Bartle Clunes - Chapter 41
Keeping Riles Crossing afloat
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El Dorado County 1952
“The onion is on the table.” “The onion is on the table!”
“Is this an onion?” “Yes it is!”
“Is this a table?” “Yes, it is!”
“What is on the table?” “The onion is on the table!”
“Excellent!” said Riles Crossing’s newest teacher, Vida Lee
She was offering free beginning English classes two nights a week at the Book Exchange and, surprisingly, now had eight adult students. They were Swiss Italians and Chinese and Mexicans.
“Listen, please,” she said. “The onion is on the table. The potato is under the table. Look!” She pointed.
The students looked under the table and laughed. A large potato was, indeed, under the table. All evening they worked with vegetables and prepositions. No, not very compelling subject matter, but they did understand the words and were having a good time. Vida Lee had found a new calling. Turned out she was a natural.
Bartle went by Eizer's house with Maggie one afternoon in March, just to check on the man, maybe cheer him up. He brought along a little diversion in the form of a fresh-baked olallieberry pie and a chess board. They sat on the back porch facing the cow pen and the field, and, as there were no women around, they were eating what looked to be half a pie each. Bartle steered the conversation away from misery as best he could. He asked about the Book Exchange. He asked after Eizer's animals. He asked him about the new resident in Riles Crossing.
“I have not met Vida Lee, myself,” Bartle said, “but she has come up to visit Louvina a few times. Pearly is quite taken with her, I am told. What's the woman like?”
Eizer was only half present. “What's who like?”
“Vida Lee.”
“Who? Vida Lee?”
“Yes.”
“I don't know.”
“But you have seen her, talked to her?”
“Yah.”
“Well, what is the woman like?”
“Hard to say... What can I compare her to?”
“Fair enough,” said Bartle.
“She has started up some kind of English class over at the Book Exchange.”
“Yes. I heard that. It is turning out to be a good thing, that book room. A truly worthwhile project. It gets a lot of use, doesn't it?”
“Yah.” He nodded and said nothing more.
Bartle just let the conversation fall away for a few minutes. They ate their pie. “How about letting me beat you at a game of chess?” said Bartle, getting out the board.
“Well, you can try,” said Eizer.
While the men played chess and threw around as many cuss words as was obligatory, Maggie, the blue tick hound, was lying on Eizer's dusty porch, his eyes fixed on a gopher in the garden, coming out of a hole, going back into the hole, coming out of the hole. The dog slowly got up and stretched leisurely. He ambled over and grabbed the gopher by the neck and gave it a good shake. He stood there a minute, gopher dangling from his teeth, looking around as if he were not sure what to do next. He dropped the head-scrambled rodent and it scurried back into the safety of its hole. Maggie snorted and lay down again. Apparently his job was done.
Pearly and Philo celebrated their first birthdays in mid-June over at the Riles' big house. Eizer and Eli gave Filomena a ride. Vida Lee brought Rollie and the twins, Rose and Ruth, in her old Packard station wagon, windows rolled down, music blaring from the radio.
Ayla had made a cake with two candles on it – one for each baby. Both babies had been crawling around the carpet, but had now pulled themselves up at the couch. Pearly looked just about ready to walk out on her own. Philo watched her with great interest. She sidled over to him lifting her little knees high. “Um mum mum mum,” she said. He reached over and grabbed her red curls and gave a good yank. She smacked him and plopped down on her well-padded bottom. He cried. Then she cried. The usual baby interaction continued for about an hour, then both babies went to bed, leaving the grown ups in peace, eating cake and drinking coffee, to which Bartle had added a “wee dram” for the occasion.
Eli’s mother, Merlene, awoke out of a nightmare late on a Saturday morning in June. In desperation she left her bed and crossed the courtyard of the Tropical Paradise in her bathrobe and bare feet. She went into the office, and asked to make one phone call.
Six hours later, Eizer's old Ford skidded into the motor court, a rattle of tires on loose gravel, Bartle Clunes behind the wheel. Eizer was as lost as a rooster in the dark, so Bartle had volunteered to drive. They tucked Eli into the back seat with a blanket and pillow, and tossed his suitcase into the trunk.
“Merlene,” Eizer said, “you are doing the best thing for this child for now. I hope you will find yourself some help and get well. I know you are a good woman – a good mother, and you want to do right.”
“I do, Eizer. I do want to do right. I just need to find my way, that's all. I love my little boy, and I want him to be safe,” she muttered, feeling sorry for herself and for Eli.
“I know you do, Merlene, and you can be sure he is in good hands with me at Riles Crossing. I promise you I will care for him like my own grandson. You don't have to worry about it. You just get yourself some help, worry about your own self. And remember, my offer still stands. You can come stay with me too. There’s plenty of room in my house.”
But again she refused. She was adamant that she would stay in Bakersfield and get herself together. He gave Merlene the only other assistance he could muster, another fistful of cash. “This is just to tide you over in an emergency, girl. You hang on to it, hear?”
Merlene whispered, “Thank you for coming for him.” She kissed her son good-bye. “I am sorry Eli, honey. I will think about you every day. I love you so much and I will come for you when I get better.”
“Okay, mama.”
Bartle turned the old sedan around and headed north on 99, a wisp of gray smoke puffing out of the tail pipe. Merlene watched them disappear into the valley fog. She turned around, crying, and without thinking, she stumbled over to Len's Tavern.
Good for Eli and Eizer. Not so sure about Merlene. She won’t find help in a tavern.
Well, I'm glad Eli is back with Eizer. Hope Merlene goes to Eizer eventually. Doesn't look too good for her right now.