Sarasota Dreams

by Mayne, Debby

  When Sunday morning rolled around, he was ready for a day off. Mom and Pop took their time getting ready, so Charles went outside and trimmed some of the shrubs while he waited. They finally let him know they were ready to go to church.

  “Don’t let Ruthie get away after the services are over,” Mom said once they stepped inside the church. “Since you work and go to school all week, this might be your only opportunity to ask her out.”

  “I’ll try, Mom.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t try. Just do it.”

  Charles laughed as Mom turned and headed for the other side of the church. All his life, Pop told him that trying wasn’t always good enough when “doing” was what it took to get the job done.

  Ruthie was about to leave the building after church when she heard her name being called. She spun around and saw Charles Polk walking briskly toward her. She reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair back under her kapp and licked her lips to keep them from feeling so dry.

  “Hey, Ruthie, I was wondering if you’d like to … um … would you like to …” Charles had stopped about ten feet in front of her and had begun fidgeting with the paper in his hands.

  “Would I like to what?” she asked when he didn’t continue.

  “Circus Sarasota has their big summer event at Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey, and I thought … well, maybe …” He cleared his throat. “Would you like to go with me?”

  Ruthie hoped he couldn’t hear her heart pounding. “I’ve never been to the circus before.”

  “You’ll love it. They have all kinds of fun acts. Even if you don’t like one, there will be another one right afterward. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like the circus.”

  “I guess that would be okay. When is it?”

  “The end of June. I’ll get the dates and let you know. Since I’m working and going to school, I thought a weekend afternoon would be best.”

  Since Ruthie’s parents had already approved, she nodded. “I would like that.”

  He wiped his palms, one at a time on his pant leg, as he remained standing there. She wondered if he had anything else to say, but he obviously didn’t when he said, “I’ll be in touch. See ya.”

  How strange. Charles appeared just as uncomfortable around her as she was around him.

  Even stranger was how the people in the church reacted when they found out Ruthie was going on a date with Charles. The matchmakers were delighted, but another group was so upset they stopped by to see the Kauffman family to find out if it was true. Howard and Julia Krahn led the group, followed by Daniel and Cynthia Hostetler and Clayton and Diane Sims.

  “Look who’s coming up the walk,” Mother said. “And they don’t look happy.” She opened the door slowly.

  Mr. Krahn had already taken the position of spokesperson. “We wanted to find out if the rumor is true. Is your daughter in a relationship with that Polk boy?”

  Ruthie’s face burned. Fortunately Mother spoke up. “All depends on what you call a relationship.”

  “You know what we’re talking about. Are they dating?”

  Mother opened the door wider. “Would you like to come inside and get out of the sun?”

  “Mother,” Ruthie whispered as Mr. Krahn turned to consult the rest of the people in the group. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”

  “It’ll be fine, honey. They just have a few questions that I’m sure I can answer very quickly.”

  Ruthie had her doubts, but she couldn’t argue with Mother. All three couples marched into the tiny house with scowls on their faces.

  “Have a seat,” Mother said, gesturing toward the living room at the front of the house. “Or would you be more comfortable in the kitchen?”

  “This is fine,” Mr. Krahn said. “And this will only take a few minutes. We need to protect our young people from the wickedness in the world.”

  “I believe that is what the Lord would want you to do,” Mother said. “Would you like some tea or coffee?”

  The visitors exchanged glances before all shaking their heads. “Neh, we don’t need refreshment,” Mr. Krahn said.

  The demeanor of the guests had softened, but now they looked uncomfortable standing in the small living room. Mother gestured toward the sofa. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

  “We can’t stay,” Mrs. Krahn said. “We just wanted to come by to remind you how important it is we protect our children’s faith. Walking with the Lord is difficult in these times.”

  “Yes,” Mother said, still smiling, “from what I remember, it always has been. We certainly appreciate your concern.”

  Ruthie remained standing at the edge of the room, listening to everything. No one even bothered looking in her direction, even though they claimed to be there out of concern for her.

  Mr. Krahn took a step toward the door, and the others followed. “Keep your daughter away from anyone who might cause her to stray,” he advised before opening the front door and walking out.

  “Thank you again,” Mother called out as they filed out of the house.

  After she shut the door behind the last of the group, Mother turned to Ruthie and shook her head. Her smile had faded, but she didn’t look angry.

  “Why do they hate the Polks?” Ruthie asked. “It’s not like they’re doing anything wrong. I would think they’d be happy to see another family wanting to know more about the Lord and the Mennonite life.”

  “I don’t think they hate the Polks.” Mother nudged Ruthie toward the kitchen. “They mean well. Unfortunately they’re reacting to something they don’t understand.”

  “What don’t they understand?”

  “The Polks’ motives. Most of the naysayers in the church speak out of ignorance.”

  “Do you think the Polks have good motives?”

  Mother sighed. “There’s no way I can know for sure, but it appears they do. They seem to realize that the Lord has led them to the church by using adversity to get their attention.”

  Ruthie knew some of the details about how Mr. Polk had lost his job and how they were struggling to pay their bills. She admired them for turning to the Lord.

  “Just remember, Ruthie, that when people say they don’t want you associating with the Polk boy, they think they’re protecting you.”

  Ruthie nodded. “I don’t always know what to say.”

  “Why bother to say anything? They’re going to believe what they want anyway, so putting up resistance will only fuel their argument.”

  Mother was the wisest person Ruthie knew. She never would have considered the ramifications of defending herself.

  “I have to admit something else,” Mother added. “Your papa and I are concerned about you dating Charles, but we don’t want you to turn your back on the Polks because we don’t know them very well.”

  “If you don’t want me dating him—”

  Mother lifted her finger to shush Ruthie. “I didn’t say that. All I’m saying is that you need to be cautious.”

  “I always am.” Ruthie didn’t mention again how the one time she wasn’t careful had backfired.

  Chapter 3

  Charles woke up with a flutter of excitement in his belly. Three weeks had passed since Ruthie Kauffman had agreed to go to the circus with him, and she hadn’t changed her mind. He’d seen her in church Sunday nearly a week ago, and she’d even smiled at him before looking away. Her shyness intrigued him.

  He’d seen a change in Pop ever since they’d known Abe Glick. Even Mom had noticed it and said she liked how he’d taken his eyes off his own plight and concentrated on his spiritual life. She’d been trying to get him to go to church with her ever since Charles could remember, but he’d always found some excuse not to go. Charles doubted she expected Pop to embrace the Mennonite life so eagerly. Between being too tired and using bad weather as an excuse for not wanting to go anywhere, Pop had managed to attend church merely a handful of times each year. As a small child, Charles had gone to Sunday school, but as he got old
er, he’d become more like Pop. Mom had finally given up.

  Charles had to laugh about Mom’s reaction when Pop started talking about going to the Mennonite church. The only exposure she’d had was when they went to Penner’s Restaurant in Pinecraft. Mom and Pop had always considered the Conservative Mennonites an oddity. After Pop started working for Abe, he mentioned wanting to check out the Mennonite church to see what it was all about. At first Mom had resisted until she got to know some of the women who showed her the advantages of living a simple life wrapped around a deeply committed faith. Now they wanted to be Mennonite. Life was so filled with irony.

  When Charles asked Abe if he could have Saturday afternoon off to take Ruthie to the circus, Abe gave him the whole day. “I want you to be rested and in a good mood,” Abe had said, “not worried about something you’ll have to leave on the farm.”

  Pop had argued and said he thought it would be good for Charles to work all morning, but Abe’s wisdom and position of authority overrode anything Pop had to say. Charles knew Pop had been humbled enough to not even flinch at Abe’s direction.

  “Charles!” Mom’s voice echoed through the hallway leading to the bedrooms. He could hear her footsteps on the tile floor as she got closer. “I can’t believe you’re sleeping so late. It’s almost nine o’clock.”

  Charles sat up in bed. “I’ve been awake for a while.”

  “What are you doing still in bed?”

  “Thinking.”

  Mom folded her arms, leaned against the door frame, and smiled at him. “There’s been a lot to think about lately.”

  He threw back the covers and sat up. Mom laughed. “One of these days you’ll grow out of those things,” she said, pointing to his Batman pajama bottoms.

  “Not likely. These are adult mediums, and I happen to know they come in large and extra large.” He chuckled. “Which I’ll need if we keep eating at the church potlucks.”

  Mom pulled away from the door. “I need to leave in a few minutes. I baked some muffins, so have one of those and some fruit before you go.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  Charles thought about the changes in Mom as he stood up and started getting ready. She’d not only accepted the idea of learning about the Mennonite church, but she’d embraced some of their culture, including the desire to bake. Last time they went to one of the church’s potlucks, Mom’s goal was to make a dessert that would have people coming back for seconds.

  When he got to the kitchen, he spotted the note Mom left beside the basket of muffins letting him know she’d left the car for him. Beside the note was a key. Times sure had changed for the Polk family.

  He spent the rest of the morning eating, watching a little TV, and getting ready for his date to the circus matinee. His nerves were frayed. Charles had very little experience with women, and he sure hoped this date didn’t turn out to be a disaster.

  In spite of the fact that he’d learned to pray about whatever was bothering him, he couldn’t stop the jittery nerves from taking over. The time finally came for him to leave. On his way out the door, he stopped and muttered a prayer. Lord, I appreciate everything. Now please don’t let me botch this date. You know how nerdy I can be. He paused and chuckled. Thanks for listening. Amen.

  On the way to Pinecraft, Charles listened to a variety of music, changing the station when something annoyed him. He eventually realized all of it grated his nerves, so he punched the Power button.

  He pulled up in front of the Kauffman house and expected to have to walk to the door, talk to Ruthie’s parents, and wait for her. Instead he’d barely gotten halfway up the sidewalk when she and her mother came out.

  “Hi, Charles,” Mrs. Kauffman said, a frown forming on her forehead. “Did you drive here?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He smiled. “Mom left me the car so I could drive Ruthie and me to the circus.”

  Mrs. Kauffman glanced at Ruthie with a look of concern. “Are you okay with this, Ruthie? You can still change your mind.”

  Charles froze in his tracks. “Is there a problem?”

  Both women stared at him for several seconds until Mrs. Kauffman spoke. “I didn’t expect you to drive. Most of us … well, not many of our people …” She turned to Ruthie and then back to him. “Very few of the people in our church drive cars. We generally find other modes of transportation.”

  “Oh yeah, well, I guess we can take the bus or something, if that would make you feel better about—”

  Ruthie stepped toward him. “No, I’d much rather go in the car.” She glanced over her shoulder at her mother. “We’ll be fine, Mother.”

  Charles helped Ruthie into the passenger seat and started around to the driver’s side of the car before he stopped and turned to face Ruthie’s mom. “I promise to be very careful, Mrs. Kauffman.”

  Her frown slowly faded, and she smiled and nodded. “Take good care of my daughter, Charles. She hasn’t been on many dates.”

  Ruthie was so embarrassed she wanted to crawl beneath the seat. Why had Mother said so much? It wasn’t any of Charles’s business about how many dates she’d been on.

  He got into the car, buckled his seat belt, and turned to face her. “Your mom is really sweet.”

  “She worries too much,” Ruthie said. “I wish she’d learn to relax.”

  Charles laughed. “I say the same thing about my mom, but I think that’s just what they do. It comes with the territory. I’m sure I’d be the same way if I had kids.”

  “But we’re not kids … I mean, children. We’re adults.”

  “Yeah, but this is our parents we’re talking about. To them we’ll always be children.”

  Ruthie thought about that and nodded. “I s’pose you’re right. But it’s hard to act like an adult when I’m constantly treated as a child.”

  Charles started the car and pulled away from the curb. “Isn’t that the truth.”

  All the way to their destination, Charles talked about how much he enjoyed working for Abe. Ruthie felt her nerves calming as she learned more about him. To her delight, he was even nicer than she originally thought, but he still had some peculiar ways that puzzled her. Maybe if she got to know him better, she could ask questions. She didn’t want to seem too nosy this early.

  “So, you’ve never been to a circus, huh?” He stopped at a light, turned to her, and smiled.

  She shook her head. “Never really had a desire to go.”

  “I think you’ll enjoy it. There are so many different things to watch, I can’t imagine not liking something about it.” He counted on his fingers as he named some of the acts. “Besides the clowns, you have the high wire, trick gymnasts, the animals—”

  Ruthic’s eyes widened. “Does anyone ever get hurt?”

  “Sometimes, but they practice enough to minimize that happening in front of the audience.”

  Ruthie couldn’t imagine why people would put their own lives in danger, strictly for the sake of entertaining a crowd. “I know you wanted to be a circus clown. Did you ever get a chance to perform at one of these events?”

  “No, I never did. I enjoyed being a clown for a while, but after doing a few volunteer shows, I realized it’s not all fun and games. It’s a lot of work, too, and after the show’s over, you still have to face the realities of life.”

  “Why would you think otherwise?” she asked.

  Charles let out a good-natured laugh. “That is a very smart question, Ruthie—one I asked myself years after I let everyone know I planned to be a clown when I grew up.”

  “That’s such an odd aspiration.”

  “Yes, but I’ve never been accused of being normal.”

  Ruthie couldn’t help but laugh. Charles was absolutely delightful company. She reached up and patted the hair around her kapp to make sure it was all in place and properly tucked.

  “I’ve been wondering something,” Charles said. “Maybe you know the answer.”

  She lowered her hands to her lap and faced him. “What’s the question?�
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  “Will I have to dress differently when I take the final step of becoming a Mennonite?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never seen anyone do what you and your parents are doing.” She cast her gaze downward. “It generally happens the other way, with Mennonites going out into the world and not coming back.”

  They arrived at their destination. Charles parked the car and came around to help Ruthie out.

  Ruthie looked around in amazement at the variety of people walking toward the huge building. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “Just wait until you get inside. This is nothing compared to the show.”

  As they approached the building, Ruthie noticed a few people staring at her. She was used to tourists stopping at the shop and acting as though she was some oddity to be gawked at. Now she was doubly uncomfortable because she was out of her element.

  “Does it bother you to have all these people staring? If it does, I’ll tell them to mind their own business.”

  “No! Don’t do that. People always like to watch anything they haven’t seen before.” She tried to hide the fact that she was pleased he wanted to protect her.

  His smile warmed her. “So you’re saying it doesn’t bother you?”

  “I’m not saying that,” she replied. “I just don’t want to give people cause to think I’m a bad person.”

  “Why would people think that?” He tilted his head and studied her face, making her tingle all the way to her toes.

  “I—I don’t want to make anyone defensive. Let’s keep walking or we’ll never get there.”

  Ruthie was surprised at the tingling shocks bolting up her arm when Charles took her hand and led her to the gate where he handed someone their tickets. Someone else gave them directions to their seats.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t get better seats,” Charles said as they sat down. “This was all I could afford.”

  “What are you talking about?” Ruthie pointed down to the ring in front of them. “We should be able to see everything from here.”