My Dearest Naomi

by Jerry

  “You know it will,” Eugene whispered. “All things come to an end. Lonnie claims we young people have no patience.”

  “Then I wish I were old so this would be over with.”

  “I agree,” Eugene said. “And we’ll be old someday. After we have spent many Christmases together just like this. Warm and cozy inside with our children and someday our grandchildren about us.”

  Rosanna stuck her head out of the kitchen. “We could use some help, you know. You guys did help eat all day.”

  Eugene shook his head. “You can have her all winter. I only have her for a few more days.”

  “Spoiled children!” Rosanna muttered, disappearing.

  “I think we’d better go help,” Naomi said, getting to her feet. “I do need to live in this house after you leave. And maybe it’ll take our minds off the fact that you have to leave.”

  * * *

  JANUARY

  * * *

  January 3

  Hi, dearest Naomi,

  It’s after the Christmas holidays, but I don’t have to tell you. I also don’t have to tell you how great and wonderful it was to be with you over the holidays.

  And my, how plans have changed in the past few days! Instead of returning with the school board member’s family as planned, I will soon be on my way to Missouri by Greyhound bus. Who would have thought I would consent to visit a nutrition doctor?

  Mom and Dad had everything arranged when I arrived home, and I didn’t spend much time arguing. As you know, since you helped out—on their side. So I guess I figure why not? I don’t suppose it can do any harm.

  Dad and I are waiting in the Greyhound depot for the bus to St. Louis. Once there, we have to take another bus to the small town where these friends live.

  Servicemen in uniform are all over the place. One serviceman is waiting for the same bus we are. I struck up a conversation with him, and he told me he is headed back to his base after the holidays at home.

  Later…

  We are now on the bus, and you will see the difference in my writing. It’s running all over the place from the bouncing. Fifteen minutes ago we boarded. I was sitting on the bench writing when the announcement came over the intercom, and I made a wild scramble for it. Dad took his merry old time. Turns out this was an early bus, with another one following behind. The driver is very aggressive, swerving around cars, and laying it on.

  I think I’ll try to get some sleep…if I can.

  The time is somewhere between midnight and dawn, and I’m wide awake. How I dislike buses! They whine and carry on, stopping at every little hovel and shack along the road.

  I am sitting beside a girl who is presently asleep. She boarded a couple of stops back, escorted to the bus by her boyfriend. They spent a considerable amount of time kissing goodbye before the girl got on.

  She picked my row to sit in, as I was one of the few with available seats. After she sat down, she apologized for taking my seat. Perhaps she remembered my feet sticking into the aisle, which I had quickly jerked in when she approached. Anyway, I told her I only paid for one seat, so it was okay.

  I asked her if she was married, and she said no but was going to be.

  “I know how that feels,” I said.

  She asked me if I’m engaged, and I said yes.

  “When?” she asked.

  “Not for a while yet,” I said. “And you?”

  “June the fourth,” she said, all chirpy.

  “That’s our month too,” I said.

  She smiled.

  I was rubbing my eyes right then, and she probably thought I was crying, which I have plenty of reason to, but I wasn’t.

  I love you,

  Eugene

  January 4

  My Dearest Eugene,

  It was so good to have you here over the holidays, and almost good enough to make up for the pain of parting afterward.

  I heard that you arrived safely in Missouri. I sure hope the doctor will be able to help. I know you think some of your lows are normal, and you never talk about it much, but it would be great if you could find help. I don’t think such things are totally normal, if you want my opinion on the matter.

  I should have gotten a letter out yesterday, but there was the hymn singing on Sunday evening and lots of other things to do here on the farm. I guess it’s good to stay busy, so I don’t feel so lost.

  Mom had a dentist appointment for me this morning, and I drove in myself. I used our younger horse so I could go faster. He’s still nothing like your horse. My, it was so great to ride with you again while you were home. It made the buggy today feel awfully lonesome and empty. Anyway, there was nothing wrong with my teeth, so they only cleaned them.

  Ada and Mom went on a quick trip into Bloomington this afternoon. Elena Marshall stopped by and said she was going and wondered if we wanted to go along. I would have gone with them, but I already had arrangements to babysit this afternoon.

  Thank you so much for giving me the nice book for Christmas, and for all the other gifts. I know I already thanked you, but seeing them around the room makes me say it again.

  I’m wondering what you’re doing right now. It’s about 11:00 our time, and your appointment is tomorrow, I think. I so hope it goes well.

  I think that maybe this time when you were here was the most wonderful time we have ever spent together.

  I love you so much,

  Naomi

  January 5

  Dearest Naomi,

  God has blessed us with a safe trip so far. We arrived at Dennis and Lucy’s place in Missouri after switching buses in St. Louis. Dennis and Lucy are my parents’ friends who are recommending this doctor. They are also Mennonites, and Dennis is driving us to the doctor’s office.

  It’s quite a distance away, I am told, and right now we’re heading toward Golden City. The doctor’s office is still 200 miles away, down close to the Arkansas border, Dennis said.

  This seems a long way to go for a doctor, but everyone here is singing his praises. From the sounds of what they say, this doctor can do everything from cure cancer to set broken bones so they look like they’ve never been broken. I remain skeptical.

  Soon after we left St. Louis, while still on the bus, I noticed how much I like the countryside around here. It’s beautiful enough to move to—if one would move for such reasons. Mountains would still be nicer, but this is really nice. There are ponds all over the place, even stair-stepping in some spots. I’m not sure what purpose that serves, perhaps it’s part of the farming scheme.

  I hope you can read this. Writing in a moving car isn’t much better than writing in a moving bus.

  Next morning…

  This finds me in Golden City, Missouri. We stopped here for the night with friends of Dennis and Lucy’s. It sure felt good to sleep in a bed again after sitting in that bus all night. I was hoping to see a friend here that I knew from years ago, but he was not home.

  I’m putting the card out for you this morning that I picked up in St. Louis. I’d mail these letters if I had extra envelopes, but I only had one along. This trip wasn’t planned—remember? I think I’ll make a stack of these notes, and mail them all at one time when I arrive back in Iowa.

  Yesterday morning while I was still in St. Louis, I walked down and looked up at the Gateway Arch. It was only a couple blocks away, and I was bored waiting at the depot. Someone sure put a lot of work into that stainless steel arch. It was a beautiful sight in the morning sunlight, though I didn’t go up, as there wasn’t time.

  After I walked back I talked with the newspaper man in front of the depot. He said he was a Jew and thinks he will obtain his salvation by keeping the old Mosaic law. I asked him if he can keep the law, and he said, “No, nobody is that perfect.”

  “Well,” I said, “that’s the point. That’s why Christ came.” He became very interested in selling newspapers after that comment.

  He was interested though in talking about his troubles. He said he came from Texas, and t
his was his first day on his newspaper job. He was doing a good job of it, with his round jolly face and cheerful personality.

  “Want a paper, sir (or ma’am)?” he’d call out when someone walked by. And regardless if they bought one or not, he’d call after them, “Have a good day, now.”

  I asked him if he was married, and he said he was, but divorced. They couldn’t get along because he worked sixteen-hour days. They also had conflicts from religious differences. He said his wife and he argued and argued until he’d had enough of it. His children were becoming nervous, he said. Personally I don’t see how leaving them improved the situation, but I didn’t offer my opinion.

  He said child support now costs him 500 dollars a month, which is a lot of money. He’s behind in the payments, which is understandable since he’s been out of a job for some time.

  When I boarded the bus, I sat beside an older lady who began pouring out her troubles before we reached the edge of town. For forty-eight hours she had been traveling already, she said, and had lost her second suitcase. Actually it wasn’t lost, the suitcase was accidentally placed on another bus by the driver.

  She wasn’t able to get the connections she needed and had to change bus lines to make better time. Her home is in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and she is going to Denver, Colorado, where her son lives with his girlfriend.

  At one of the bus stops she sent me in for a soda and gave me enough money to buy one for myself. I guess the soda was a reward for listening to her troubles.

  At 10:30...

  Here I am again, waiting at the bus depot at Springfield, Missouri, the doctor’s visit behind me. Dad left on an earlier bus, so I’m alone now. I didn’t get to see any cancer cured or legs made whole, but the doctor does think I suffer from low blood sugar. “Hypoglycemia” is the fancy Englisha name for it. The doctor has sent me on my way with strict diet instructions in my pocket and a six week’s supply of food supplements.

  I have mailed another postcard here in Springfield, this one with the arch in Saint Louis pictured, framed in a sunset scene for background. I liked it a lot and hope you also do.

  I will have a four-hour layover in St. Louis, but that was the only connection I could arrange which makes Trenton by tomorrow morning. School is scheduled to start then. I’m keeping the schedule, since we’re on a tight one, and will be for the rest of the year. My bus leaves St. Louis at 1:15 a.m., and arrives in Mt. Pleasant at 5:30 a.m. I called Lonnie and Luella from a pay phone, and they will pick me up there. I really hate to make them come out that early in the morning, but so it goes.

  In case you don’t know what low blood sugar is—and I didn’t either—this is how it was explained to me. Your body needs sugar, which you take in by eating, and all is well and good. But what if there is excess sugar ingested? In such cases, the properly functioning pancreas will put out insulin, which burns off the excess sugar. In a malfunctioning pancreas, too much insulin is released, which drives the blood sugar down to unhealthy levels, leaving you kaput. Hence depression.

  The solution is to keep your sugar levels low enough where the pancreas doesn’t overreact. This makes sense to me, though it means there are diet days ahead. Sugar, red meat, and white flour are to be eliminated—at least from what I can see looking over the diet list. I will give it to Luella when I arrive back in Trenton, and she can do with it what she wishes.

  Now, here is the wacky stuff. The doctor said the brain has seven parts, and in some people parts have been damaged. To check your brain status you relax, close your eyes, and picture these colors as someone reads them off to you. You have to be able to see all of the colors: red, orange, yellow, sky blue, dark blue, green, and purple. To his satisfaction, I could picture all of them. I have no idea what would be done if one couldn’t.

  With all my heart,

  Eugene

  January 5

  My dearest Eugene,

  Your mom stopped by this morning to tell us your dad was home and that the doctor thinks you have a severe case of low blood sugar. I was very happy to hear they found out what the trouble was, or is, and I sure hope you stick to the special diet the doctor placed you on. Would you write me with the details? Mom would also like to know. She is having trouble with the same thing—she thinks. But of course, she won’t go to the doctor. The other morning she nearly fainted getting out of bed, so please take care of yourself. I so wish I could be there to see that you do.

  Yesterday Katie stopped by with the news that our grandparents on mom’s side are coming tomorrow for a day’s visit. Then today we received a letter from Grandma saying they are coming tonight and planning to stay overnight. One of their Mennonite nieces is driving. Well, they aren’t here yet, so I suppose Katie will be proven correct.

  Mom wondered if she and your mom could go over our wedding guest list and see if there aren’t some people we could leave out. I think I’m going to forget about inviting my married cousins, as I never was very close to them anyway. Mom thinks there are way too many guests. So if it’s okay with you, I’ll let them decide things, as I don’t mind. But I’m not saying we’ll let them kick off all the people they want to.

  I’m about a third of the way through the book you gave me. I like it so far.

  Don’t forget to take care of yourself. I’m a little worried that you won’t, if you haven’t detected that yet.

  Lovingly,

  Naomi

  January 6

  Dearest Naomi,

  A welcomed letter arrived from you today, the first since I arrived back. I was hoping you would write on Monday, but it’s understandable that you didn’t. Anyway, you lifted my spirits, especially after another separation. The months ahead loom pretty high, but Lonnie laughs at me when I moan and complain. I guess older people have a different perspective about time.

  We’ve had two days of school now with only thirteen students in attendance each day. Sharon, Dakota, Norman, Dawn, and Lydia are still in Florida, where it is sunny, I assume, unlike around here. The lower numbers make for less work now, but when they come back the trouble will start.

  You should have seen all the glum faces in school on the first day back. They were enjoying their Christmas vacation too much, I guess. Life is what it is. By today though, the eighth graders were in a good mood again. Yesterday you could have fried eggs on their scowls.

  Lonnie and Luella picked me up on time at the bus stop, which isn’t a surprise. They are a very nice couple. Luella demanded to see my diet sheet at once, and she got busy right away studying the instructions with great diligence. She has already banished all red meat, sugar, and white flour from my diet. The woman has no mercy. She said poor Lonnie also may end up suffering and that he needs a good diet himself.

  The poor man was the look of misery tonight while staring at what was on the table, but I suppose he will survive. This may turn out to be a worse thing for him than when his grandchildren come. At least they go home when the weekend is over.

  Luella’s taking control of this diet feels good to me. I was wondering how I would ever manage on my own, since the diet is strict. I can see though, that I already feel better, and that’s after being on the diet for a few days. That could be all my imagination, I know, but we’ll hope not. Wouldn’t that be great, feeling well all the time? That’s not a life I know a whole lot about, I guess. I’ve learned to live with ups and downs.

  I miss you much,

  Eugene

  January 7

  My beloved Eugene,

  I’m so lonely I could have bawled all day, and I don’t look forward to the weekend at all. Other than the wonderful visit from Grandpa and Grandma and your letters, this must have been one of the longest weeks I’ve ever lived through.

  Yesterday my cousin Barbara drove in with her car around 9:30, with Grandpa, Grandma, and Malinda along. It was such a joy to see them all climbing out. Mom and I raced to give them all hugs, and we talked on the lawn for the longest time. Barbara doesn’t wear a covering anymore, and sh
e doesn’t dress Amish either, so that was the disappointment of the day.

  They stayed overnight and were here until 2:00 in the afternoon. Malinda wanted to visit our school, since she teaches this year, so Rosanna and I went along. She said she was looking for pointers to improve her own teaching. I think she liked the way things were run, but she said they were doing things about the same as she’s used to. She did say she’s quite troubled by the fact that she still doesn’t get along very well with her co-teacher but doesn’t know what to do about it.

  So I enjoyed their visit, but my highlight today was definitely your second letter and first postcard. I’m so glad the doctor in Missouri turned out to be of some good. Your comments were funny about the expectations they had of him, but you can be thankful he was of some help. Grandma said she wants to know how you get along. They scared me with tales of what diabetics go through, which is what you become if your low blood sugar gets too bad and the pancreas stops working. I think you probably know all this, but it was the first I had heard the information. So please take care of yourself.

  The sewing was Wednesday evening for the young folks, and then last night the Millers invited us over for supper. Both events would have been better if you had been here, but I still enjoyed them.

  Your trip sounded very interesting with the different people you met and the lovely scenery. How I would have loved to be along, but I’d better not think on that too much or the tears will start again.

  Take care of yourself now and stay on that diet.

  I love you,

  Naomi

  January 7

  My dearest Naomi,

  Luella told me that your mom sent her a note along with the Christmas present I brought back. In the note your mom said she hopes the next four months go by as fast as the past four months have. I tell you, older people do have a different perspective on things. Four months? A short time? I guess that’s why they can’t understand why young people are always in such a hurry.