My Dearest Naomi

by Jerry

  March 23

  Hi, dearest Naomi,

  At school we’re trying to get everything arranged so the studies come out right at the end of the year. At present, I still don’t know when the last day of school will be, so that might affect things. I should also review some of the subjects. Getting through the books sooner rather than later would be for the best, if I can manage.

  If the school board agrees to the closing date I hope for, I will be coming home April 30. If not, then the week after. If I hadn’t lost the two days in January when I went to the doctor in Missouri, the thirtieth would be a sure thing. But that’s how things go, and the trip was well worth it. I used to wonder why other people didn’t battle with depression as I did, since everyone seemed so happy. Now I know, and it feels good to avoid those crushing lows.

  Tonight is Bible study as usual. Each week brings me closer to being with you and walking the roads of home. In the night hours I can imagine your eyes lit up with love and can hear your voice speaking to me. I awaken in sorrow to know that it’s just a dream. But soon, my darling, it will not be.

  Thursday evening…

  This finds me home from school and reading your wonderful letter. Not that it takes the place of your presence, but it helps. The fancy stationary was nice. You’ve never used that kind before. Are you preparing me for the homecoming? A forewarning of all your sweetness and tender love?

  You’re likely to fall over from shock at this news, but I am getting along much better with the eighth-grade girls. I’m still puzzled as to the reason, but that’s not surprising. I know one thing, it makes for a much more pleasant atmosphere without two grumpy girls stalking the schoolhouse.

  Last night the Bible study was held fifty miles from here, which entailed a long drive down. I traveled in a station wagon with three other boys, the driver being the fellow who is taking me to Chicago on Saturday.

  We must have all had the talking urge because we jabbered like a bunch of girls all the way down and back. Before we crawled into the car to come back, there was a snowball fight in the yard with the youth from the other vehicles. Sort of a strange ending to a Bible study, but it was fun.

  Tonight there will be a volleyball game for the youth. Enjoyable, indeed, and it helps make the evening go faster. There is little to do around the house, and since I have no car or buggy, where could I go?

  Friday evening…

  I’m in a rush tonight trying to get ready for the school auction, which starts in an hour.

  I was surprised to find a letter from you today. So you must have decided to write on Wednesday instead of Thursday.

  So you think I should keep the lineless pages. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t have changed if I hadn’t wanted to. I was getting bored with the blank pages, and this helps keep the writing straighter. Also, the pages fill up faster.

  Sharon has been back in school for the past two days and is catching up nicely. She returned all tanned and cheery from her stay in Florida. I’ll finish checking her back work over the weekend. Her grades certainly haven’t suffered from what I’ve checked so far. That’s not surprising. She’s a smart girl.

  Sweet dreams,

  Eugene

  March 26

  My dearest Eugene,

  I don’t want you to tell anyone this, but Robert and Beth have plans for the middle of May this year, and Adam and Brenda for the last part of May, which leaves the first part of June open for us without interfering with anyone else. Does that sound okay for a wedding date?

  Brenda also wants us to be table waiters at her wedding. I told her that I can’t imagine you would object, but let me know if you do. And again, not even a whisper of this to anyone. Mom was only told because of the need to coordinate the use of Wayne Helmuth’s place as the wedding site.

  The new girl, Sarah, and I had a long talk Sunday night after the hymn singing. She was so sympathetic with my tale of loneliness and said she thinks you must be a wonderful person. I told her she was right. I am thankful for a friend who truly seems to understand what I’m going through.

  Rumor has it that Sarah was dumped by her boyfriend in their old community. I have a hard time imagining that. She is quite a stunning beauty and handles herself very well around boys. Much better than I do. I think it’s more likely she dumped him.

  I liked the “dingle” poem, and I could understand it just fine. I dreamed last night that you arrived home, and it was so good to see you again.

  Sometimes I think I’ll go berserk with all the wedding stuff, and you not here to talk things over with. Plus, my sisters act like it’s their wedding with all their advice and criticism. I finally teased Rosanna and Betsy that if they keep this up, they won’t be invited.

  Sunday…

  This was fast day prior to communion, so some of us didn’t eat breakfast. It does the soul good, I think—the afflicting part, even when I got a headache out of the deal.

  I forgot to mention yesterday that I got that tricky letter of yours. Mom brought in the mail and told me there was no letter for me. I calmly accepted the fact since it fit the day anyway, then Mom opened her letter from Luella, and you had mailed yours along with hers. That wasn’t very nice, but the letter was.

  Larry and Delmar from out your way will need vests for their role as table waiters. Can you find out if they have black suits? I hope so because nothing else will look very good with brown shirts.

  Well, so long.

  I miss you awfully,

  Naomi

  March 27

  My greatly loved Naomi,

  Whoopee! I get to come home the last week of April. Let the day come! And just four more Sundays without you, and then we’ll be together!

  I won’t have put in the amount of school days I need, but the board said I have done favors for them, so they can do one for me. This goes against my sense of responsibility, but they said I shouldn’t allow the missed days to bother me. So I won’t, but I will rather think of seeing you.

  Last night I was at the chairman of the school board’s house for supper. They invited the other two board members, but only one could come. We talked about the school year and how we first met. One of them said they were scared when I was hired that I would turn out to be an Amish boy out on a wild spree of some kind.

  I can see the reason for the fear, but it was quite groundless, as you well know.

  The chairman’s wife brought out the letter I had written inquiring about the job and asked me if I wanted them to read it out loud. I said, “Sure.”

  When she was done one of them said, “I always liked that he asked about wages last.”

  We all laughed, and I left them uninformed of the fact I had done so on purpose. Not that money was a big concern to me, but it’s amazing what will impress people.

  This afternoon I’m going up to Saul’s place where four of us boys have gotten a wild idea into our heads—we will sing together as a quartet. And I can’t even sing that well. Saul’s girls claim we blend well, but I don’t believe them. Plus, it takes more than blending together. One must also be able to carry a tune.

  Tonight there is a pizza supper for the young folks, and I will attend, even though I can’t eat a lot of pizza—just a piece or so.

  Monday evening...

  I have finished filing my income tax. Yes, I must still do so in the state of Iowa. I have been waiting for the state forms from Indiana because I must file in both states, and those arrived today.

  The preschool students were in attendance today for the first time. They do that here—the next year’s first graders attend for the last month. All of them were really quiet, coloring in their books and looking around the room like they were scared half to death.

  We left for the maple sugar camp this morning around 9:00, arriving back after 11:00 sometime. The farm gave us a tour of the place. It’s set back in the hills north of here, with miles of tubing running from tree to tree and then down to the boiling vats.

  They gave us samples on th
e way out, and I even tasted a small bit of the sweetness. No negative reaction so far, but I’ll have to watch such temptations carefully.

  Tonight on the walk home from school some of Saul’s clan approached in their pickup truck. They asked if I wanted to accompany them. There was a skunk caught in a trap, and they were on the way to shoot it. I said “Sure” and leaped into the truck.

  They raced across the bumpy field to a ravine where the trap was. I stayed on the truck to watch the action, but even then the smell drifted up to me. Hopefully a bath and a new change of clothing will knock out the smell. But I have no way of telling since Luella isn’t home to ask, and one could hardly smell himself under such circumstances.

  This evening there is a birthday party for Erma, Saul’s youngest girl. That means I’ll be out tonight and tomorrow night as well.

  Hang tight there. I should be home soon.

  With much love,

  Eugene

  March 30

  My dearest Naomi,

  Here I am again. Just the same old thing and the same longing to be home.

  I had been getting reports from some of the students about note passing during school hours. No names, just whispers at recess time and over lunch. I figured most schools have such things, and I can’t be watching them all the time in order to catch it.

  Still, I went through the desks tonight and found piles of notes in Jackie and Dakota’s desks. Beats me why they didn’t destroy them since they surely heard the same whispers I heard.

  None of the other desks had any, so I figured that was about the extent of things. Both of them sit toward the back and across from each other. I kept a good eye on them today and didn’t see any note passing, but they were cutting up quite a bit, which had to be distracting to the students around them trying to study.

  I decided to handle it by moving both girls’ desks up front. They didn’t have anything to say but hung their heads and complied.

  Lester then pops up and said he didn’t pass any notes. I said, “That’s good to hear, but I didn’t say you did.”

  Dakota quickly raised her hand and said that Lester had passed notes.

  I asked, “Have you got the note?”

  She said, “Yes,” and produced it from her tablet.

  I took the note and read it out loud: “Quit fooling around with me, Jackie and Dakota.”

  “Well,” I said, “Lester shouldn’t have been passing notes, but perhaps he was just trying to be nice instead of tattling to the teacher when the girls disturbed him.”

  Lester vigorously nodded his head, and no one commented further. The logic was pretty obvious for all to see. To be certain though, I said he could stand up and apologize, as well as Jackie and Dakota, but that his seat would stay where it was. I don’t know if I did the right thing, as it’s hard being prosecutor, judge, and jury.

  Oh, I had a misquote in my last letter. We didn’t go to a young folks gathering last night, it was a family deal, which turned out to be just as much fun.

  Thursday…

  Lonnie and Luella’s grandchildren have been here all week. Luella is enjoying herself to the fullest, and I’m getting a taste of what happens when the grandchildren are around. The quality of care definitely goes downhill. Lonnie looked glum at the kitchen table all week, which I think keeps his food service from completely falling off the cliff. Mine is still okay, so don’t worry. I don’t need much anyway.

  I did get my shins kicked under the table by swinging feet until I learned to keep them out of the way.

  The calendar in my room was just turned over to the month of April. Ah…the last one to turn before I see your face again. Yippee! Christmas seems like another world away, so long ago and so distant.

  This week has been hectic at school, with the rush on to complete the books and the children’s minds on little else but getting out of those four walls. I take deep breaths, and I vow that we will make it somehow.

  I caught Dawn cheating today again. Last week she tried cheating on her spelling words, so this time I talked with her and asked if she didn’t know it was wrong to cheat. She claimed, amidst great sobs, that she had never heard of such a thing. I pitied her, as she seemed half scared out of her wits when I called her up to my desk during recess time.

  I sent a note home with her sister Dakota, explaining things to her mom. Hopefully another talk at home about the evils of cheating will do the trick. The school year is almost over, so I didn’t take any drastic steps. I told her we’d have to take further steps if this should happen again. Hopefully a blowup is preventable, as I will try my hardest to avoid it.

  Tonight is a volleyball game in the gym, and then Sunday the young folks singing. The very last one I will attend before I leave for home. A very sweet thought indeed.

  I’ve written another poem for you. I hope you like it.

  See you in the near future,

  Eugene

  Of You

  Thinking, musing, longing,

  Hoping, sighing, wishing,

  Pondering on how sweet you are,

  Wishing you were not so far

  Away from me, our miles apart,

  Still bring you closer to my heart.

  Sorrow mines my heart away,

  With pain from day to day.

  Leaving all that space to fill,

  Emptiness that never will

  Be full and life complete,

  Until our hearts again will meet.

  * * *

  APRIL

  * * *

  April 1

  My dearest, dearest Eugene,

  Thank you for the wonderful Easter card. It’s so beautiful, and the words inside just wonderful. I also received a letter from you. My lucky day indeed, I think.

  I thought this was going to be another boring day, but it has turned out quite differently. Mom and Dad are on a trip to northern Indiana for communion church. They went to fill the carload, and we’re doing the chores by ourselves. We’re done now with the morning work and casting about for something to do for the rest of the day since it’s Good Friday.

  Lo and behold, I decided I was going to have some of the girls over. I hitched the horse to the buggy and was off to spread the invitations, rushing back home to get ready. Your sisters came, plus Kathy, Martha, Lora, Susie, Julia, Diane, and, of course, Sarah. We had the most glorious time making pizza and taffy this afternoon. Then everyone’s brothers arrived for the evening. Sarah is the star of the show these days, charming everyone’s socks off. I can’t believe one of the boys hasn’t asked her home yet. She is everything I wish to be.

  We ended up singing songs for thirty minutes after the pizza was finished and eaten. Taffy pulling came after that. You should have been here. It was absolutely hilarious pulling the gooey stuff around with our hands. Your sisters outdid themselves trying to get the biggest pieces. You have a great family, and they seem to like me.

  It was such a fun day, and I still can’t believe I pulled it off. Maybe being the oldest in the family has something to do with my fear that it would all be a flop. But it wasn’t at all. It left me with such a good feeling that everyone enjoyed themselves.

  Joseph Burkholder asked me Sunday after the hymn singing when your school lets out. I said, “The last week of April!” grinning and punching my fist into my hand a couple of times.

  He laughed at that.

  Then Sarah said, “Yeah, when he comes home she’s going to smile her ears off.”

  There was another burst of laugher after that.

  Sarah added, “She’ll smile so much her teeth will get brown from sunburn!”

  I’m glad that you and those gals are getting along better. Don’t get upset if they still have their grumpy days.

  I squealed with delight when you said you’d be home by the end of April, and that it will only be four more Sundays.

  Mom said, “See, I told you it’d be here before you know it.”

  Don didn’t want to attend the singing Sunday night, so
I drove myself. Darrell went with Harvey’s young folks, even though it made things crowded for them. I guess I thought it would look more appropriate. Plus, I didn’t want to make you jealous again.

  I was so lonely for you all evening that I didn’t feel like smiling to anyone. The girls seated on both sides of me were busy talking after the hymn singing, so I decided to leave early. Plus the steadies had all marched out, making me feel even more unhappy.

  One of your brothers and Adam helped me hitch the horse to the buggy, which was nice of them. They even checked the harness and tightened it. Somehow it had slipped back. I think Don had warned me that it slips back, but I had forgotten.

  I told them, “Don mentioned not to drive fast lest the harness slip back.”

  Adam said matter-of-factly, “You’re not supposed to drive fast period.”

  I laughed but it was a long, lonely drive home. I think the next time Don can’t go, I will take Darrell along for company. Don’t worry, I’m not serious…just lonely. Rest assured that he means nothing romantic to me.

  The only excitement on the way home was the horse acting up. He likes to pull hard on the lines when it’s cold, and even Don has a rough time hanging on. If Dad knew how he acts, he probably wouldn’t allow me to drive alone, but I think it’s fun.

  I love you,

  Naomi

  April 1

  Hi, dearest Naomi,

  I opened your Easter card and read the letter. It’s so good to hear from you.

  Tell Betsy and Rosanna to stop pestering you.

  The news around here is that Amanda quit the boy she was dating. I guess he was a little too pushy from the get-go, asking her on their first date whether she would be willing to move to Arkansas. I would have a hard time imagining any of Saul’s girls moving anywhere. I guess true love could provide the motivation, but this apparently wasn’t of that kind.

  Janie is the oldest of Saul’s girls, and she has never dated that I know of. She’s quite strong in her opinions against marriage. We’ve had frequent arguments, with Janie warning me that I’m getting into deep trouble by marrying you, that marriage is nothing but problems one had best avoid. I don’t know where she gets those ideas, as her family is very loving.