Bartle Clunes - Chapter 14
El Dorado County 1949 - Women Drivers and a Birthday
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Lonnie and Ayla went out to a quiet road four times for driving lessons. She really didn't need that much tutorial, but they got along well and actually just wanted to spend time together. They were easy with each other and made each other laugh. She was stubborn. He was patient. She was quick to decide. He took time to slowly think about things. They were opposites in many ways, but decidedly compatible in their new friendship.
Ayla turned out to be a quick learner and a cracker-jack driver. “She took to that steering wheel like a hen to corn,” Lonnie told Bartle. “She mastered the three-point turn-about on the first try,” he said. “And this girl can handle a clutch like nobody’s business. She controlled that old truck on the uphill grade on Laurel Road as if she was born to drive!” He clapped her on the back with enthusiasm. Ayla stood there, shoulders back, chin up, blushing.
Louvina jumped in and said she wanted to get her driving license, too. She'd already been driving for seven months without one and felt like an outlaw.
Louvina and Ayla studied for their written test for a week, quizzing each other from the handbook every evening at the kitchen table. The evening before their trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles in Sacramento, they asked Bartle to test them, with the thinly veiled intention of showing off their expertise. He was willing to offer a little help, but occasionally he threw in a question or two that were not in the handbook, just for his own personal amusement.
“On a very windy day a dust storm blows across the road, reducing your visibility. What should you do?” he asked Louvina. “1.) drive faster to get quickly away from the dust, 2.) stop in the middle of the road and wait until it blows over, or 3.) just turn around and go back home.”
Louvina thought for a minute. “Now Bartle, stop that! This is serious business!”
He smiled and continued with the booklet, then he posed to Ayla, “Operating a vehicle under the influence of medications which impair your driving is permitted when? 1.) if it is prescribed by a doctor, 2.) if you don't feel too sleepy, or 3.) you can drive any time. It's a free country.
Ayla said, “Daddy!” and gave him a look. “Please!
He apologized and paged through the booklet. “Only five more to go,” he said. But the women decided they'd had enough quizzing and stood up from the table. Louvina thanked Bartle for his help and sent him off to the living room with the dog, which was what he'd wanted to do all along. He sat down on the sofa to read his book in peace, knowing they would do fine on their examinations.
In the event, they went down to Sacramento and after only two hours at the DMV, left triumphant and proud, both having become bona fide, documented drivers in the State of California.
Ayla's first trip out as a licensed driver was to go round the hill to Bartle's house about eleven the next morning after feeding the chickens. She was going to follow up on the lessons with the water colors. Bartle planned to go over early to do a full day's work. Louvina was staying home all day to experiment in the kitchen. “Mr. Riles thinks my pies could sell real well at his store,” she told Bartle. “I’m going to see what I can come up with, maybe take four or five of them over in the morning. I don't know if it would be worth my while, but I’d be pleased to sell pies instead of taking in this infernal ironing, I’ll tell you!”
Bartle said, “Worth a try. You may have missed your calling. You could become famous throughout El Dorado County as “Louvina McBean, the Apple Pie Queen.”
“Darned tootin',” she agreed, throwing her arms around her husband, and kissing his neck. In her head, she was already peeling apples and measuring out flour.
There had been six dreary days of rain in the foothills that week. Everything got a good soak, mud was rife, the unpaved roads a disaster. The oaks hung heavy with water, and black clouds rolled through hour after hour. Maggie had been following Louvina around the house like a bored shadow. Today he looked around for Ayla in every corner and, not finding her, curled up next to the stove, chin on his paws, ears on the floor, whimpering.
“Stop moping, you silly old thing,” Louvina said. “She’ll be back.” She'd planned to give the dog a bath, but that really would’ve ruined his day, so she gave him half of a wiener instead. She always pretended she didn't care much about Maggie, but really, if pressed, would confess she liked him more than cake.
Ayla entered her father's house, leaving her boots just inside, hanging her jacket on the peg rail next to his. He had a fire lit, the big room was almost warm. She was hoping he had the old green electric Markel on to heat the studio, but when he got engrossed back there he often didn't notice the cold. She pulled off her stocking cap, glanced at herself in the old mirror that hung next to the kitchen door. She smoothed her hair down and yelled through to Bartle. “It’s just me, Daddy,”
“Hey,” he said. “Good time for a break.” He came from the back room in a cloud of turpentine, wiping black paint from his hands on a rag. There was a smear of pigment on his left cheek. His hair was sticking up oddly, as if he had been running his hands through it. “I’ll put on some coffee.”
“I'll do it,” she said. “Louvina sent meatloaf sandwiches.”
“Ayla,” he said, giving her a hug, “I was just remembering you have a birthday coming up. December 11?”
“That's right. Eighteen and officially a grownup. I am not sure about this, but did I hear you whisper to Louvina that you were planning to buy me a car? Is that right?” she laughed.
“I was thinking a brand new Buick Roadmaster convertible would be nice, my sweetheart. But I am pretty sure it will be something a bit smaller.”
“Smaller than a breadbox?” she asked.
“Smaller than a door knob, most likely.”
“You know I am kidding, Daddy. I don't need or want a car. I already have everything I need. Now… this afternoon I want to practice with that gouache like you showed me, see if I can fill in those two sketches of mocking birds.”
“Good idea, my genius,” he answered. “You are coming right along.” They ate their lunch, including the last of the Moon Pies. Ayla made a mental note to pick up another box, having developed a shocking passion for them.
“You know, Daddy, Ralph Riles has offered me a job at his store starting on the 14th for a few weeks - just three or four days a week, working the counter, sweeping and stuff like that while he is away in Washington. Lonnie and I could manage for him, and I think I should take it. It is not much money, but it is close to home, really, and would give me some good experience.”
Bartle told her it was up to her. “You don't need to work, as far as I am concerned, but you would no doubt like having a bit of extra spending money and some company your own age.”
Ayla celebrated her birthday on a clear, brilliant winter Sunday with a mid-morning pancake breakfast at home with her folks and the two Riles men. Louvina, to much applause, made Ayla's pancakes in the big-ear shape of Mickey Mouse. Louvina and Bartle gave Ayla a warm blue wool coat and a plaid head scarf, thinking she had probably only ever had hand-me-downs before. Lonnie and Ralph gave her their old out-of-print copy of 'Lost California Gold Mines'. She was delighted and felt more loved than she ever had in her eighteen years.
They’d all decided beforehand to walk out into the cold, brisk countryside for a mile or two after breakfast. The rain had finally let up for a couple of days and they all just needed to get out. They would follow the rain-swollen creek up onto higher ground. Mr. Riles and Lonnie brought along their fishing gear hoping to catch their dinner. Ayla carried her rock hammer and a shallow flat pan in a drawstring bag. She was set on looking for treasure along the way.
They hiked a while uphill, loitered by the deeper shaded pools, sat on rocks in the feeble sunlight. Louvina found some water cress for dinner, which she picked, wading barefoot in the icy water. The Riles took turns in various pools and riffles and had a bit of luck. Mr. Riles caught three nice-sized steelhead. Lonnie ended up with two shiners and a bullhead, small, but still edible.
Ayla investigated minerals all along the trail and the creek. She panned a few stones from the shallow water at the edge of the stream, and collected likely looking pebbles from the sandy shore. She hammered off flakes from a large shelf of shale to see what lay within. By the end of the day she'd kept nine stones, smooth water-tumbled ones and rough ones, that she thought might be of interest. Some she kept just because they were pretty colors.
Bartle wandered off a bit and managed to get into the nettles somewhere. He didn’t complain, but his left wrist was on fire. He smeared a bit of mud on it to see if it would help. It didn't. As for Louvina, she decided she’d had enough exercise to last her for the rest of the winter, and was looking forward to a cup of hot coffee, her slippers, and an armchair.
Simple pleasures are the best. Like this story.
Such an enjoyable read, Sharron! And your images go so well. Kinda makes me long for simpler more hopeful times. And that 1949 Roadster!! What a beauty!