"Hey Louis did hear Miss Trumble is going to be out of town for a few days? She's leaving this afternoon. Yeah, she's going to Indianapolis for her annual teacher's conference."
"No I didn't hear that Molly. What's that got to do with us?"
"I thought we might ask Tessie, and Chug to go with us, to Miss Trumble's attic at midnight tonight, and have a visit with Ole' Harvey the Ghost. We haven't been up there in at least a year. Do you think it would be fun?"
"Heck yeah?good idea Molly! You could put on some of your Crimson Passion lipstick again as you did when Black-Elk the Indian Ghost visited us, in the Boreal Forest last year. Then we could have a ghost and a clown in the room" said Louis as he made a funny face, which Molly didn't think was too funny.
"Do you want The Look again Louis?" asked Molly as she started to clench one of her hands into a fist, and scrunch up her face.
"Ah man...Molly...you know I am only foolin ya. I don't want, "The Look" and of course, I don't think you're a clown, when you wear that silly make-up. I just don't understand all that grown-up Lady Stuff yet?I guess. Of course, we can go tonight.
"Well, of course you don't understand me. I'm a real, refined Lady."
"You got that right. I don't think I will ever understand that other stuff. Now you go ahead and find Tessie, and invite her. I'll ask Chug. We'll meet at Miss Trumble's front yard at about eleven thirty tonight, alright?"
"Sounds good Louis, we can all meet then. All right Louis enough of this laying around all day in this park staring at the clouds, watching for strange faces and animals figures, that are supposed to appear. I swear Louis we seem to fool around, and goof off a lot when were together."
"Man Molly that's what I read that we're supposed to do. You see when you go steady...this is what is thought to be fun. You see a, book I read, and my mom said so too, girls are supposed to like this kind of stuff. You know grown-up stuff that is romantic and all. I personally think it's brainless, but then again I'm trying to think like a girl."
"Louis, remember The Look and if that don't work how about Indian leg wrestling while were laying here? I can straighten up your attitude about girls, right quick. You know I can Louis."
"OK, enough of this. I know you could be beat me at that. Heck, you're still bigger than me. OK, I will stop all the joking. I will see you tonight in Miss Trumble's front yard."
"Bye Louis."
"See ya Molly."
Louis jumped on his bike. He headed straightaway to Chug's house, to tell him about their plans for tonight; then rode to his mom's house where he knew Hattie May would be cooking lunch for him. Molly advanced over to Tessie's house. For the rest of the afternoon, she was not seen again that day.
Upon dashing into the front yard, flinging his bike into a nearby bush and racing up the walkway to the front door, Louis loudly called out, "Mom The Hero is home!"
Muncy (Louis's golden retriever, the most lovable dog in the world) heard the call; his heart about fell out of his chess, onto the rug where he had been laying all day, waiting for Louis to get home. He abruptly stood up, bounded over a nearby coffee table, hastened around the sofa, and then flew towards the front door, where Louis would soon be appearing.
Oh the hugs, the licks, the barking, the tail wagging, it was all so kind of silly to witness, or be a part of, but not to Muncy. His best friend and master were back, home.
"Hey...ya...Muncy! Glad to see you too...old...buddy!"
Muncy gave a wide-open smile as he flew into Louis's outstretched arms.
"We can go play later, but first I got to get some lunch. Man I'm a starvin. Mom what smells so good?"
"Louis I'm in here" called back Hattie May from deep within the kitchen.
"What's for lunch" called out Louis as he tried to place Muncy back on the large rug in the center of the room. Muncy would have nothing of it, and followed Louis towards the delightful smells coming from the stovetop.
"Louis go, wash your hands in the kitchen sink, and take a place at the table. I cooked you some homemade flour biscuits with gravy, and I made some fresh homemade applesauce. And the main course with be a thick breakfast beefsteak, medium-rare just like you like it."
"Man mom. Now you know why I'm never late for lunch?or dinner for that matter. Where's dad?"
"Louis he's out plowing the north fields with Mr. Belvedere, and Mr. Beamer. They've got to get the fields ready for the planting season, which of course you know is right around the corner. You should have been out there as well, this afternoon now that I think about it. Exactly where have you been?"
"Well...ah?I was over at Turk the Blacksmith's shop to see if any of those horseshoes were ready for Mr. Belvedere. Yeah?that's it?and as you can see, I did not bring any back, so they must not have been ready."
"Louis if I go into town tomorrow, will Turk tell me you were there?"
"Mom you don't want to do that. I will go down there tomorrow in the afternoon for you, after school. So don't you go worrying, none."
"Louis is you fibbing again. I thought you grew out of that. Now where were you?"
"OK...OK...mom...don't be getting mad at me again. I was with Molly down at the watering hole, staring at those clouds. Remember you told me girls like to do that romantic stuff. I don't think Molly is a real girl because she doesn't care too much for it. What's up with that?"
"Louis she's just a little different than other girls. You might call her a bit of a Tomboy."
"Well then why am I calling her Hot Tamale Molly then? I am going to start calling her Tom."
"Louis enough already with all the joking, here's your lunch. Call me if your dad comes home early from the fields. I will be up in my room taking a little nap."
"OK mom. Thanks for lunch, have a good snooze."
Hattie May took off her dish-apron, quickly disappearing out of the kitchen, heading straight up into her bedroom. Louis ate his lunch as fast as he could as Muncy sat at his feet hoping that Louis would drop something (on accident) on the floor that he didn't like, or feel sorry for him and offer him, a well-deserved snack.
Louis finished his lunch with Muncy getting his fair share. Both retreated into the sunroom found at the rear of the house to take a quick nap on the trundle bed. Muncy crawled up on Louis's lap as Louis fell onto the bed. Louis pulled a warm comforter over the both of them.
It was a friendship made in heaven.
The summer sun slowly lowered on the horizon, sending pale yellow and orange rays of sunlight in through the western windows of the house. A cool soft breeze rustled in the pine trees, and a few songbirds could be heard singing in the gently swaying trees.
Louis did have a wonderful life at times.
Off again, lost inside of his dreams and visions. Were these dreams this afternoon filled with riding on the back of a great white whale, on the wild and open waters of the Indian Ocean, or were they full of slaying treacherous dragons, that are known to fly over Transylvania, or old ancient Egypt? Maybe his dreams were filled with the visions of dueling with the large child eating green Ogres that are known to inhabit the southern lands in the Amazon River, and the Nile Delta.
Louis had a greatest imagination especially while sleeping.
Captain Parks finally finished the last of his daily chores as the sun, set behind the last hill on the outskirts of town, and as the last of the daylight had all but faded away.
Louis's dad entered through the back kitchen door to the smell of his dinner warming on the stovetop. He removed his work-boots, placing them in the anther-room by the rear door. He then opened up the stand-up-cooler to grab a pint of cool milk that had been brought over by The Baron, earlier in the day.
Jeremy looked about the house for Louis. He finally found him fast asleep in a back room with Muncy still lounging across his lap. Jeremy gave Louis a soft kiss on the forehead, pulled the comforter higher up ove
r him, then headed up the back stairway to find Hattie May, who was now wide-awake, sitting at her vanity desk, brushing her hair.
"Hi pumkin."
"Hi honey, it's sure nice to see you again. Your dinner is warming on the stovetop. Would you like me to draw you a bath now or later?" asked Hattie May in her gentle inviting voice, as she gave her husband a warm embrace, and a soft kiss on the cheek.
"That would be great dear?yes I would love a warm bath, I'm just beat. I will eat dinner after that. Well, we almost got the entire north field plowed, and ready for the planting season. I think Mr. Belvedere is doing a great job. He is the strongest horse I have ever seen."
"Yes we are lucky that Mr. Beamer gave him to us."
"Did Louis have a good day in school?"
"Well I cooked him a nice lunch, which he promptly devoured, he did not tell me anything about his day at the schoolhouse. He was more interested in lunch and trying to figure out girls."
"Did he take Molly out to the watering-hole after school, to cloud watch like you suggested he do?"
"Yes, he did but I don't think it went too well after talking with him. All I know is he is now going to be calling Molly, Tom. Ah, young love. Do you remember how we were once: just as clumsy and infatuated with each other as they are?"
"Yes I remember. Just let him be then. He will figure it all out someday, in about fifty years, and even then, he still won't know anything about it. That's just how it all works."
"Oh Jeremy, I really do love you."
"I love you to Hattie May."
Hattie May finished brushing her hair, then hastened down the stairway to the back porch, drew some water up from the well then she heated it up over the fireplace in a larger black-iron pot. Jeremy took his bath then ate his dinner. He crawled into bed before Hattie May, without saying another word that evening.
Louis and Muncy slept in the back room through dinner, and into the early evening without so much as sound being heard from either one of them. Hattie May fixed another small plate of food for Louis, covered it up, then placed it on the stovetop to keep it warm. She placed another small bowl of food for Muncy in his dish and filled up his water bowl. She checked on Louis one last time, before her to turned in for the evening.
Louis continued his vivid dreaming for another few hours until he finally awoke, after hearing a loud night-bird singing in a nearby birch tree. Louis wiped the sleep out of his eyes. He turned to look at the old wooden clock hanging on the living room wall.
Ten thirty...the bewitching hour was almost at hand: a very chilling and, strange... wind... was about...to blow into Centerville.
Charlie the Great White Horse and the Journey to Egypt Page 8