Uncle Plats

by Aqua Allsopp

  “I gotta take a break,” he said in a low voice. Without waiting for a reply from the other managers, he began to walk to the back of the store. He didn’t want to take too long. The Amish might come in earlier than usual and he didn’t want to miss their visit. As he walked, he made a point to smile at the customers wandering the store, looking at the merchandise along the aisles.

  When he pushed through the double doors to go to the break room, he dropped the smile. It shouldn’t be such an effort to be pleasant. Not enough sleep, he decided. Tomorrow would be better.

  But tomorrow was not the day the Amish came to town.

  He wondered what it was like to live the way they did. His life had always been so busy and stressful, full of drama. He’d worked at the store for nearly ten years and was approaching his 30th birthday. He had no children but had left a string of ex-girlfriends in his past that he regretted. He pushed one hand through his sandy blond hair and dropped himself into one of the chairs surrounding the lunch table in the back room. When he heard the other managers talking in his earbud, he yanked it out and pushed both palms into his eyes.

  “Gotta shake this mood,” he murmured. He glanced at the counter where the coffee maker sat. Coffee would only make him shaky. He got up and went to the refrigerator. He’d brought a big container of fruit for lunch. He figured it didn’t hurt to eat a couple strawberries and grapes. He pulled a can of Coke out of the 12 pack someone had brought and opened the tab, drinking three long swallows before returning to the table.

  It was not break time, so no one entered the room while he was in there. He ate two strawberries and three grapes, washing it down with the rest of the Coke. As he took the last swallow, he heard his name on the earbud hanging down his shirt. He picked it up and adjusted it so that he could hear what was being said.

  “Kenny. Kenny. Keeeeeennnnnny.” His name was being repeated over and over by one of his female co-managers, Amy. He pressed the button to respond.

  “What is it, Amy?”

  “Hey, your Amish people are here. Thought you’d want to know.”

  He sucked in a breath, his heart beating a little harder. Had he been in the break room that long? He glanced at his watch. It had been almost twenty minutes. He frowned again. They were a little early. Calling them “his” Amish people made him feel a little better, however, and he shot to his feet, hurrying to put away the container of fruit.

  “I’m on my way up there,” he pressed the button and spoke into his microphone.

  “Thought you would be,” Amy’s voice sounded amused. He couldn’t help grinning to himself.

  He adjusted his shirt and quickly washed his hands before returning to the floor.

  He saw a couple he recognized on his way to the front of the store. He smiled at them and felt good that the smile was automatic and natural. They smiled back.

  “Hello, Kenneth,” the tall man said, nodding at him. “How are you today?”

  “I’ll be honest, I didn’t get a lot of sleep, Mr. Graber. I’m a bit grumpy today. How are you doing?”

  “I am well, Danki. What happened to your sleeping that bothered you?”

  Kenny was touched that Mr. Graber’s face looked concerned.

  “Aw, a neighbor’s dog barked all night long. I don’t know what was up with that dog but I kept waking up sporadically and it’s hard for me to get back to sleep once I’m woken up.”

  Mr. Graber nodded. “I understand.”

  “And how are you doing, Mrs. Graber?”

  “I am well, Kenneth. I do hope you are able to sleep better tonight.” She looked at him with gentle eyes. She was much shorter than her husband and a little on the plump side. She had a pleasant face and a warm smile.

  Kenny already felt better. “Is there anything I can help you find today?”

  “We are here for the basics, Kenneth: paper towels, toilet paper and the like. I think we can find what we need on our own. I know you need to get back to work so we won’t bother you.”

  “Mr. Graber, you and your family are never a bother to me. If there’s anything I can do to help you find something, please do let me know.”

  The smiles he received from the couple lifted his mood considerably.

  “Danki, Kenneth, you are a hard worker.”

  Kenny nodded and let them pass to go down the aisle to his right. He looked around for more of the community people. They stayed in the store for about an hour so he had plenty of time to get around and talk to the rest of them. He didn’t know all their names. He’d only introduced himself to a few of them, even though they had been coming into the store for the last five years.

  There was one person he was looking for. The Grabers’ daughter, Eve. She was a few years younger than him and had recently spent six months in the city as part of some kind of vacation she called Rumspringa. It was supposed to allow the young people to decide whether they wanted to live the city life or remain in their community, serving God the way only the Amish did.

  He spotted her near the paper and pens. She was getting supplies for the children in her class. She taught the second graders in her community. He pulled in a deep breath and steadied himself. She didn’t need make-up or modern clothes to look beautiful to him. He’d seen her in modern clothes while she was on Rumspringa. She seemed uncomfortable in jeans and sweaters.

  He moved closer to her, clearing his throat so that he wouldn’t scare her coming up from behind. “Good morning, Eve.” he said. She turned to look at him and smiled brilliantly. Her straight, white teeth flashed at him and he swallowed hard. “How are you doing today?” he forced himself to say.

  “I’m well, Kenneth, Danki for asking. Have you seen Maemm and Datt?”

  “I have.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “You look different. Are you all right?”

  Kenny was amazed at the way the family seemed to look into his soul and see how he was feeling. He grinned. “I was just telling your parents that I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. Neighbor’s dog. Barked all night. Drove me nuts.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that.” The sincerity of her statement grabbed Kenny’s heart. He had made friends with Eve while she was in the city but had not attempted to have a relationship with her. His respect for her and her family was too great.

  “It’s all right. He doesn’t bark like that all the time. I’m hoping he shuts up tonight. I’ll just go to bed early. Probably won’t be able to make it very long past about nine.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “How late do you generally stay up?”

  He shrugged. “Oh, probably about midnight. I’ve got these shows I watch that I don’t like to miss.”

  “Really? You stay up for television?” she giggled.

  “Yeah. Uh, can I help you find anything?”

  Eve looked back at the merchandise lining the aisle. “Not really. I need some flash cards and some pens and paper for my kids.”

  “Nothing extra today?”

  “No.” She looked at him. “You enjoy working here, don’t you, Kenny?”

  It was the first time he had heard her call him Kenny. His nametag said Kenny but the Amish people had always called him Kenneth.

  “Yeah, I like this job a lot.”

  “You are very good at it.”

  He blushed and then blushed harder because he knew he was blushing. Her compliment meant more to him than any he’d received in the past. “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome.”

  “I must confess that I like Thursdays the best. It’s the day your family and community come into the store.”

  “That’s so sweet of you,” Eve smiled again, making his heart jump. The bonnet on her head didn’t hide the long curls of blond that came out and fell softly over her shoulders. Her features were perfect in Kenny’s eyes. No other girl had made him feel so warm inside.

  “It’s my pleasure.”

  “I can’t imagine what could make you feel that way. We are very different from most of your c
ustomers, I would have to assume.”

  “I think that’s just why I feel that way,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about having a store filled with people, you know, worry about stealing and all of that stuff.”

  “Well,” Eve giggled, “we aren’t a perfect people but I think you can guarantee that we won’t be stealing from you. I think I need to get some construction paper. Lots of different colors. Do you have any?”

  He grinned. “Of course we do. Let me take you to the aisle. I think we even have some on sale. Only a dollar for a pretty big pack.”

  “That’s wonderful. I do appreciate it.”

  As they walked side by side to the main aisle and Kenny showed her where the paper was; he couldn’t help thinking about how good she looked, how nice she smelled, and what an incredible young woman she was. His ex-girlfriends had nothing on this young woman. With all their make-up, jewelry and slender figures, they were no match for this pure, wholesome girl. He wondered what she was like when she was on her own. He wondered what it was like to live with her.

  By the time they had reached the clearance aisle, he knew he was going to have to find out. He was going to do whatever he could to find out more about them. Not just the people who regularly came into his store, but also the religion, the culture, and the lifestyle they adhered to.

  The chaos and pain he felt from his past seemed in direct contrast to the way they lived their lives. He didn’t want to deal with the hurt anymore. He wanted to feel the peace he could tell Eve and her family felt. He decided to find out what it was like himself.

  *****

  Kenny pressed the button to unlock his car and pulled the door open. He looked over the top of the car before he got in, lifting one hand to a group of young people approaching the store.

  “Where you off to, Kenny?” One of the girls gave him a wide smile and he thought about how pretty she was. He knew, though, that Amanda wasn’t pretty on the inside. In fact, of all the girls he had dated, she was the coldest of the bunch. Her smile was warm but her eyes said different.

  “I’m heading out to the country,” he replied. “What are you guys doing tonight?”

  Amanda crossed the front of the car and came up close to him. “Oh, we’re just hanging out at Bill’s. Drink a few shots, watch some football.” She poked him lightly in the middle of his chest. “You goin’ on a date?”

  He shook his head, reached up and grasped her hand. He moved it away gently. “No. Just to see some friends. You guys have a good time tonight.” He slid into the front seat of his car and slammed the door shut. He gave the rest of the group a wave and a smile, putting the car in reverse as quickly as he could. He peeled out of the parking lot, enjoying the sound of the tires on the pavement. When he looked in his rear-view mirror, he saw a cloud of dust.

  He smiled. He’d probably covered all of them, Amanda most of all. He couldn’t help but chuckle.

  As he drove to the outskirts of town, where the Amish community started, he thought about what he’d done and felt regret. It was a rude thing he’d done. He shouldn’t have covered them in exhaust and dust.

  By the time he saw the first farmhouse, he was over it. It didn’t matter what he did to those people. They weren’t his friends. Not really. They had each stabbed him in the back at one point or another. That was one of the reasons the Amish appealed to him so much. He didn’t want to participate in their drama-filled Facebook posting lives anymore and he didn’t want it in his own life, either.

  He wondered where Eve lived. He hadn’t thought about the fact that these people were spread out over the countryside, each with their own large farm, large house, barns, stables, chicken houses, gardens…the list went on and on. The land was beautifully maintained.

  Kenny pulled over on the side of the road and looked at the house to his left and the one to his right. He saw a few people tending the land but he didn’t recognize any of them. He sat in the car for a moment, pondering what he should do. Did he want to approach these people, these strangers, and ask them specifically about Eve? How would that look? It wasn’t just her that appealed to him. It was the entire lifestyle.

  He was about to pull back out onto the road when he heard the clip-clop of horse’s hooves. Some of the Amish rode in cars but most of them still used buggies. He glanced in the side mirror, his heart racing. Would they be angry with him? It was a public road, after all. But he was sure it looked a little suspicious for him to be just sitting there, staring at their neighbors. Or perhaps even their homes.

  He felt more anxiety when the buggy slowed down and came to a stop beside him. He pulled in a deep breath and opened his door. He stepped out and looked over the car at the man driving the buggy. He looked older than Kenny, had a nicely trimmed long beard, no mustache and brown wavy hair swept back from his forehead. He was dressed in black pants, black shiny shoes, a white shirt and suspenders.

  “Hello,” he said.

  The man smiled, much to Kenny’s relief. “Hello. Are you broken down? Do you need help?”

  Kenny sighed. Of course they would first think that he needed help. “No. No, thank you, I…” He wasn’t sure what to say. He licked his lips. “I was just passing by and I…thought I’d stop and admire this lovely land.”

  The man’s smile never wavered. “Ah. It is beautiful land here in Corbin’s Creek.”

  “Uh…I was wondering…uh…” He knew he was blushing and wished to the bottom of his heart that he wasn’t. He saw the man’s smile grew wider.

  “Who are you looking for, young man?”

  “My name is Kenny. I was…I work at the Macy’s in town. Some of your neighbors visit there every week. I was just wondering if I…could maybe visit them?” He wondered why he felt like a grade school student in the principal’s office. The thought made him smile.

  “Are you talking about the Yoder family? Or the Grabers?”

  “The Grabers. They have a daughter named Eve, don’t they?”

  The man nodded. “They certainly do. She is one of their daughters. Would you like to leave your car here and allow me to take you to their haus?”

  “It’s safe here, isn’t it?”

  “Of course, my son.”

  Kenny looked down at his car. He nodded. “Okay. Let me get my keys.” He leaned over, reached in and grabbed the keys from the ignition. After he closed the door, he pressed the button on the key fob and the horn honked.

  The man in the buggy chuckled.

  As Kenny pulled himself up into the passenger side, the man said, “My name is Abraham Hochstetler.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you, sir.”

  Abraham smiled and nodded, slapping the reins lightly to make the horses move forward.

  “Do you speak with Eve often?”

  “Only when she comes in town. I don’t know if you…if your community has phones or anything like that. I’ve…never asked.”

  “I assume the Grabers do not know you are coming.”

  “No, sir. I have never asked permission to visit. This is…it’s a spur of the moment type thing.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you…do you think they will be upset that I am just showing up? I mean, I couldn’t call or anything to let them know or ask if it’s all right.”

  “You do not know Eve’s father, Isaiah?”

  “No, sir.”

  “You need not worry. He is a kind man and will welcome you for a visit. We do have a community telephone. A few of the men and women here in Corbin’s Creek have cell phones, also.”

  “Really?”

  “Ya, it is allowed in some cases.”

  “I wouldn’t have guessed that. I admit I know very little about your culture. I am very interested in the…the peace you seem to feel. Eve doesn’t seem to be just happy all the time. I mean, sometimes she doesn’t even look happy at all.”

  Abraham chuckled.

  “But she always seems at peace. Just content, you know, calm.”

  “I understand.�
�

  “How does a person get to that point? I mean, she’s really young. She can’t be older than me. And I wouldn’t think she’s that much younger either. I…I don’t know how old she is.”

  Abraham laughed out loud. “Eve is seventeen years old.”

  “Okay, she’s a few years younger than me. But she doesn’t seem like it. She seems like she has the brain and the outlook of someone much older than she is.”

  “Eve is a special girl.” Abraham slapped the reins lightly again, urging the horses to move a bit faster. “Not all of our young ladies are so content. Do you know what a Rumspringa is?”

  Kenny shook his head. “No, sir.”

  “Every young person in our culture can spend some time in the city to experience what it is like and decide how they want to live their lives. Eve spent two months in the town and did not enjoy herself. She missed her family and the life she was leading here. Some of our other young ladies did not come back. They chose to leave our community for the city and modern vices.”

  Kenneth nodded. “I see.”

  “Many young men and women have returned. I do not wish to give the impression that Eve is the only one. It is just that Eve was the only one who returned with an outlook that resembled no other that I’ve seen. It was as though she left without knowing anything and returned knowing everything.”

  Kenny thought about that for a moment. He wondered what Eve could have gone through that had made her so discontent in the city. “Is your community so much different than the city?”

  “Our ways are vastly different, ya. We all serve our Lord every day of our lives, working hard to maintain our salvation.”

  “What does that mean?” Silently, Kenny hoped he wasn’t bothering Abraham with his ignorance. He studied the man’s profile. He didn’t seem annoyed with the questions.

  Abraham paused before answering, gathering his thoughts to make sure what he said was understandable. “We work the land. We teach each other as a close-knit community, talk amongst ourselves about our personal and community security. We are a very large family. We worship together, work together and pray together. It is very peaceful but it can be difficult. Especially when one is coming from the hustle and bustle of the city.”