The Colonel
Copyright© 2026 by happyhugo
Chapter 5
“Amelia, I want you to meet my grandfather, James Thorpe, and Molly Burns. Molly is several things to me. First, she is my partner in a property that our grandfather left us, and I have asked her to help me restore it to its former glory. We have had a great beginning because Molly seemed to know everyone and how to get things accomplished. Additionally, Molly and I have become close and get along very well. We are working hard to restore the property to its original condition, which was when I left here thirty-one years ago.”
“Sir, do I address you as James or as Colonel? When Jimmy speaks about you, he always calls you the Colonel.”
“Well, James, I guess. My uncle called me the Colonel, which was more of a joke than, anything, As far as I know, the men in my ancestry never came close to being a Colonel. My uncle never rose above the rank of corporal. He was James the Second before me. I’m James the Third, and Jim here is James the Fifth.”
“What about James, the Fourth?”
“That James was a disappointment and didn’t hang around long, leaving many years ago. Come, let’s get into the car. We are going to show you what you purchased to live in. We have to stop there on the way home.”
There was a small argument. Grandfather insisted that Amelia sit in the front, but she refused and sat in the back with Molly, saying she wanted to find out what Jim had been doing over the last three weeks. Just before I started the car, Molly asked Amelia how she and I met. There was a silence from Amelia.
“Molly, I think it is time you and the Colonel find out how we met. Amelia, it is your story to tell.”
“Okay, but Jimmy should have told you before this. It was terrible for Jim and worse for me, in a way maybe should I say it would have been if Jim weren’t the man he is? You must know how badly Jim’s foot is damaged, but I don’t think he told you it was I who damaged it.”
“How could you? I mean, did you take a hammer and beat on it?”
“No, Molly, I backed my car over it, and if that wasn’t bad enough, I drove back over the injured foot before he could move. To make it worse, when I got out of my car and saw him lying on the cement, I accused him of being drunk. I felt terrible, and the only thought other than that he was injured was that he would sue me, and all my money. I stuffed my address and phone number in his pocket, expecting to see his lawyer. I never did.”
“You didn’t get charged with anything?”
“Oh yes, James, I was charged and fined, and I lost my license for life. I went twice to see Jim while he was in the hospital, and he welcomed me and said he never had a grandmother and needed one, so I became a grandmother to him. Shortly, Jim was released from the hospital Jim went to Vermont to the VA hospital for rehabilitation on his foot, and I thought that would be the end of our association. It isn’t; for now, we have purchased an RV for a home together, and he said I can move in before the week is out.”
“Miss Amelia, I hope you are comfortable.”
“James, call me Amelia. Besides, I’m a Mrs., not Miss. My husband died several years ago. He was a Navy man. He didn’t get far up the ladder and was happy to be called Commander. We had a happy life together, and it ended too soon. Jim appears like my husband by always thinking of others before himself.”
“Yes, and Molly and I can understand your feelings that way.”
I entered the conversation, “We are almost to the RV sales place. I can see our bus right out front. I asked them to wash it, and it certainly does shine.” I drove in and parked beside the bus. The salesperson who sold it to us came out, and he recognized Molly. I don’t think he even noticed the Colonel or me.
“And who is this pretty lady you have with you?”
“This pretty lady is the one who owns half of this bus. Have you got everything done that Jimmy required?”
“Yes, we have. We’ll deliver tomorrow at your address at about 9:00 a.m. Come and walk through it and see if it meets your satisfaction.”
Amelia’s comment when we came out was, “Pretty damned nice. Jimmy, you did well, and I think I will be very comfortable living in it. You’ll have to get your license to drive it.”
“Amelia, I think I have it covered. I have a man my age working for me with a chauffeur’s license.”
The Colonel questioned, “I’ve talked it over with Molly, and she said Brad has a license, and he is on the payroll already.”
“He’s okay if he doesn’t get drunk.”
“He isn’t drinking anymore.”
“It never stopped him before.”
“Sir, he promised me and Bonny, his wife, and that should do it.”
“We’ll see.”
We didn’t stay long and hit the town limits within twenty minutes. Molly asked Amelia if she was hungry.
“No, not really, I’m very excited about seeing the town where I’ll be living. Where is the place where the bus is to be parked?”
I answered, “I’ll drive out there now. It doesn’t look like much. I’ll have Grandfather explain what it looked like before the fire, and how it will look once it’s fixed up. I’ll get you a hotel room when we return. By that time, your furniture will be here in the moving van.
“See that diner we are passing now. That’s Maggie’s. She is Molly’s aunt and, for all intents and purposes, her mother. Grandfather needs to give you an overview of his life, including his arrival here as a young man. I want to listen to him tell because some things still mystify me about him.”
The Colonel knew that Amelia was confused. “Okay, Jimmy, I would like to explain some of my mistakes. I’ll outline who was here, when some major events occurred, and why I made them. I would consider something like Amelia coming here at your behest a major event.”
“That is great, sir; I can think of a few that have affected me more than I ever anticipated. Meeting Jimmy was terrible the way I did at first, sir, but our association in the aftermath was one of the best.”
“I would say it is Amelia.”
I reached the driveway and slowly drove by Billy O’Connor, who was baling the weeds and grass on the right of the driveway. There was a good-sized truck and three men loading the bales. They were not keeping up, and there would be more than enough to return for at least a dozen more loads.
“Amelia, I think we had better go back to Maggie’s. The moving men should be there.”
“It will be transported by a small truck. I did not bring very much of my furniture. There are three items of furniture that belonged to my mother I would like to have with me. There is a couple of small pieces of furniture that Ned (Amelia’s husband) bought when we set up housekeeping. These have traveled back and forth between the two coasts, and he stayed with me when he was out on the water. It was a good marriage, but lonely at times. I was very lonely until Jimmy came into my life, and it hurts me to know that it has caused him so much pain by messing up his foot. How is your foot, Jimmy?”
“It’s coming along fine, now.”
Molly burst out. “It would be much better if he would pay attention to letting it heal and not re-injuring it. Jim tried to use a shovel to dig a hole and bruised it badly. We were supposed to go dancing that night, and he would not put it off until another night. We thought we would listen to the music, but because of me, he had to rescue me from one of my old boyfriends, which didn’t help his foot at all.”
“I’m being more careful now. In my defense, if a person has a dance with a pretty woman, who wouldn’t want her in his arms? End of discussion.”
“Amelia, I’ll tell you all about that night sometime. There is more.”
“Thanks, Molly. I’ll bet Jimmy comes out as a hero in some way.”
“He did.”
When we reached Maggie’s, the moving truck pulled up to the park. “Go tell the driver to follow you to the storage address. I’ll direct you.”
“Okay, Molly. They probably have the address without us directing them, but I’ll make sure.” The Colonel said he would get out of here. I spoke to the two men, and they said they were stopping for a takeout coffee, using the restroom, and then going to unload. They had already driven by the storage facility.
Molly, Amelia, and I drove and waited for the truck to arrive. They came right along and started unloading. Amelia inspected her furniture when it came off the truck, and it wasn’t long before the bill and a portable card reader were in hand to finish the transaction. We were soon again at Maggie’s and ordered a meal. It would be early, but Amelia was getting tired. The colonel had gone directly home after leaving us earlier.
Molly spoke, “Amelia, why don’t you use my room until the RV is ready? I’ll sleep with my aunt. She has a big bed, and Grandfather has his room downstairs. Watch out for Jim because he is apt to come into your room without knocking.”
“It was a mistake. You were supposed to be somewhere else.”
“That’s a good excuse.”
“I think so.” I turned to Amelia, “Sleep for a couple of hours, and I’ll come to get you for dinner. Maggie’s is open till eight-thirty.”
I turned, and Molly went into the other room. Amelia whispered, “I like Molly.”
“I do, too.”
We were all involved with the RV, including the Colonel, waiting for it to arrive the following day. Brad filled and tamped the trenches so the bus could be position and parked in the area. People could live in it and not have to take the bus, while also disposing of the wastewater and waste generated by the bathrooms. Molly was right on the ball; she ordered a phone line and pole and promised installation for the following week.
The bus was in position at right angles to this end of the barn and parallel to the main road. There was room to drive along beside the barn to the rear. There was ample parking and an exercise track for the horses. This area looked terrible because Billy had not brushed it out in and around the circle.
Molly had probably served everyone while working for Maggie in the diner. She offered yesterday that the permit for parking and living in the vehicle would be forthcoming and checked. In Vermont, obtaining a license for this type of project might take as long as two months, pending an inspection by the Vermont Land Commission.
It was 9:30 when the RV arrived. It looked huge, but we were aware of that. We had the driver position it on the yard’s edge at the back of the barn. There was a line of high brush along the side of the yard, so it didn’t stand out too badly, not like it would have in the middle of the open yard.
The driver, Mike, observed, “You guys got yourselves a real deal. The boss regrets selling it after we had cleaned it up. Okay, I have some paperwork here, and I’m supposed to return with a check. You look at it again. I know you did yesterday, but I’ll feel better if you do it again today. Can one of you drop me off in town at the diner? I’m waiting for someone from the company to get me. They said it might be as long as two hours.”
Molly said. “I’ll give you a ride back or return you to your business. I have to go into town anyway, and it isn’t that far.”
“Sure, I’d appreciate a ride back to the business if you don’t mind.”
I had accepted thirty-five thousand from Amelia for her half of the RV. I said, “Let’s buy you a bed for the end bedroom.”
“No, I want James to have that room. After all, it is his home.”
I objected, “Oh no, you get the end room. I’ll sleep in the small bedroom. After all, I have a room in Maggie’s house, but I would like to stay here. Is this okay with you, James?”
“If you say that is what you want, it is okay with me. I’ll take down the upper bed in one of the two bunk rooms, and Molly can have the other one. She can keep the two bunks or do as I did and remove the top one.”
“If you are going to do that, I’ll take one of those like you have, and Molly can have the one I thought of using. Amelia, there is room in your storage unit. Can we use the storage space for these two extra beds?”
“Sure, please do.”
“Sir, we can get it done now as we have the pickup here.”
“Let’s do it.”
Molly came back before we finished. She saw the pickup in front of the furniture store and came inside. The Colonel explained everything we had decided, and Molly objected to one thing. She was adamant about the Colonel not using the small bedroom.”
“Molly, the end room has the best bathroom, and the smaller bedroom is okay. The Colonel and I can get along fine with the two single rooms and the smaller bath. It only makes sense.”
Amelia had something to say. “You two boys, stop fighting. Remember, Jimmy said, by next year, we would be living in the big house, and he would begin building on the same foundation where the house burned. Those beds are practically new, and they look comfortable. Molly, help me pick out the bed for the bedroom at the end of the hall. Someday, you may be sleeping in it.
“If we someday go on a road trip with this monster, we’ll have to put the bunk beds back and all double up somehow. I’d even share one of the bunk beds in the bunkroom with Jimmy. He would have to take the top one, though.”
The Colonel and I were laughing at Amelia. It would have been fun to have her here. We purchased another full-sized bed in place of the bunk beds. The end room had a queen-sized bed. We didn’t change the mattress as the Colonel and Amelia inspected it. The bed got delivered then set up that afternoon. At present, we have one Queen, two full beds, and one single in the RV
Tad and Brad were still clearing out the cellar hole, which would take another two or three days. They figured it would be at least Monday before the job finished. I told Tad, “I want you to take that chimney down before you go further.”
“Tomorrow morning, the chimney comes down, for certain. The person who bought the bricks will be there to pick them up. He’ll have a check for you before he leaves. It will be for the cost of two new bricks for every one of the old ones.”
“Have him make the check to James the Third. That’ll give him some spending money.”
“Okay. One other thing I wanted to ask you about;” There are going to be a couple of truckloads of fine crap at the bottom of the hole. There is nothing toxic in it.
How about digging a hole to bury it in the woods and then planting some trees on top?”
“Is that legal?”
“About as legal as when the Colonel tore down the wooden barn years ago and replaced it with cement blocks. I asked him about it, and he still has the original permit for burying that. I’ll take responsibility for it if anyone asks.”
“Okay, if you think we can get away with it.” Tad nodded; he could.
Molly, Amelia, The Colonel, and I sat at a six-seat table for dinner that evening. Other guests were stopping by to chat, which was a good chance for Amelia to meet people. I hadn’t met many people around here yet, either. We spent three hours sitting and socializing before The Colonel said he was going to his room. When he left, Maggie came and sat with us. She and Amelia were laughing and joking. Amelia was telling me about her life. She had moved around the country frequently and had several amusing stories about her life.
When we got up, I walked her over to Maggie’s house to go to bed. “Jimmy, I’ve had the best time tonight. That was somewhat different from sitting in an apartment, where you know only a couple of other tenants and are familiar enough with them to say hello. I will love being here, so would you hug me?”
I did, and yes, I lightly kissed her, too. “Thank you, Jimmy. I feel like I’m alive again.”
Billy O’Connor stopped by the diner in the morning to leave word that he wouldn’t start plowing until next week. “I will see what I can do around the track, though. I’ll examine how to get that back into shape. I’ll want to drill the seed in the fields when the seedbed is ready because the ground will dry out this time of year. You did say you wanted the land around the track plowed and seeded, too, so I’ll have to have that ready for the plow at the same time. Is that okay with you?”
Molly looked at the Colonel. I leaned over and said to the Colonel. “Tell Molly to tell him to do what he thinks is wise.”
“Okay, but what about building the house?”
“Am I going to have enough funds to build it, you are asking. If it is, I do have plenty. I hope to have it framed, sheathed, and the roof on before the cold weather. I look forward to seeing horses in the paddocks and fields next spring. To me, that comes first.”
“Okay, Jim, that’s what we will plan on. Molly, tell Billy to go ahead before tied up with someone else. I know how busy he can be.”
Billy spoke, “Thanks, Sir. You know my business, and I’m glad I’m working for you again.” Molly and I got on the bus.
I asked Molly about reassembling the track after it was seeded. “As soon as the pasture is seeded, we will install the posts and rails. We need to decide what we require for posts and the rails that go with them. We can do it on the cheap and have them last for ten years, or go first class, and they will last twenty. The Colonel always went first class, and everything brought him a lot of cash when he sold them after deciding he was getting too old to keep this as a viable horse farm.”
“Molly, would you get with him and find out prices? I’ll want both cheap and first class for the estimates and then decide what we want.”
“Jim, you haven’t said where you are going with this place yet. You are spending a significant amount of money on the farm’s reconstruction, making everyone happy and enabling them to live here. You can’t spend money and get no return for it.”
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