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THE SUMMER I MET MY BEST FRIEND

The ancient house with the wildly overgrown garden is silent and secretive. It has been over fifty years since I lived in this town. I lived on Fellowship Road. My backyard faced Wilke’s backyard.

Old House

I can’t believe that this house is still standing, mostly intact. As I peruse my childhood memories from the early 1950s, I remember Wilke’s house looked decrepit then. I  simply can not understand how it still exists. Everything around it has changed. Almost all the homes on Poplar Avenue have either been replaced by newer homes or updated and look unrecognizable.

I have such wonderful memories of sitting under our Willow tree on a hot Summer’s day and reading a Nancy Drew mystery. Dreaming about my distant future when I, too, could become a famous female detective and solve crimes.

Occasionally while I was reading, Mrs. Wilkes would beckon me from her yard. There was shrubbery between Wilke’s backyard and ours that served as a fence that divided the two properties. But I could hear her calling out my name, “Sandy come over here. I have something to give you.”

And I would jump up and run over to the bushes. And she would be standing there with her toothless smile and her shining, green eyes. Her long gray hair would be braided and wrapped around her head. Sometimes she would braid a blue ribbon in her braid. Occasionally she would add a rose or daisy from the garden she had in her backyard. I thought she was beautiful.

On this particular afternoon, she said to me, “Sandy would you do me a favor and taste this chocolate cookie for me? I have trouble chewing them. And I want to make sure they taste good. My grandson, Francis, is coming to stay with us for the summer.”

“Sure, I would be happy to taste it.” She held out a cookie to me in her crooked and gnarled hand. I took a huge bite. “I think this is the best cookie I’ve ever had. Francis will like it. I can’t wait to meet Francis.”

I love looking at Mrs. Wilke’s backyard. The Wilkes spend almost all their free time working outside in the garden whenever the weather is warm. On the other side of the hedges, they planted a rose garden that follows a winding path throughout their back yard and continues into their front yard. There are over fifty different kinds and colors of roses. I know because one day, Mrs. Wilkes asked me if I would like to come into her backyard and smell all her beautiful roses. The aroma was overwhelming. And bees and butterflies are always visiting her garden.

On her side of the bushes, there are morning glories that bloom all summer. Early in the morning, I would run out to the bushes in the backyard to see what color the morning glories were that day. And I would pick one and give it to my mother.

My mother would put it in a glass of water and place it on the kitchen window windowsill. They are my favorite flowers. But the most beautiful thing in her garden was an ancient Weeping Willow tree that stood twenty feet taller than their old house. Mrs. Wilkes told me that it was planted by Mr. Wilkes’s grandfather, and it was the oldest tree in our town.

I love visiting Mr. and Mrs. Wilkes because they always had time to listen to me. They would sit quietly while I told them one of my stories. The summer that their grandson Francis spent there was one of the greatest summers I ever had. Francis was about ten years old, and he had bright red hair with freckles sprinkled across his face. His ears stuck out on either side, and the other kids used to make fun of him. He had the same beautiful green eyes that his grandmother had.

I spent the entire morning that Francis was supposed to arrive sitting in my backyard and reading a book. Somehow I know that Francis is going to become my best friend. I keep looking up from my book. it’s a Nancy Drew book called The Clue From The Old Wall. And it was really exciting. Nancy was protecting a treasure that was hidden in an old wall from thieves. I love reading Nancy Drew’s books because girls are hardly ever portrayed as heroes in all the books I read.

I’m having a hard time concentrating because I keep looking over at the Wilke’s to see if their decrepit old pickup truck is pulling into their dirt driveway. Their truck is so old that all the paint had been worn off by the rain, snow, and wind. But somehow, I believe it is the most beautiful truck I’ve ever seen.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, I hear them coming down Poplar Avenue. I know it’s them because I could hear their truck before I see it. It backfires every couple of minutes. It sounds like it is on its last legs, but somehow it keeps going just like the Wilkes. They pull into their driveway and slowly descend from their seats. I see a red-headed boy jumping down out of the bed of the truck with a small suitcase. That is being held closed by what looks like an old belt.

I practically jump over the bushes and manage to get scratched from head to toe. But I don’t care. I run through their backyard and up to the front. I’m yelling at the top of my voice, “Francis, your here, your here.” He looks over at me with a surprised look on his face. Because he doesn’t know who I am and how I know his name. I see the Wilke’s beautiful, wrinkled face transformed by their ear-to-ear smiles. I run over to Francis and give him a squeeze around his waist. His face turns red, but he is still smiling.

Mrs. Wilkes says, “Francis, meet your new best friend, Sandy. She lives on the other side of our backyard, and she has been waiting impatiently for you to arrive. Francis looks at me with a shy grin on his face and says,” Hi, Sandy. I’m happy to meet you.”

I look at him and say,” we’re going to have so much fun this summer. We can go swimming at the pond, ride bikes and go downtown to the shops. Especially the bakery. I just love donuts, do you? And we can roller skate on the sidewalk. And we can go to the clay pits and dig for fossils. You’ll love it here. I can hardly wait for the 4th of July. We can go downtown and ride our bikes behind the band and throw candy at everyone along Main Street. And you can meet all my other friends that live on Fellowship Road. Not to mention all my friends from school. This is going to be a great summer, you’ll see. I said this all in one breath without stopping. Francis had a huge smile on his face now, and so did the Wilkes. Oh, I almost forgot we can go to Schucks to buy penny candy. I love candy so much. And they have a jute box in there. And we can watch all the teenagers dancing. Oh, I almost forgot, on Saturdays we can go to the movies at the Roxy theater. It’s right on Main Street. It only cost a quarter. I bring my lunch with me, Lebanon Bologna and cheese. I’ll bring two, one for me and one for you.

Mrs. Wilkes laughs out loud and say’s,” doesn’t that sound great, Francis?”

“Oh, I almost forgot, there is also a bus that picks kids up at the front of the police station and takes us to the Riverside skating rink. You can rent skates if you don’t have any and skate all day for fifty cents. I always fall down about a million times. But I don’t care. It’s fun.”

Francis looks at me and then turns around and looks at his grandparents his eyes are as big as saucers, and his smile is from ear to ear. He says, ‘can we go downtown? I would love to see it. I live out in the country, and there isn’t much to see there except blueberry farms.”

“How about bringing your suitcase into the house and getting settled and having something for lunch? I made homemade chicken noodle soup, and I can make grilled cheese sandwiches. You’re invited to Sandy, but go ask your mother first?”

“Oh, I’m sure she won’t care.”
“Go ask first. All the same, Sandy.”
“Alright, I’ll go ask. I’ll be right back.”

And in less than five minutes, I was knocking at their back door. I had never been inside their house before. My house was about fifteen years old. But their house was old, really old. They used to have a farm, but they sold the land to the church when they stopped farming. The church made the land into a parking lot.

And that day was the beginning of the best summer of my whole childhood. Francis and I became best friends. And we kept in touch for many years. And then, in 1969, Francis got drafted into the army, and he was sent to Viet Nam. It was one of the saddest days of my life when I heard he got killed there. His grandparents had passed away years before that. I was always glad they didn’t have to face the loss. After that first summer, he spent every summer until he was about sixteen when the Wilkes passed away, one right after the other.

And now, here I am, visiting my old neighborhood, and I swear I can see Mr. and Mrs. Wilkes smiling out at me from their porch. I feel tears pooling up and running down my cheeks. I smile back at them, and they wave goodbye to me, and then they’re gone. I turn away and walk past the house where I lived my entire childhood and where strangers live now. And I think I was the luckiest kid in the world. I had a wonderful childhood, especially after Francis and I became best friends. The Wilkes and Francis will always live in my heart and my memory.

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THE SUMMER I MET MY BEST FRIEND

The ancient house with the wildly overgrown garden is silent and secretive. It has been over fifty years since I lived in this town. I lived on Fellowship Road. My backyard faced Wilke’s backyard.

Old House

I can’t believe that this house is still standing, mostly intact. As I peruse my childhood memories from the early 1950’s, I remember Wilke’s house looked decrepit then. I  simply can not understand how it still exists. Everything around it has changed. Almost all the homes on Poplar Avenue have either been replaced by newer homes or updated and look unrecognizable.

I have such wonderful memories of sitting under our Willow tree on a hot Summer’s day reading a Nancy Drew mystery. Dreaming about my distant future when I too could become a famous female detective and solve crimes.

Occasionally while I was reading, Mrs. Wilkes would beckon me from her yard. There was shrubbery between Wilke’s backyard and ours that served as a fence that divided the two properties. But I could hear her calling out my name, “Sandy come over here. I have something to give you.”

And I would jump up and run over up to the bushes. And she would be standing there with her toothless smile and her shining, green eyes. Her long gray hair would be braided and wrapped around her head. Sometimes she would braid a blue ribbon in her braid. Occasionally she would add a rose or daisy from the garden she had in her backyard. I thought she was beautiful.

On this particular afternoon, she said to me, “Sandy would you do me a favor and taste this chocolate cookie for me? I have trouble chewing them. And I want to make sure they taste good. My grandson, Francis is coming to stay with us for the summer.”

“Sure, I would be happy to taste it.” She held out a cookie to me in her crooked and gnarled hand. I took a huge bite. “I think this is the best cookie I’ve ever had. Francis will like it. I can’t wait to meet Francis.”

I love looking at Mrs. Wilke’s backyard. The Wilkes spend almost all their free time working outside in the garden whenever the weather is warm. On the other side of the hedges, they planted a rose garden that follows a winding path throughout their back yard and continues into their front yard. There are over fifty different kinds and colors of roses. I know because one day, Mrs. Wilkes asked me if I would like to come into her backyard and smell all her beautiful roses. The aroma was overwhelming. And bees and butterflies are always visiting her garden.

On her side of the bushes, there are morning glories that bloom all summer. Early in the morning, I would run out to the bushes in the backyard to see what color the morning glories were that day. And I would pick one and give it to my mother.

My mother would put it in a glass of water and place it on the kitchen window windowsill. They are my favorite flowers. But the most beautiful thing in her garden was an ancient Weeping Willow tree that stood twenty feet taller than their old house. Mrs. Wilkes told me that it was planted by Mr. Wilkes’s grandfather, and it was the oldest tree in our town.

I love visiting Mr. and Mrs. Wilkes because they always had time to listen to me. They would sit quietly while I told them one of my stories. The summer that their grandson Francis spent there was one of the greatest summers I ever had. Francis was about ten years old, and he had bright red hair with freckles sprinkled across his face. His ears stuck out on either side, and the other kids used to make fun of him. He had the same beautiful green eyes that his grandmother had.

I spent the entire morning that Francis was supposed to arrive sitting in my backyard and reading a book. Somehow I know that Francis is going to become my best friend. I keep looking up from my book. it’s a Nancy Drew book called The Clue From The Old Wall. And it was really exciting. Nancy was protecting a treasure that was hidden in an old wall from thieves. I love reading Nancy Drew’s books because girls are hardly ever portrayed as heroes in all the books I read.

I’m having a hard time concentrating because I keep looking over at the Wilke’s to see if their decrepit old pickup truck is pulling into their dirt driveway. Their truck is so old that all the paint had been worn off by the rain, snow, and wind. But somehow I believe it is the most beautiful truck I’ve ever seen.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, I hear them coming down Poplar Avenue. I know it’s them because I could hear their truck before I see it. It backfires every couple of minutes. It sounds like it is on its last legs, but somehow it keeps going just like the Wilkes. They pull into their driveway and slowly descend from their seats. I see a red-headed boy jumping down out of the bed of the truck with a small suitcase. That is being held closed by what looks like an old belt.

I practically jump over the bushes and manage to get scratched from head to toe. But I don’t care. I run through their backyard and up to the front. I’m yelling at the top of my voice, “Francis, your here, your here.” He looks over at me with a surprised look on his face. Because he doesn’t know who I am and how I know his name. I see the Wilke’s beautiful, wrinkled face transformed by their ear-to-ear smiles. I run over to Francis and give him a squeeze around his waist. His face turns red, but he is still smiling.

Mrs. Wilkes says, “Francis, meet your new best friend, Sandy. She lives on the other side of our backyard, and she has been waiting impatiently for you to arrive. Francis looks at me with a shy grin on his face and says,” Hi Sandy, I’m happy to meet you.”

I look at him and say,” we’re going to have so much fun this summer. We can go swimming at the pond, ride bikes and go downtown to the shops. Especially the bakery. I just love donuts, do you? And we can roller skate on the sidewalk. And we can go to the clay pits and dig for fossils. You’ll love it here. I can hardly wait for the 4th of July. We can go downtown and ride our bikes behind the band and throw candy at everyone along Main Street. And you can meet all my other friends that live on Fellowship Road. Not to mention all my friends from school. This is going to be a great summer, you’ll see. I said this all in one breath without stopping. Francis had a huge smile on his face now, and so did the Wilkes. Oh, I almost forgot we can go to Schucks to buy penny candy. I love candy so much. And they have a jute box in there. And we can watch all the teenagers dancing. Oh, I almost forgot, on Saturdays we can go to the movies at the Roxy theater. It’s right on Main Street. It only cost a quarter. I bring my lunch with me, Lebanon Bologna and cheese. I’ll bring two, one for me and one for you.

Mrs. Wilkes laughs out loud and say’s,” doesn’t that sound great, Francis?”

“Oh, I almost forgot, there is also a bus that picks kids up at the front of the police station and takes us to the Riverside skating rink. You can rent skates if you don’t have any and skate all day for fifty cents. I always fall down about a million times. But I don’t care. It’s fun.”

Francis looks at me and then turns around and looks at his grandparents and his eyes are as big as saucers, and his smile is from ear to ear. He says, ‘can we go downtown I would love to see it. I live out in the country, and there isn’t much to see there except blueberry farms.”

“How about bringing your suitcase into the house and getting settled and having something for lunch? I made homemade chicken noodle soup, and I can make grilled cheese sandwiches. You’re invited to Sandy, but go ask your mother first?”

“Oh, I’m sure she won’t care.”
“Go ask first. All the same, Sandy.”
“Alright, I’ll go ask. I’ll be right back.”

And in less than five minutes, I was knocking at their back door. I had never been inside their house before. My house was about fifteen years old. But their house was old, really old. They used to have a farm, but they sold the land to the church when they stopped farming. The church made the land into a parking lot.

And that day was the beginning of the best summer of my whole childhood. Francis and I became best friends. And we kept in touch for many years. And then, in 1969, Francis got drafted into the army, and he was sent to Viet Nam. It was one of the saddest days of my life when I heard he got killed there. His grandparents had passed away years before that. I was always glad they didn’t have to face the loss. After that first summer, he spent every summer until he was about sixteen when the Wilkes passed away one right after the other.

And now, here I am, visiting my old neighborhood, and I swear I can see Mr. and Mrs. Wilkes smiling out at me from their porch. I feel tears pooling up and running down my cheeks. I smile back at them and they wave goodbye to me, and then they’re gone. I turn away and walk past the house where I lived my entire childhood and where strangers live now. And I think I was the luckiest kid in the world. I had a wonderful childhood, especially after Francis and I became best friends. The Wilkes and Francis will always live in my heart and my memory.

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BORN DIFFERENT

Thelma is the middle child in a family of five children. Thelma is often overlooked or overshadowed by both her older siblings and the youngest as is often found in the middle child.

Thelma however is not a child that’s content with being the overlooked child. She’s a child with a unique personality, traits, and talents. And if the truth be told Thelma isn’t easily ignored because she’s an unconventional-looking young girl, not ugly, but unusual. 

And add her strange personality to the mix and Thelma is a one-of-a-kind young girl. No one can easily overlook her. Because the moment you glimpse her, you’re struct by first her face, her body, and then her unique mannerisms. And for some unknown reason, there is a faint but distinct smell of gardenias when you stand within a foot of Thelma.

And let me be perfectly clear Thelma doesn’t suffer from any facial or body deformities. Nor is she mentally ill. It’s simply a combination of unusual looking with an unusual palpable vibe.

Thelma enjoys taking long walks around her neighbor by herself. She is comfortable with her own company. She is complete within herself. She rarely feels lonely. And if she does, it is only a fleeting feeling.

One day Thelma was sitting on her front steps when she notices a toddler walking toward her on the sidewalk in front of her house. Thelma glances up and down the street and doesn’t see any adults in view. In fact, she doesn’t see anyone. Thelma decides to take charge of the situation. It is clear that a child this young, barely older than a toddler should be taking a walk by him or herself.

“Hello, what’s your name? Where do you live? My name is Thelma. How about if I find out where you live and take you home to your mommy and daddy?”

The toddler looks up at her and sticks his hand out. And Thelma takes his hand in hers and starts walking back in the direction he came. “So, tell me if you see your house. And then we’ll knock at the door and see if you belong there. Thelma knows that no one that lives on her street has any little kids. So, she turns down Popular Avenue and walks hand in hand down Mill Road. “Do you live in any one of these houses? Hey, what’s your name?”

The little boy doesn’t respond. “Oh, you don’t feel like talking today, huh? Well, that’s alright sometimes I don’t feel like talking either. Wait, let’s try this house, and see if you live there or if they know where you do live. You couldn’t have walked that far.” Thelma walks up to the house and up the front steps to the green door and knocks.

An older woman answers the door, she is tall and thin and has grey hair that is twisted up into a bun with two chopsticks sticking out of it. She had dark, red lipstick on her lips and rouge on her high cheekbones. Her eyes are slightly slanted. Even though the woman is old, she is still quite beautiful.

The woman looks at Thelma and then down at the little boy holding her hand and she has a worried look on her face. “Yes, can I help you? Is everything alright?”

“Hi, my name is Thelma. I was sitting on my front steps on Ellis Avenue when this little boy came walking down the street by himself. I was afraid that he would get hurt or hit by a car. So, I ask him if he wanted me to help him find his house. So, here I am. Do, you know where he lives?”

The woman looks at Thelma and studies her for a moment and then says,” Well, Thelma that was a good idea to help this little guy find his parents and his house. But I think that I will give the police a call and see if anyone has called about their child be missing. I don’t recognize him, but I’m sure the nice policeman will find his parents right away. They must be really worried about him. Don’t you think so?”

“Yes, I do. But I think we will just wait out here, while you call the police.”

“Thelma you are right again, you should never go into a stranger’s house. Why don’t I get you two a drink of water and a cookie? And you can sit on the step and wait for the police to come and take this little guy home. What do you say?”

“I think that is a good idea. We’ll wait outside, and I’m sure he is really thirsty after he took such a long walk by himself. Besides, it’s really hot outside.”

Thelma sits down on the step and the little boy sits on her lap. She never had a babysit on her lap before, and she is surprised how heavy he is for such a little guy. “So, what’s your name?”

He doesn’t answer. Thelma imagines how she would feel if she was this little and she got lost from her home and her mom and dad. She feels a tear run down her cheek, and she hugs the little boy. She knows she would be really scared. “Don’t worry, the policeman will be here soon and they will bring your mom with them. Oh, here comes the nice lady and she has some water and a cookie for you.”

“By the way Thelma, my name is Mrs. Wilkes, I’m so happy that you stopped at my house, here is your cookie and cold water. She hands the cookie to Thelma and hands the little boy a cookie as well. “Here you go, little guy. And here is a sippy cup, my grandson uses it when he comes to visit me.”

The little boy grabs the cup and drinks the water down so fast, he chokes a little. Thelma says, “slow down, slow down. Here is the cookie but don’t eat too fast or you’ll choke again.”

“Thelma, you’re such a nice person to help this little boy find his mom and dad. By the way, the police told me that they did get a call from a woman that was very upset because she couldn’t find her little boy. Apparently, she forgot to lock the back porch screen door and the baby decided to take a walk. She was so happy he was found safe and she will be here any minute she’s coming with the policeman.”

“Really, I’m so happy. I would have been so afraid if I got lost when I was this little.”

“Yes, he was so lucky to have been found by a caring person such as yourself.”

The pretty lady sat down on the step next to Thelma and the little boy, he was still nibbling at his cookie, taking tiny bites. Because Thelma kept warning him not to take big bites because he might choke.

After about fifteen minutes a police car rolled up next to the curb. And as soon as the car pulled over to the curb a young woman jumped out of the car and ran over to the house where Thelma and the little boy and the pretty lady were waiting.

“Oh, Joey there you are. I was so worried about you. I must have forgotten to lock the porch door. I’m so sorry.” There were tears running down her face, it was clear from her red, puffy eyes that she had been crying for a while. She picks up Joey and hugs him against her chest.

“Hi, my name is Thelma, I was sitting on my front step when I saw Joey walking down my street towards Main Street, so I decided I should find his house before he got more lost or hurt.”

Joey’s mother looks at Thelma, and she smiles.” Oh Thelma, thank you so much. You will always be my hero. You are such a kind and brave little girl to take care of Joey when he was lost. I can’t thank you enough. Then Joey’s mom starts crying anew. And says, “Can I give you a hug Thelma?”

Thelma was seldom hugged and didn’t know what to say. But after a moment, she said quietly, “yes, I would like that.”

The pretty lady and the policeman were both smiling from ear to ear. The policeman said,” I have to say that this is the best ending that I have seen in a long time. And I would like to shake your hand, Thelma, can I do that?”

Thelma was overwhelmed by everything that Joey’s Mommy and the policeman said to her, and a tear of happiness slowly rolled down her soft cheek. “Yes.”

The policeman reached over and shook her right hand, “You are a hero, Thelma. Say, did anyone ever tell you that you smell like gardenias?”

“No, what is a gardenia”

“It’s a beautiful flower, with a wonderful aroma. You’re a wonderful young lady, who smells like a beautiful flower.”

Thelma put down her head, she was overwhelmed by emotion. It was a rare occasion when she was complimented. Her older siblings were always tattling on her and her younger siblings were always stealing her toys. She was always the odd man out in her house. Someone was always mad at her and telling her she was a weirdo.

Well, Mrs. Phillips if you like I can give you and Joey a ride home and you too Thelma if you like I’ll even turn on the sirens all the way to your house. Would you like that?”

“Yes, that would be neat. I would love that.”

“Ok, let’s be on our way. Thank you for the quick thinking and calling the station mam, Otherwise, this might not have had such a happy ending.”

“Oh, I didn’t do anything but pick up the phone and call you, Thelma is the hero here.”

On the way home, Thelma couldn’t stop smiling. She knew her family would finally know that she was special and not just some weird kid.

“Alright Thelma can you give me your address and we’ll be on our way?”

“My address is 48 South Forklanding Road, two houses down from Main Street next to the school.”

“Here we are, I would like to come to the door to explain to your mother why you arrived in a police car. OK?”

The policeman got out of his side of the car and went around to the back of the car to let Thelma out. “Here we are Thelma, let’s go up to your door.

The policeman knocked at the door several times before anyone answered. Thelma’s oldest sister came to the door. And she immediately started screaming for her mother, Mom Thelma is at the door with a policeman, she must have gotten arrested. Mom, Mom, Mom.”

“Ewe, you are going to be in such trouble, Thelma.”

“Hello, my name is officer McKinney, Thelma isn’t in any kind of trouble. She found a lost toddler and because of her the little boy’s mother was informed that her lost toddler was found and they were reunited safely. She is a heroine. You should all be proud of her.”

Thelma stood there saying nothing, when her sister said, wow, Thelma, you saved a little kid’s life. You’re are a heroine.”

Thelma blushed, but she felt the happiest she ever felt. Thelma’s mother stepped over to her and gave her a big hug. Thelma never felt this happy before. She smiled from ear to ear. The police officer leaned over and shook Thelma’s little hand. And then he turned and got into his car and left.

“Oh, Thelma, I’m so proud of you.” Said her mother and sister in unison. Her sister said, I can’ wait to tell dad, that you are a heroine.”

Thelma’s mother takes her hand and kisses it, and leans over and hugs Thelma hard. “I always knew you were special, Thelma, how about a snack before it gets too late. And they both walked back into their house, and Thelma told her mother the whole story again from beginning to end. And it turned out to be Thelma’s luck day, her mother had just made chocolate chip cookies, Thelma’s favorite kind.

At dinner when Thelma’s dad came home from work and they were all seated at the table for coffee, her mother told everyone the story. And everyone’s clapped. It was the happiest day of Thelma’s day, so far.

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