The Scythe Ran Into a Stone.
Like many small towns, Vinton had not changed much in the last 50 years. Ramshackle houses lined the outskirts while new ‘high faluting’ townhomes sprung up in patches like mushrooms. A couple stores served the community needs. Two or three gas stations vied for the locals and whatever stragglers came off the interstate. It was the very picture of the simple life.
When Simon and Jody climbed off the bus they were greeted by a gang of elementary school kids who had just escaped their last class as well. They were running wild, whooping and hollering for the sheer joy of it. This was a glorious spring afternoon with a warm sun, cool breeze and the smell of wild flowers just giving of their newest perfumes.
“Home”, Simon whispered to himself. He had never stopped to see how beautiful everything was. The slightly worn down buildings promised comfort and acceptance. Every window in the shops was decorated with paintings of bunnies and eggs or crosses and angels. He chuckled to himself at the city painting contest which was held each year. Once he had secretly placed scotch tape on a window and let it get painted on. Then that night he pulled off the tape to reveal the silhouette of a very rude hand gesture waving from the Easter Bunny towards City hall.
“Come on”, he said to Jody. “Our house is just a few blocks this way.”
They took a leisurely stroll through town while Simon bragged of all the pranks he had played over the years.
“There’s Mr. McAllister’s bait shop. Few years ago I hooked a live wire to the bottom of his night crawler tank. Just as he was reaching in to dig for some I hit the juice and those fat ole worms came crawling up all at once. Looked like the coffins popping up in the swimming pool during Poltergeist. He screamed like nobody’s business.”
Jody looked appreciatively at his companion. The simplest tricks are often the best.
“Here’s Sally’s Suits. She learned to sew in the Army.” Jody’s head had swung around to smirk at him. “Yeah, weird huh? Back in the war she worked making parachutes. They showed her how to use the latest machines and all kinds of double stitches or whatever. She told me once that she had dated one of the pilots at the paratrooper school. He’d take her up and let her skydive with the chutes she made. Once he decided to get a little ‘sassy’ with her as she said. So she conked him on the head with a helmet, strapped a pack on him and hung him halfway out the cargo door. When he woke up she said, ‘You ever try that again mister and I won’t give you the chute’. Then she chucked him out!”
“How’d she get down?” Jody chortled.
“Oh, her daddy had been a barnstormer after WWI. Taught her how to fly right here just south of town. Nobody had airports back then, just used an open field. Anyway, after the war she opened shop and made clothes for people. With everyone going down to Roanoke to work in the factories they were right happy to just buy good homemade clothes. I never played a trick on Sally. I was always afraid she would hang me out a plane if I did. Must be 90 years old now and still flies an old crop duster around for fun.”
After ten minutes’ brisk walk they climbed up the stone steps of Mrs. Peters’ place. Simon rapped on the door and was beckoned in immediately.
They opened the screen and stepped into a surprisingly large living room. It was decorated in nice, if not overly expensive, furniture. Jody could tell that there once had been a very presentable set which had been broken up over time. To him the mismatched pieces made it look more inviting. Mrs. Peters was seated in an overstuffed armchair watching Jeopardy with the sound muted.
“Since when do you knock at your own house young man? And don’t you start telling me about being an adult now. You ain’t so big I couldn’t turn you over my knee if I had a mind to.” Out in the world they might be grown men on the verge of independence, but in the magical place called Vinton, Virginia, in this house, they were boys again.
“Momma, this is my roommate Jody Martin. His family lives down in Louisiana and he didn’t really have anywhere to go. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Hello Mrs. Peters. It is very nice to meet you.” Perhaps it was just his way or maybe he couldn’t help it, but Jody was oozing charm again. Simon elbowed him in the ribs.
“Think nothing of it. Of course he’s welcome here. Will you boys be staying the entire break?”
“Probably just the first week Ma. Dr. Grosskopf said he was going to continue his experiments while we were gone because he would have more power available, what with no classrooms being used and all. I thought I might go back early just in case he made a breakthrough.”
Grace nodded in mock agreement, “Breakthrough, yeah. I’ll break through that bee-hind of yours with my switch if you don’t get the chores done you promised.”
“They’ll get done. Jody said he would help. Didn’t you?”
“Yes Ma’am. I’m good around a house. I can fix anything, build anything and do any chore.”
She eyed him beadily and spoke somewhere between irritation and warning, “And if you’re anything like my Simon you can shovel more manure than ten hired hands. Alright, here are the rules: First, nobody gets up before 9am. I’m on vacation too and I want to sleep in. Second, get your own breakfast. I’m not slaving over a hot stove so two wastrels can live in style. I’m on vacation too. Third, you make a mess, you clean it up. I’m no one’s maid and…”
“You’re on vacation too”, the boys chimed together.
Hannah raised a clenched fist and stepped toward the pair. “Git outta here you two. Go find your hoodlum friends. Be back by six or you won’t get any supper.” They ran out the door laughing riotously.
He’d only been gone for eight months but Simon walked the streets of Vinton with wistful glee. Nowhere else on earth felt quite like this sleepy little town. Jody noticed the bliss spreading across his friend’s face and smiled.
“Nothin’ quite like bein’ home. Back in Nahlins I’d be scoopin’ up crawfish so Mama could make me jambalaya. Ooo-wee, that’s some good stuff.”
“Come on Jody. Let me show you around.”
They had a grand time running around town, Tom and Huck reborn.
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