. I also received a letter from you. My lucky day indeed, I think.

I thought this was going to be another boring day, but it has turned out quite differently. Mom and Dad are on a trip to northern Indiana for communion church. They went to fill the carload, and we’re doing the chores by ourselves. We’re done now with the morning work and casting about for something to do for the rest of the day since it’s Good Friday.

Lo and behold, I decided I was going to have some of the girls over. I hitched the horse to the buggy and was off to spread the invitations, rushing back home to get ready. Your sisters came, plus Kathy, Martha, Lora, Susie, Julia, Diane, and, of course, Sarah. We had the most glorious time making pizza and taffy this afternoon. Then everyone’s brothers arrived for the evening. Sarah is the star of the show these days, charming everyone’s socks off. I can’t believe one of the boys hasn’t asked her home yet. She is everything I wish to be.

We ended up singing songs for thirty minutes after the pizza was finished and eaten. Taffy pulling came after that. You should have been here. It was absolutely hilarious pulling the gooey stuff around with our hands. Your sisters outdid themselves trying to get the biggest pieces. You have a great family, and they seem to like me.

It was such a fun day, and I still can’t believe I pulled it off. Maybe being the oldest in the family has something to do with my fear that it would all be a flop. But it wasn’t at all. It left me with such a good feeling that everyone enjoyed themselves.

Joseph Burkholder asked me Sunday after the hymn singing when
your school lets out. I said, “The last week of April!” grinning and punching my fist into my hand a couple of times.

He laughed at that.

Then Sarah said, “Yeah, when he comes home she’s going to smile her ears off.”

There was another burst of laugher after that.

Sarah added, “She’ll smile so much her teeth will get brown from sunburn!”

I’m glad that you and those gals are getting along better. Don’t get upset if they still have their grumpy days.

I squealed with delight when you said you’d be home by the end of April, and that it will only be four more Sundays.

Mom said, “See, I told you it’d be here before you know it.”

Don didn’t want to attend the singing Sunday night, so I drove myself. Darrell went with Harvey’s young folks, even though it made things crowded for them. I guess I thought it would look more appropriate. Plus, I didn’t want to make you jealous again.

I was so lonely for you all evening that I didn’t feel like smiling to anyone. The girls seated on both sides of me were busy talking after the hymn singing, so I decided to leave early. Plus the steadies had all marched out, making me feel even more unhappy.

One of your brothers and Adam helped me hitch the horse to the buggy, which was nice of them. They even checked the harness and tightened it. Somehow it had slipped back. I think Don had warned me that it slips back, but I had forgotten.

I told them, “Don mentioned not to drive fast lest the harness slip back.”

Adam said matter-of-factly, “You’re not supposed to drive fast period.”

I laughed but it was a long, lonely drive home. I think the next time Don can’t go, I will take Darrell along for company. Don’t worry, I’m not serious…just lonely. Rest assured that he means nothing romantic to me.

The only excitement on the way home was the horse acting up. He likes to pull hard on the lines when it’s cold, and even Don has a rough time hanging on. If Dad knew how he acts, he probably wouldn’t allow me to drive alone, but I think it’s fun.

I love you,

Naomi

April 1

I opened your Easter card and read the letter. It’s so good to hear from you.

Tell Betsy and Rosanna to stop pestering you.

The news around here is that Amanda quit the boy she was dating. I guess he was a little too pushy from the get-go, asking her on their first date whether she would be willing to move to Arkansas. I would have a hard time imagining any of Saul’s girls moving anywhere. I guess true love could provide the motivation, but this apparently wasn’t of that kind.

Janie is the oldest of Saul’s girls, and she has never dated that I know of. She’s quite strong in her opinions against marriage. We’ve had frequent arguments, with Janie warning me that I’m getting into deep trouble by marrying you, that marriage is nothing but problems one had best avoid. I don’t know where she gets those ideas, as her family is very loving.

Anyway, I disagree, and Janie can just feel however she wants to. This sentiment might be rubbing off on Amanda though, who is close to her. I guess I should have warned the boy from Arkansas that he needs to marry the oldest sister first, like Jacob of old, before he gets to the second sister. Hah! Now Janie will kill me for sure if she hears about this remark.

Last Sunday I was at Saul’s place after church with two other boys, and we all got on this subject. One of the boys thought Amanda shouldn’t have been so quick to drop the boy from Arkansas, and this set Janie off. She went into a long list of all the negatives of marriage. Bossy husbands, men eating food with their mouths open, extra laundry, children on the way, babies crying in the night, and keeping a husband’s bed warm.

Luella and Lonnie were there, so I think the last remark was directed toward Lonnie’s well-known need around here for cold night bed warming.

Anyway, Luella snorted and stuck up for Lonnie. “It’s worth it,” she said, “keeping a good husband warm. And you just don’t know what you’re missing.”

“I wouldn’t want his cold toenails warming up on my legs,” Janie shot back, and they were at it again.

Lonnie laughed through the whole thing and didn’t seem offended at all.

This afternoon Lonnie and Luella are taking their grandchildren home,
and I’m going along for the ride. Not that I particularly wish to see more of the grandchildren, but it will help pass the time.

There is shopping planned for afterward. Mainly for Luella, as I don’t need anything. But if there is a bookstore in the mall, I will certainly visit it. I might even spend some hard-earned dollars if I can find a book that looks interesting enough.

I wonder what you’re doing at home. You probably have a get-together of some sort, and dinner, and a young folks gathering, but I will not torment myself with such thoughts any further.

It’s 9:30 on a Saturday morning, and I’m done filling out your birthday card. I’m afraid I won’t have much to give you for your birthday. A wonderful girl like you deserves more than my few purchases. I wish I were home to celebrate with you properly with homemade ice cream and pecan pie. I would even eat small portions myself just to mark the occasion.

Yesterday we left around 2:00 for the trip back with the grandchildren. We stopped at the bank so I could get money orders for income tax payments. Now that duty is off my mind. The forms were mailed this morning.

After dropping off the grandchildren, we ended up at the mall. You wouldn’t believe how many shopping malls they have around here. I purchased a new pair of Sunday shoes, which took a while to find, but they had what I wanted and the price was good.

Lonnie and Luella are planning on attending the Apostolic church tomorrow for something different to do. I learned a new superstition from Luella yesterday. She claims that whoever turns over the calendar in any given room is boss of that room for the month. I laughed at her, so she quickly ran to the calendar in the living room, which hadn’t been turned over yet, and turned it.

So to even things out, I checked their bedroom, and that calendar wasn’t turned yet, so I turned it. This is really ridiculous. I think it’s high time I find worthwhile things to do back home.

Well, I had better finish this extended letter. I wait impatiently to see you again. Whoa, here’s a poem yet. I hope you don’t tire of them.

I love you,

Eugene

Like a bud that doesn’t know

Into what it’s yet to grow,

So you are, my dear, so unaware

Of all the wonders you will bear.

Of all the happiness you’ll bring,

How you will set my heart to sing.

How wonderful your love does seem.

More than the world I deem.

None like you ever touched my life,

Or made me feel it worth the strife.

This world has been a better place

Since your love has left a taste.

And still the more I see of you,

The deeper grows the thought I knew.

That there is none that’s half as sweet,

A dearer one will I never meet,

And as I see these things in you,

I know that it is ever true,

That you have yet to touch your store

For deep within you lies yet more.