The Search for Grandma Sparkle

by Darlene Miller

  Sarah wondered if it was the same brick vault that her Grandfather Mark had spoken about.

  Dave said, “You know that the miners were paid with gold and silver. Of course, the money owed the store was deducted from their wages.” . . . Dave continued, “Over there was the White House Hotel,” He pointed to where a foundation was crumbling into dust. Someone had placed a wooden brown deer in the area that looked so real that Tom had taken a photo of it.

  We returned to the pickup and followed a grassy lane around a bend that became a fenced off area with cemetery stones. The sign read “Buxton Cemetery”. Beneath the sign you could read hundreds of names.

  “That is the colored cemetery,” Dave said, “Hundreds of black miners worked here. They were paid the same wages as the white miners. Although the Swedes kept pretty much to themselves, the other white miners integrated the schools, churches and even the YMCA. That was unheard of in the early 1900’s. It’s sad to say but there are more people in the cemeteries than in the homes in this area.”

  They drove down more dusty roads to where Dave said the road was called “Dead Man’s Curb-”

  “What’s that?” Sarah interrupted.

  In the distance a plume of gray dust or smoke was twirling skyward. Then the dust, or whatever it was, turned black.

  “It looks like someone is burning brush but we can check it out. It might be a fire out of control.”

  In the distance, they saw figures sitting on stumps watching the fire burn in a clearing but it looked like it was going to burn the cabin near it.

  “Call 911! Dave yelled at Sarah.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  The temperature was 100 degrees on the thermometer in the shack. With high humidity it felt like at least 110 degrees. Opal remembered when she was a child, her mother had taken her to the opening of a coal mine to play. Because the temperature underground was much cooler, the opening had a cloudy white mist that came from it. The danger, if a child returned to the mine without an adult to supervise, was that they could go deeper into the mine and get lost or go into unsafe areas that contained methane gas. How I wish there was an open mine near here. Of course, I’d have to be able to walk there, Opal thought.

  She looked around the cabin at the shelves that held their food supply. There was only one can of soup left. How long could they survive without food since they had so little to eat for days?

  She shook her head negatively and wondered what to do. Was anyone still looking for her and Jessica, or had they given up? Did they believe that there wasn’t any use looking because they wouldn’t find them alive? Spying the tin box that only held two matches, a thought flashed through her mind. What would happen if I set the place on fire? What is the penalty for pyromania? Would they put a 72 year-old woman in jail? Yes, she had an irresistible impulse to start a fire to destroy property but the old building couldn’t be worth much. What would happen if she made restitution? If she couldn’t pay for it, she would just have to make George pay for it.

  Why didn’t she think of this earlier? It just wasn’t her natural inclination to think outside the box her morals had put her into. Now she justified it by thinking, I am 72 years old. Even though this would make me a pyromaniac would anyone prosecute me under the circumstances? No matter what happens, I need to save Jessica.

  She realized that she needed to make the fire big enough to be seen for miles but not put the timber on fire. She didn’t want to burn herself and Jessica or any crops which might be over the hill. She surely couldn’t walk or run away if the trees caught on fire. Thank God that it had rained again last night so it wouldn’t likely be a wildfire.

  Maybe it would be better to burn the furnishings and save the cabin. If she could haul stuff out into the clearing by the barn that was falling down, then if no one spotted the fire, they would at least have shelter when it rained again. It would be far enough from the pump to save it and their supply of water but how long could they live on one can of soup?

  No, with my foot the way it is, it would take me hours to haul stuff to the clearing at least a quarter of a mile away. It would be better if I drag stuff, that will make black smoke, into the clearing. She took off the tablecloth skirt since her own clothes were dry. Then she took twine ropes to tie branches under the tablecloth to make a travois sled like the Indians used to use to move their stuff. No, it would be better to use the oilcloth tablecloth that had been on the table when she came here. It was stronger and would probably burn longer with more smoke since it had stuff on it that she couldn’t wash off.

  She looked at the sun. It had taken at least an hour for her and Jessica to gather stuff and haul it to the clearing and then return to the cabin. She stopped for a cup of water. If she made the fire when traffic was heaviest since the factory workers were coming home from Ver Meers and Pella Corp, to Marysville, Bussey, and Lovilla; surely someone would see it. That would be about four o’clock. It would help if she knew exactly where she was. Maybe she could keep feeding the fire until dark to have it be noticed. It was too late today. Tomorrow would be the day.

  The next morning, she and Jessica explored the outdoors to see what else she could find. She pulled some roofing tiles off the barn that was falling down. The tiles, when the barn burnt, plus two old rotten tires, would make black smoke.

  It appeared to be about four o’clock and time to put her plan into action. She wet the two dish towels to use as face masks if needed. Good. The wind was blowing from the west so she and Jessica would go to the south, away from the cabin. She took Jessica’s hand and told her that they were going to make a bonfire like when they went camping. Jessica had never gone camping but did know what a bonfire was.

  “Can we have marshmallows,” the little girl asked? “I don’t have marshmallows,” her great-grandmother answered, “but we will see a pretty fire.” She didn’t add that she hoped that it would produce the effect of attracting help because she didn’t know if anyone would see it or just think that it was another brush fire and ignore it.

  With trembling hands, she struck the match to the papers she had found, including the wrappers from the cans of food. They started the twigs on fire and then started the wood, coal and rags made from the curtains.

  They sat down on a log not too far from the fire and away from the climbing flames. The flames crackled, roared and rose to a height above the tree tops.

  “Please God,” she prayed. “Please send someone to help us.”

  About fifteen minutes later they heard sirens coming their way. It was so easy. Why hadn’t she thought of this sooner?

  Before Opal could see the fire truck, she saw a pickup truck coming down the rutted lane. She heard a piercing scream of relief and joy calling, “Grandma Sparkle”, before she saw that it was Sarah and a young man jumping out of the truck and running to her and Jessica. It was hard to hug them without standing but Opal managed a sitting hug. Sarah hugged her, picked up Jessica and danced with her laughing and crying at the same time. Opal looked at the young man who was with Sarah. “Who are you?” she asked.

  Grandma, “This is my friend Tom Hager from college,” Sarah answered with a twinkle in her eye. “He has been helping me look for you.”

  Firemen from Lovilla and Attica responded to the 911 call from Sarah and Tom.

  “What are you doing here,” the smiling fireman asked? “I can see that you are the lost people we have been looking for the past two weeks.” Another fireman blurted, “We thought that you were dead,” when another volunteer fireman poked him in the ribs. “Shut up you —-.”

  “Are you okay, Mam?” the first fire fighter asked solicitously?

  Then he answered his own question. “I can see that your leg and foot are hurt.”

  “I think my foot and ankle are broken because I’ve had severe pain. I’m really hungry. I have probably lost several pounds. . . . Do you have a radio in the truck? We need to tell my family that we are found.”

  “Yes, Mam.” He answered.


  “This is Dispatch calling Attica Fire Station. We have found Opal Spoolstra and the little girl. . . . We have a . . . Yes, they seem to be okay except for the old lady who has a very swollen and black and blue ankle and foot. The fire is a brush fire that also totaled a vacant barn and junk that was lying around here. We can put out the fire without further assistance . . . The EMT is here. Just a minute.”

  He stopped talking on the two-way radio to speak to Opal. “Where do you want to go to the hospital?” Then he returned to his walkie talkie conversation. . . . Okay, the hospital in Knoxville is fine. I will call ahead so that the emergency personal will be ready to see to that ankle. Be sure to notify the family. I know that Jessica will want to see her mother.”

  Jessica’s eyes grew large and brightened. “Really? I’m going to see Mommy!” She danced and sang. “Can I go home?”

  “Well little lady. We want the doctor or nurse practitioner to examine you in the hospital but we will have your mommy go to the hospital right away to see you. Your mommy will probably get there before we do.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Susan walked into the Emergency Room just as Opal was being transported on the gurney down the hall. Sarah and her boy friend were holding Jessica between them as they followed the gurney.

  Suddenly, Jessica spied Susan.

  “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, I’m so happy to see you. Why are you crying?

  Jessica ran to her mother and jumped into her arms.

  “Me and Grandma went on a venture but I cried for you.”

  The nurse said, “Here is the room where we will examine the little girl. Please wait here.”

  Susan sat down in the chair beside the bed while Jessica sat on her lap and clung to her. She tightened her arms around the little girl. Even though Jessica needed a bath and her hair shampooed, she looked so sweet and it felt so good to hold her again!

  The doctor entered the room and motioned to the examining table. “How about both of you sitting on this bed? Then I’ll push a button to make it go high. I want to take a really good look at you.”

  Jessica answered, “That’s okay if Mommy can hold me.”

  “Now can you both lie down on the bed?”

  “Okay. Will you hurt me?”

  “No, I just want to look at you. Did anybody hurt you?”

  “No, but Charlie dropped Granny. Her foot hurts bad.”

  “What did you have to eat?”

  Jessica turned to the doctor to answer the question. “Cold soup. Water, crackers and peanut butter.” Jessica pulled a funny face. “I don’t like cold soup.”

  “What did you do when you were with your grandmother in the cabin?”

  “Granny told me stories. We stayed in an old house and pretended it was the old days. The house had no bathroom. I seen some turkeys and deer and I can write my name. We ate cold soup. I was a good girl and I helped Granny.”

  “I’m glad that you were a good girl. How did you help Granny?” her mother asked.

  “I got things for her cause she couldn’t walk much. I got her sticks to help her walk. I learned to write my name. We made turkeys on the board.”

  The doctor turned to Susan. “Jessica may be a bit dehydrated but she seems to be just fine. Give her plenty of fluids. Call me if you notice anything wrong. I’m going to release her.”

  “Can we see Grandma Sparkle now?” Jessica asked.

  The nurse said, “I think that they are finished with the examination and are waiting for her to go to X-ray for her ankle and foot. You can go in there with your mother but you must not run or make noise.”

  They went to the adjoining room where Grandma Sparkle was lying on the bed. “Are you okay, Grandma? I was just telling mommy about our venture.”

  “Do you mean adventure?”

  “Yeah. Granny made me a butterfly dress.”

  Susan looked at her grandmother with a quizzical look that said, how did you do that?

  Opal answered. “I took two dish towels that had been embroidered with butterflies and tea pots and sewed them together at the top corners so we could wash the clothes she was wearing.”

  “I’m hot.” Jessica declared. “Can I get something cold to drink?” Susan looked at the doctor who nodded his head affirmatively. After drinking some Pedialyte, eating a fruit pop cycle and slurping a chocolate milk shake, she contentedly fell asleep in her mother’s arms.

  An IV was placed in Opals left arm before she was taken downstairs for X-rays. The doctor then gave the order for Opal to be admitted so she was moved again, this time to a private room. Opal smelled the wonderful smell of coffee as she passed the nurses station. “I really need some coffee and pain meds too.” The nurse hurried to ask the doctor if Opal was NPO for surgery. She returned with the coffee and a message that Opal could eat and drink whatever she wanted until midnight. Since it was a little after six o’clock and there remained a supper from a patient who was released, Opal was given the unclaimed meal of beef, mashed potatoes and green beans. Anything besides soup sounded good.

  The doctor returned to the room and spoke with George, Nancy, Susan, Sarah. Little Jessica was still asleep in her mother’s arms.

  “Jessica is just fine and is released to go home. The X-ray shows Opal’s bones are broken in two places. We will do surgery in the a.m. that will probably require a steel plate or pins to hold the bones together.”

  “How long will she have to be here?” Nancy asked.

  “We’ll see how she responds to the surgery.” the doctor answered.

  In the meantime, the sheriff came to the room for questioning. Opal was sleepy with the pain meds that had been given to her and was unable to answer many questions.

  The next morning George said “I can’t stand hospitals and I want Nancy to stay home too. Susan and Sarah can go to the hospital to wait in the waiting room until surgery is over. Then they can call us.”

  “Jessica will stay with me!” Susan demanded. It was against hospital policy but in the circumstances of Jessica’s separation from her mother it was decided that she could stay as long as she was quiet and didn’t disturb others. “If she starts to run around and is noisy, you will have to go home,” the nurse reminded her.

  “Has anyone called Aunt Mary?” Susan asked.

  “Yes, I called her last night to tell her that Grandma Sparkle and Jessica are safe and about Grandma’s surgery.” Sarah answered.

  She continued, “Aunt Mary said that she and her children, Kari and Ryan, plan to take a ferry boat that the Alaska Marine Highway runs from Whittier to Bellingham, Washington. Then they will take a bus to Seattle. There they will take a train, or several trains, to Ottumwa, Iowa. I promised to pick them up from the railroad station.”

  “That’s a long trip. Why don’t they just fly?” Nancy asked.

  “Aunt Mary doesn’t like to fly. I suppose it’s because she is too fat for the seats. Besides, this will be an unforgettable adventure for the eight and ten-year-old kids. Yes, it will take a long time since it will take a week just to get Bellingham, Washington.”

  Susan said, “It is already the end of July and it will take a couple of weeks to get here. Will it be too late for them to return the same way?”

  Sarah smiled. It was good to have the old Susan back. Aunt Mary said that Uncle Pete would fly down. He plans to buy a new car and drive his family back to Alaska.

  Nancy interjected, “They must not be hurting for money.”

  George decided to go home since he “had work to do”. Nancy decided to stay with her daughters rather than be at home like her husband requested. “What will people say if they learn that we aren’t there?” was her response to her husband.

  Two hours after Opal was returned to her room from the recovery room, a detective knocked on the door. “I’m Bob Watson,” he said. “The sheriff asked me to stop by and see how Opal was doing.” Susan, Jessica, Nancy and Sarah were introduced.

  “What can you tell us about how you got to the cabin?” Bob Watson, the
law officer asked Opal.

  “I don’t remember.” was Opal’s groggy answer. “I remember everything from the flat tire to eating at McDonalds but can’t remember anything from then on to waking up in the cabin.”

  When she tried to describe the young man, Opal said, “He is small and probably still in his teens, had short blond hair, wore a baseball cap and dark sun glasses. He wore a T-shirt and low jeans. He kept his head down most of the time and didn’t talk much but I thought that he was just shy. He said his name was Charlie.”

  Detective Bob Watson asked Opal if she remembered any facial hair.

  “I don’t know.” Opal answered.

  “But Charlie is a girl,” Jessica protested.

  The nurse gave her a dirty look that meant “I told you to be quiet.”

  “She doesn’t know what she is talking about.” Nancy interjected.

  “Wait a minute. Why do you say that?” Grandma Opal said to Jessica.

  “Cause Charlie wore nail polish. Only girls wear nail polish. My other Grandma said so. I put nail polish on Dad’s toenails when he was sleeping on the sofa at Grandma Hazel’s house. Boy was he mad! I thought that he was going to hit me but Grandma Hazel heard him yelling. She laughed and told Dad to ‘calm down’ and gave him something to take the polish off. Then she told me to never do that again because only girls wear nail polish.”

  “Where was the person from social services when this happened?” Susan asked.

  “She went to the bathroom,” Jessica replied. “I think that she was smoking in there.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  The next day, Bob Watson returned to the hospital to resume the questioning of Opal Spoolstra only to find that she had returned home with her granddaughters and great-granddaughter two hours earlier. Since it’s noon, I’ll just get a hamburger while I’m in town. Then I’ll drive out to the country to see her. That will also give them enough time to get settled in the house before I question the old lady. I hope that she will not be taking a nap.