“Has it been that obvious?” he asked, feeling a little embarrassed.
“Yes,” Archie’s father said with a grin. “Your mother and I have had a few conversations about it, but we didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, so we decided we’d wait until you came to us.”
Feeling a little self-conscious, Archie put his head down and scratched his cheek.
Knowing it was going to be an awkward conversation for Archie, Albert decided to give him a little bit of time to formulate his thoughts. “Let me fix you some tea.”
Archie looked up sheepishly. While he had prepared as much as possible before coming to his father, he knew a few minutes to recover would be a blessing—and clearly his father knew him well enough to know that, too. “Thank you,” he said while his father walked away.
“Here you are,” his father said, handing a cup and saucer to Archie.
Archie took the tea. “Thank you.”
Albert sat down and leaned back in his chair. “All right. I’m listening.”
Archie took a deep breath through his nose and blew it out through his mouth before speaking.
“I seem to be so distracted lately. Writing has always been such an effortless activity. It comes as naturally as breathing, but I can’t seem to do it. I can’t focus at all. I’ve had to submit old writings to the newspaper for the past three weeks.”
“Have you prayed about it?” his father asked.
“Yes,” Archie said quickly, but immediately felt guilty. Dropping his head he added, “Although I’ll admit to waiting until yesterday. I’ve just been so out of sorts.”
“And what has God said to you since your prayer?” his father asked.
“Not much yet, but He did make two things clear.”
“And what were they?” asked his father.
“I believe God is asking me to keep an open mind.” Archie sighed. “We both know that isn’t my strong suit.”
Albert chuckled. “It sounds like you must make it your strong suit.”
“Yes,” Archie said, nodding. “The only other thing I knew to do was to come and talk to you. I’m willing to adjust my life . . . I think. I’m just not sure how that will settle my mind. Maybe I could change up my routine a little, maybe get up a little earlier . . . eat something different for breakfast . . . or, I don’t know, look for some more work?”
Albert almost laughed, but Archie was so serious, he made great effort to resist by putting his head down, covering his mouth with his hand and clearing his throat. Lifting his chin, his father said seriously, “This isn’t just about changing your routine or even looking for a new job. It’s about following your instincts and seeking what is already waiting for you. You seem to have reached a plateau, son. I think there’s more for you out there.”
“More of what? Please, give me the exact steps to take, Father.”
Albert looked up as if trying to pull the right words out of the air. “Do you know how I met your mother, Archie?”
“Yes, you were traveling on business in England, right?”
“Mm-hm, that’s right, but I’ve never told you the circumstances that led me there.” His father continued. “Like you, Archie, I was always a good student. I loved studying and learning about things, so when I graduated high school, it was a natural next step to continue my education and earn a degree. The problem was, I had done well in all of my classes, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to pursue as a career. I had no specific interests. I was tested and counseled and based on my academic strengths, I chose a degree in finance.
“Four years later, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, and I was offered a position as a loan officer at a large bank. It was a steady, good paying job, and I liked it for a while, but after only a few months, my work became dull and the days were horribly long. By the time I got home each day, I had so little energy I would put a frozen meal in the oven, eat in front of the television, and fall asleep on the sofa.”
Archie furrowed his brow. “That sounds nothing like you. You’re the most enterprising man I’ve ever known.”
“Thank you, Archie. That’s not always been the case, however, which is why I brought it up.”
“What changed?” Archie asked.
“It was a poster.”
“A poster?”
“Yes, I was at the market buying my frozen dinners and I saw a poster on the wall by the restrooms. For whatever reason, it caught my attention.”
Archie looked at his father and nodded once, encouraging him to go on.
“The poster said this: ‘Don’t let a day go by without reaching for something you love.’ When I looked closer I saw it was an advertisement for a local bakery with pictures of pastries and doughnuts. I suppose it’s likely the pastries are what caught my attention in the first place. I’ve always had such a ridiculous sweet tooth.”
Archie shook his head. “It spoke to you because you weren’t doing what you loved.”
“Yes, son. That’s exactly what it was.”
“So what did you do?”
“Well, I kept my job at first, but I set out to see and do everything I could. I went to every local event: art galleries, festivals, wine tastings, ballets, garden shows, parades . . . you name it, I was there. Instead of going with friends, which in my case would have created a crutch, I went to all the events alone. I wanted God to bring new people into my life. I wanted Him to direct my next steps. That’s exactly what He did, too. I met so many lively, interesting people.”
“And what doors opened for you?”
Albert laughed. “All of them! Well, at least enough for me to glance inside. Those experiences brought me back to life. I started inventing business ideas and planning my own ventures. I wasn’t sure where to begin, so I started with something small I could do on weekends, still keeping my job at the bank.”
“What did you do?” asked Archie.
“You’d never guess,” Albert answered.
“What was it?”
“I bought a little freezer cart and sold frozen grapes at nearby events.”
“Grapes? Really?” Archie asked surprised.
Albert continued. “It didn’t matter what event I attended, I noticed the lines at the beverage vendors were always long. People get thirsty when they’re frolicking about, I suppose. So I tried to think of something I could sell that would quench thirst but wasn’t a drink at all.
“I experimented with freezing a variety of fruits to see which one was the least messy, the easiest to eat frozen, and most importantly, the most delicious. The grapes won.
“I hired a painter to decorate my cart. I bought red, purple, and green grapes. I froze them at home and stored them in containers in my freezer, and on event days, I transferred them to my cart and sold them by the cupful. They were a great hit! I always sold out within just a few hours.”
“Grapes! You’re right, I never would’ve guessed.”
“Yes, well, believe it or not, that business allowed me to quit my job at the bank. The money wasn’t nearly as good, but I was a much happier man. When I was ready to move on, I sold my cart and that was that.
“I had many other start-ups and successes and sold a variety of small businesses. Eventually I knew what I was meant to do. I was a man of ideas, and I enjoyed the adrenaline rush of taking risks. I was meant to be an entrepreneur.”
Archie shook his head and sighed. “That’s quite inspiring. But I still don’t know how you met Mother. What business were you on in England?”
Albert lifted his head. “Ohhhh yes, England. When I had been on my own for three years, I decided I was ready to learn more. I wanted to see other places and explore other cultures. My first overseas visit would be to England.
“While I was there, I went to the Old Queens Head pub in Sheffield . . . to learn more about beer, you know.”
At thi
s, Archie laughed. “Father, really.”
Albert laughed as well. “All right, so I wasn’t really there to learn about beer, but I did buy myself one . . . or two. Ha! When I was on my way out, I spotted your mother and decided she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever laid eyes on.
“She was wearing a knee-length dress as well as a floppy straw hat with a green ribbon around it. She was carrying a watering can and was walking from pot to pot along the street. She was caring for the flowers.”
“Your memory is brilliant,” Archie interjected.
“Your mother was brilliant.”
“Did you introduce yourself?” Archie asked.
“Of course, I did! I wasn’t going to let her get away. She was shy about going to dinner. She was only seventeen, and I was twenty-five. So I looked for her every day and talked to her until finally, after a week or so, she agreed to have dinner with me. Love came rather quickly after that.
“You see, Archie, I never would have met your mother if I’d stayed at my dull job at the bank. When I reached that plateau, it was my responsibility to respond by venturing out . . . reaching a little higher. That’s what you’re ready for, Archie.”
Archie closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, lifting his chest high. When he opened his eyes, he blew out a quick breath. “So I guess . . . I start climbing, looking around every corner,” he said matter-of-factly, “and see what happens.”
“Precisely,” his father answered.
“But you don’t think I’ll have to stop writing, do you? Writing is what I love. I can’t imagine life without it.”
“Archie, if writing is what you love, well then, writing is what you must do. Let your passion for it drive you. It will take you where you need to go. If there is more for you in the way of writing . . . go and find it!”
Archie’s posture had gone from rigid to relaxed. “This conversation is just what I needed,” he said with a sigh. “I feel very inspired.”
Albert stood and motioned for Archie to stand as well. Archie lifted his umbrella off of the stand and stood up with it.
“I love you, Son,” he said before wrapping both arms around Archie, “and aren’t we lucky your mother is a chef? No frozen dinners for us!”
Archie shook his head, smiled, and said, “No. Thank goodness for that.”
10
Archie’s perspective changed after his conversation with his father, and while he still thought of Tallie, almost every hour, he was no longer so distracted by those thoughts that he was unable to function.
His plan was to do what his father had done, which was to search everywhere for the unknown something that might be waiting just around the corner; and while it was a bit frightening for Archie, it was, at the same time, exhilarating.
Just as his father had done, Archie retained his job at Stay Afloat and continued to submit articles, although he did supplement them occasionally with his previously written works. Archie’s plan was to spend at least three hours each day exploring his mind, his town, his heart, and his prospects. He walked through Outlandish, intentionally and thoroughly, inspecting everything. He went in and out of shops, walked by every food cart, read every new sign and poster that hung here and there, and struck up conversation with as many people as seemed willing—and that part wasn’t at all easy for Archie.
Archie read two newspapers: Stay Afloat, which was only distributed on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and the Pacific Coast Buzz, which was distributed daily. He always took them to Outlandish’s library to read and made himself scan every single page of each newspaper including the classifieds.
Quaint libraries in very small towns never seem to be quite busy and neither was the one in Outlandish; that is why Archie loved spending time there. This library was especially narrow and oddly high. There was a spiral staircase going up, and as much as it didn’t quite fit, there was also an elevator crammed into the small building. Each level of books could be seen from the first floor and each of those levels was an exact replica of the one below it. While there wasn’t a lot of room to roam, there were plenty of books to choose from. They stood on shelves, which rose all the way to the short ceilings on each level, and rolling ladders made each one of them accessible.
This had always been a place where Archie could go for as long as he liked and no one would ever bother him, even though his umbrella did take up an unreasonable amount of space in the cramped quarters.
Children in Outlandish were scarce, so the large number of children’s books in the library was a bit excessive, but the aged librarian, Mrs. Pinkers, had once owned a children’s bookstore in Delaware and was terribly tempted by all the beautiful covers on the children’s books. She spent much too much of her book budget on what would only be read by a few, but nobody ever protested, so she continued to indulge.
The librarian had been around long enough to know Archie was quite fond of the children’s books, so she made sure he knew about each new book that came. Often she’d even ask for his help in choosing which ones to purchase from the catalogs.
It was Friday, just after breakfast, when Archie walked into the library with his newspaper.
“Good morning, Archibald!” called Mrs. Pinkers from behind the front desk. Mrs. Pinkers had always called Archie by his given name, because it was her father’s name and she was especially fond of it.
“Good morning, Mrs. Pinkers,” Archie said smiling.
“Oh Archibald, you just have to see this beautiful new book that came in this morning.”
Mrs. Pinkers walked around the desk and held out the book in front of Archie. As she handed it to him, she smoothed the cover with her hand as if presenting a rare piece of artwork.
Archie read the cover, When Someone Smiles.
“May I?” he asked, pointing at the table.
“Of course,” answered Mrs. Pinkers.
Mrs. Pinkers walked back to the front desk, and Archie walked over to the table and extended his portable umbrella stand. After putting his umbrella into it and adjusting it, he began reading.
Mrs. Pinkers watched from the desk in anticipation because she loved discussing the stories with Archie. But then the phone rang. Mrs. Pinkers sighed before she went to the back room to answer.
“Hello,” came a small voice next to Archie.
Thinking he was alone, Archie startled and looked in the direction of the voice. He was surprised to see a little girl standing next to him with a smile on her face. Archie thought she was cute with her tight blond curls and brown freckles, but he did wonder why she was there.
“Hello,” answered Archie while quickly scanning the library. “And . . . who might you be?”
“Felicity,” she answered. “What’s your name?”
Archie looked around for her parents but didn’t see anyone, not even Mrs. Pinkers.
“I’m Archibald. Where are your parents?”
“At home,” she answered.
Knowing he’d never seen her in Outlandish, he asked, “And where is home?”
“Over there,” she said pointing out the window.
“I think you might be a little young to be here alone. How old are you, five, maybe six?”
She didn’t answer but instead asked, “Why do you have an umbrella?”
Archie looked up and said, “It’s a little difficult to explain.”
Felicity didn’t respond but only stood waiting for an answer.
Archie said, “Are you frightened of anything, Felicity?”
Felicity shrugged and said, “Some things.”
“Well, I’m a little frightened by looking up at open spaces.”
When Felicity didn’t seem to understand, he clarified for her. “I have my umbrella so that my ceiling is lowered. Otherwise I don’t cope so well.”
Felicity looked up at the ceiling and said, “This is a very high ceiling.”
“It certainly is. But even a short ceiling is too high for me to look at.” Archie looked for Mrs. Pinkers, but he still didn’t see her. “You aren’t here alone, are you?”
Felicity giggled. “No, I’m here with you, silly.”
“Well, that is true, but what if I were a scary man?” Archie said, making his eyes look a little wild.
Felicity laughed and said, “You’re not scary, Mr. Archibald.”
Archie was tickled at how she addressed him and said, “No, I’m not very scary, am I?”
Felicity shook her head and asked, “What are you reading?”
Archie pushed the book toward her.
“Will you read it to me?” she asked, pushing the book back.
“Oh. Well.”
“Pleeeeease.”
“You . . . want me . . . to read it, to you?”
Felicity nodded.
Archie scanned the room for Mrs. Pinkers one last time. Reading to children certainly wasn’t something he was used to, but Archie couldn’t think of a good reason to say no, and he was trying to do things out of the ordinary, so instead he said, “Well, I suppose I could . . . read it to you.”
Felicity pushed a chair next to Archie’s so that it sat right next to him under his umbrella, then she climbed up onto it. Before opening the book, Archie said, “When Someone Smiles by Penelope King.”
When he opened the cover, Felicity looked at him and offered a reassuring smile. Archie began reading.
When someone smiles,
the world begins to change.
To the sad, a smile says—
Joy will return.
To the cheerful, a smile says—
I share in your happiness.
To the cross, a smile says—
Please soften your heart.
To the caring, a smile says—
Thank you.
To the lost, a smile says—
I’ll help.
To the hard at work, a smile says—
Well done.
To the troubled, a smile says—
There’s hope.
Archie of Outlandish Page 8