Pink Flamingoed

by Steve Demaree

  “Did the packages come?”

  “Yes, Rachel. Can we open them now?” Harry asked.

  “I see what you mean, Mom. The same old Dad. I bet he’s been sitting by the phone or looking at the boxes ever since they arrived.”

  “No, I....”

  “You’re right, dear,” her mother corrected.

  “You weren’t supposed to tell, Ethel.”

  “Dad, I lived with you a long time. Mom didn’t have to tell me.”

  “So, can we open them now?” Harry asked again.

  “No, but I’ll tell you what’s in them. Mom and Dad, I’ve been so busy. I haven’t called or visited as often as I should, and I decided to change all of that. I can’t come home more often, but I’ve decided to stay in touch.”

  Rachel informed her parents that she had gotten them a computer and cell phones and that someone would be by to teach them how to use their new toys.

  “Is this going to cost me anything?”

  “Harry!” Ethel hollered through the phone.

  “You’re right, Mom. Same old Dad. No, Dad. Part of my Christmas present to you is that I’m paying for your monthly Internet service and your cell phone charges. Plus, I’m paying for someone to come by and teach you how to use your new gifts. You should receive a call tomorrow.”

  “Honey, do you really think your dad and I’ll be able to use them?”

  “Mom, if I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t waste that much money, now would I? Don’t worry. All of them are easier to use than you think.”

  Rachel talked to her parents for almost an hour. She got caught up on all that they had been up to and told them about everything that was going on in her life. She gave them her e-mail address and her cell phone number and told them that she expected to hear from them by e-mail and cell phone, just as soon as they learned how to use them. Then, Rachel told her parents goodbye and the three of them expressed their love for each other.

  The next morning Ethel called Cora to tell her about their Christmas presents from Rachel. She found out that not only were Frank and Cora getting a computer for Christmas, but so were Barney, Bertha, and Ray and Doris Orthmyer. All of them would be able to keep in touch with the Orthmyers by e-mail while the Orthmyers were in Florida.

  +++

  “Hello.”

  “Rachel, this is Mom. I’m calling you on my new cell phone. Dad’s in the other room now sending you an e-mail. He thinks he’s hot stuff. Oh, honey, I think we’re going to love our presents. Thanks so much for caring enough to want to stay in touch.”

  “And thank you so much for putting up with me while I was growing up.”

  “What are you talking about? You were never a problem. You were a piece of cake compared to your dad.”

  “Yeah, I guess I’d have to agree with you there.”

  “Well, honey, I guess I’d better let you go. Call me, and be sure and check your e-mail. You’ll have at least two messages if I can get your dad off the computer.”

  +++

  Brad sat in the living room wrapping the presents he bought for his family. When the doorbell rang, he jumped up, hurried to the door, and smiled when he saw Amy.

  “Come in,” Brad said, grinning from ear to ear.

  “I’m going to be leaving tomorrow, so I just came over to tell you goodbye. Oh, and I brought you a little something to remember me by while I’m gone.”

  Amy reached out and handed Brad a wrapped present.

  “Do you want me to open it now?”

  “Please do.”

  Brad tore into the paper until he came to a box sealed with tape. Then he took out a pocketknife, cut the tape, and opened the box. “Why, it’s beautiful!” Brad exclaimed. Brad stood there holding a photograph of a fall scene of a forest, emblazoned with leaves of gold, red, and orange. A path led through the trees. Sunlight cut through the branches and lit the path below. Embossed in gold across the bottom of the picture was the scripture verse Psalm 119:105.

  “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,” Brad read. “One of my favorite Bible verses. The lamp unto our feet shows us where we are now in relation to where God wants us to be and the light unto our path shows us where He wants us to go. Thanks, so much. I’ll hang it in a prominent place. And now, I have something for you, so that you will not forget me while you’re gone. I was going to bring it over later, but I’ll give it to you now.”

  Brad laid down the framed photograph. He walked over and picked up a wrapped present from under the tree.

  “I hope you like it,” he said, as he handed it to her.

  “I’m sure I will,” Amy said, as she carefully unwrapped the gift to find one of Brad’s books. “Oh, I love it. I forgot to tell you, but I went to the local bookstore to see if they carried any of your books, and they had sold out the day before. Plus, the lady said that I was the third person that day who had come in looking for your books. She wants you to come in. She’d love for you to do a book signing sometime.”

  “Boy, some publicist you are,” Brad teased Amy. “Open the book.”

  Amy opened the book and read what Brad had written inside the cover.

  “To Amy, the most wonderful, beautiful, and incredible woman I have ever met. Brad Forrester, Matthew 22:39.”

  Without thinking, Amy threw her arms around Brad’s neck and gave him a big hug. Even though they were infatuated with one another, this was the first time they had done any more than hold hands.

  As Amy stepped back, Brad took her hands in his and asked, “Amy, would you mind if I gave you a goodbye kiss for good luck?”

  “You mean like a peck on the cheek, or maybe a couple of those come-close kisses the way the Hollywood set does?” Amy asked teasingly.

  “No, that’s not what I mean,” Brad responded in a mockingly gruff tone.

  “Well, then, sure. I thought you’d never ask.”

  The two embraced and gave each other a lingering kiss and then stepped apart and looked into each other’s eyes.

  “I’m going to miss you so much,” Brad said.

  “And I’m going to miss you just as much,” Amy replied, not bothering to hide her tears.

  +++

  The next morning, as Brad was enjoying his breakfast, the doorbell rang. When Brad answered the door, he found Amy standing there.

  “I just wanted to say goodbye again, and to see if I could have another kiss for good luck before I left.”

  Brad stepped out onto the porch, picked up Amy and twirled her around, and then planted a kiss on her lips.

  “I didn’t mean here, on the porch,” Amy said, as soon as she regained her composure. “What if someone saw us?”

  “Well, from the way this neighborhood has been trying to get the two of us together, I’d say they’re rejoicing right now.”

  “You mean Cora.”

  “Primarily Cora, but I expect everyone but Melanie wants us together.”

  “Cora already knows about yesterday. I stopped by and told her last night.”

  “Did you give her a blow-by-blow description? By the way, what did she say?”

  “She just reached out and hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek and made me tell her all about it.”

  “Just what I said, a blow-by-blow description.”

  “Did anyone ever tell you that you have a knack for making things sound so romantic?”

  “What can I say? Some of us are gifted in certain areas.”

  Amy laughed, and then reluctantly said, “Well, I’d better be going.”

  “Goodbye, you most wonderful and beautiful woman.”

  “You forgot incredible.”

  “And incredible. Be careful, and call me when you get there. Okay?”

  “Yeah, and let me give you my parents’ phone number in case you need it. And can I have your parents’ number?”

  “Have you told your mom about us, yet?”

  “I’m still trying to decide whether or not to tell Mom I have a new neighbor, let alone that
my neighbor is a handsome man.”

  Brad laughed. Amy had told him about the subtle hints her mother kept dropping about how all of her friends had grandchildren. Amy had two sisters. Neither of them was married, either. Amy was the oldest, but her mother would have settled for grandchildren from any of her children. Amy and her sisters had playfully made a pact that the first one to get married would say nothing to her mother until a week before the wedding. Of course, they were kidding. Or were they?

  +++

  Harry went to bed excited. When the thump of the newspaper hitting the front porch woke him, Harry eased from the bed, stumbled across the floor until his foot hit the leg of a chair, then hopped and fumed as quietly as possible, careful not to wake Ethel. Not used to hopping on one foot, he nearly fell, only saving himself by latching on to the door facing.

  “Is that you, Harry?”

  “No, it’s a burglar. Go back to sleep and I’ll let you live.”

  “Okay, Mr. Burglar. There’s no need in your taking the computer. It quit working last night while I was on it.”

  “It what!” Harry yelled.

  “Harry, go back to sleep. The computer will be there when you get up.”

  “But what happened to it, Ethel?”

  “Nothing, Harry. But do I need to get you a nightlight so you won’t bang your toes and wake me up?”

  “That’s okay, Ethel. I promise I’ll wait until daylight from now on.”

  Home For Christmas

  Christmas Eve arrived and the average age of those present on Aylesford Place increased. Brad and Amy had already left town to be with family. Melanie, who was an orphan, had left on a skiing trip with her friend Michelle. Each year Melanie dreaded Christmas, because everyone seemed to have someone, except her. So, when she found out Michelle had no one either, they planned a trip together.

  Allison was the only young, single adult who made it to the church service on Christmas Eve morning. Allison’s family lived in an adjacent county, and Allison was leaving after church to go spend Christmas Eve night with her parents.

  There was always an evening Christmas Eve service at The Church on Aylesford Place. Christmas Eve was on Sunday, so the evening service was the second service of the day. When time came for the evening service, many gathered for an hour to hear a short message from Pastor Scott, to sing a few Christmas carols, and to wish their neighbors a Merry Christmas. Only three children attended the service. All named Armbruster.

  That night, when Pastor Scott got home from the service, he went to his office, knelt and prayed.

  “Lord, if it be your will, please send our church some more children.”

  +++

  Frank and Cora held hands and talked as they walked home from the Christmas Eve evening service.

  “A penny for your thoughts,” Frank said, aware that his wife was thinking about something.

  “You’ve always been able to read me like a book, Frank. I was just thinking. It’s no secret that both of us are disappointed that God never granted us any children, but in a way He has. It’s been only a couple of days, but already I miss Amy and Brad so much. It sounds silly that I’m missing someone I’ve only known for a couple of weeks, but I’ve already come to think of Brad as part of the family. I’ve thought of Amy like a daughter ever since she moved in, and now I’ve come to think of Brad as my son.”

  “I don’t think it sounds silly, dear. I feel the same way as you do. You know, we never know what God’s thinking. We aren’t smart enough to understand how He works, but maybe, just maybe, God is trying to tell us ‘Frank and Cora, I didn’t keep children from you. All I did was keep you from having to get up in the middle of the night to change all of those diapers.’ That reminds me. Did you think to give the Armbruster kids their Christmas presents?”

  “I gave them to Nancy yesterday. I think she’s going to let them open them before they go to bed tonight.”

  “Cora, you’re a jewel.”

  Cora took her free hand and patted Frank on the arm.

  “Perhaps you’re right, Frank. Maybe God didn’t want to limit us to just a few children. At least God allowed me to spend all of these years with you, and that means so much.”

  “And it means so much to me, too, Cora. I thank God for all of the wonderful years He has given us together and all of the wonderful people He has brought into our lives. Hopefully, He’ll give us many more years together, more friends to spend them with, and more children to spoil.”

  “Yeah, maybe some day we’ll get to spoil Amy and Brad’s kids. Frank, we don’t have to get up early in the morning. How’d you like to go home and sit in the dark and hold hands and watch the lights on the Christmas tree flicker off and on and think about all that God has given us over the last thirty-five years?”

  “I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do,” Frank said as he turned and planted a kiss on Cora’s cheek.

  +++

  Christmas morning arrived at the Armbrusters a little earlier than Scott or Nancy wanted. The Armbruster children joined forces and knocked at their parents’ bedroom door at 7:02.

  “Mom! Dad! Are you up?”

  “We are now,” their mother called back rather groggily. “Be out in a couple of minutes.”

  Scott and Nancy went to the bathroom to wipe the sleep from their eyes and returned to put on their robes. Then Scott grabbed his Bible, because every Christmas morning he read the Christmas story and then the family discussed it before anyone opened his or her presents. The Armbruster children realized the real meaning of Christmas. Each of them looked forward to the family tradition of reading the Christmas story on Christmas morning. Scott and Nancy particularly enjoyed this time, because they realized more than their children did that this tradition would not go on forever. After the family finished their devotional time together, the children dashed off to their gifts. Each of the Armbruster children seemed pleased with what he or she received, but none more so than Jill who received two more of Brad Forrester’s whodunits. Scott and Nancy watched their children for a few minutes, until a call of “I’m hungry” reminded Nancy of what else she needed to do.

  Scott too left the children to themselves in order to help his wife prepare a big breakfast. Nancy made sure that everyone was stuffed before they left the table because it would be some time until any of them ate again. Each Christmas, the Armbruster family went to the shelter to feed the homeless so that they could remember to thank God for all that He had given them.

  Scott reminded his family and his church that all Christians should do three things. They should take time to read the Bible, learn what it says, and develop and grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ. They should take time for fun and fellowship, and they should reach out in service to others. He made sure he practiced what he preached.

  +++

  Every year, on Christmas morning, Frank and Cora made it a habit of praying for their neighbors before they opened their presents from each other. Both prayed, but Cora, who had a heart for people and a desire to fix each one’s problems, prayed longer. She prayed longest for those who needed the most prayer, and for those closest to her. She thanked God for Brad and Amy, asked him to bless their new relationship, then thanked Him for the wonderful husband He had given her, and for her pastor and his family.

  She prayed for Melanie who grew up without many of the things most people take for granted, and asked God to give Melanie more patience. She prayed for Lady Catherine, who might or might not be with Norman, and she prayed for the withdrawn woman in the cold, dark house behind the wall.

  Around 11:00, Cora called Harry and Ethel. She got a busy signal. After trying every five minutes for the next forty minutes, she walked down the street to see if anything was wrong. Nothing was wrong. Ethel could not keep her “little boy” off the Internet.

  “Say Ethel, how would you and Nimble Fingers like to come up later?”

  “Well, it all depends if I can get him off the Internet.”

  “Well,
how about it, Harry?”

  “Oh, okay, Cora, but only for a little while.”

  Harry had had his computer for only a few days, but he was turning into a computer junkie. The man who showed Harry how to operate his computer made the mistake of telling Harry about Google. Harry was developing a routine. Like most people on Aylesford Place, Harry believed in “early to bed, early to rise.” While Harry got up at 6:00 a.m. most of the year, he slept until 7:00 in the winter. Harry started each day by spending time in Bible study and prayer, but by 7:30 he was ready to get on the Internet. He stayed on the computer until Ethel called him to breakfast. After gobbling down his breakfast, he returned to the Internet where he remained until it was time to watch The Price Is Right. As soon as Harry realized Bob Barker would retire some day, he decided to tape each show, with plans to watch them again after Barker retired. He decided at the time that The Price Is Right would not be The Price Is Right without Bob Barker. After watching Barker, he and Ethel ate lunch. Then, it was Ethel’s time on the computer, because Harry usually took a short nap after lunch. This made him well rested for his afternoon search of the Internet, which lasted until supper, which Ethel timed perfectly, so they could watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy together. Harry was usually in bed by nine, so he managed to stay off the computer at night. That might change if someone tells him about chat rooms.

  +++

  Behind the wall in her self-made fortress, Mrs. Peabody sat alone in the dark on Christmas morning. She thought back to the phone call she had received the day before. She was glad she agreed to receive a visitor even though it was awkward for her. It had been a long time since she had welcomed a visitor. Years.

  Although her house remained dark on Christmas Morning, and once again Mrs. Peabody spent Christmas Day alone with no company and no presents, her heart was a little lighter because one person had thought of her at Christmas and stopped by to visit on Christmas Eve.