The Colonel
Copyright© 2026 by happyhugo
Chapter 9
Alan walked over and shook his hand. “Good to see you, Colonel. You have quite a place here.”
“It’s all Jim’s doing. He has many soldier friends and wants a place for them to have parties occasionally. Let me push one more button.” He pushed the one that opened the panels that hid the bar.
“Well, I’ll be. This room has everything! You can hold a dance here. There is plenty of room.
“I came down those stairs over the bar while you were looking at where the band area is. The kitchen is through that door beside the bar. Alan, are you about through here? It’ll only take ten minutes to show you the most beautiful scene in the world if you like horses?”
“I do, but I can’t stay long.”
“Follow me. Jim installed an elevator because he injured his foot. In truth, it was for Molly and me, who love horses, and I can see the whole pasture from upstairs.” It was only a few minutes before we saw the Colonel and Peabody walk by where the stair opening entered the hall, heading out to where you could view the pasture and grazing horses. Amelia, Bonny, Alice, and Molly were gabbing.
Amelia grabbed Alice’s hand and tugged Alice toward the Bandstand steps. “Come, James has more music than La Paloma. I like Stonewall Jackson myself. I will put it on. These are Jim’s CDs, and he doesn’t mind if I play them.”
They looked through the box. “Hey, here is one by Ray Price, ‘For the Good Times.’ Jim, dance with me.” I took Alice into my arms. She snuggled right up close. “Jim, I could dance away the night with you.”
“Mom, what are you doing?”
“I found me a man to dance with.” I looked at Bonny. I could see she was hurt because she had just lost Brad, and this wasn’t the time to be dancing. Alice realized it, as well. “Bonny, I’m so sorry, and I wasn’t thinking, forgive me?”
“Of course, someday after a while, I’ll have you down, and we will dance here. Jim is a good dancer, and I’ve had a few with him.”
“Bonny, I may have a band play here someday, and I will check in with you. Please don’t blame your mother. I was the one who accommodated when she put her arms around me. Alice, you are invited when we are less serious and sad.”
“Jim and Mom, sad to say, I was ready to dance too. It is difficult to remember that Brad is no longer with us. I haven’t gotten used to it yet. Mom, shall we visit the Pastor in his office at the church? He may not have heard about Bradley yet.”
“Yes, we should. Does the Pastor know Bradley well enough to speak about him during the Eulogy?”
“He is fairly new. I’m not sure he knows how much Bradley changed during the last year or so. I’ll tell him about the change since the Colonel asked him to work full-time for him on the farm. Molly might be the best one, though.”
“No, I was too close to him until we split up and you married him. Jim didn’t know about Brad’s drinking problem. I’m sure he dwells on the last years of happiness he gave you.”
“Jim, would you do Brad’s eulogy during the services?”
“I can, and I can tell of many things he did for the farm while working with Molly, building the horse business, and her starting again from scratch. I can explain how much he did for me by helping with cleaning and removing the original cellar that used to be near where this one is now. He was also the person who built the beautiful green lawn in front.
“After the building started, he suggested cleaning the brush and having the lot from here to the road leveled and ready for grass. Again, he came up with the idea of installing flowers and flowering shrubs, which would be preferable to just a green lawn. People can observe when they leave. They can see what a master he was at making the grounds here beautiful. His last idea was to have seats scattered throughout the lot near some of the shrubs with the sweetest scents, allowing people to appreciate the flowers in full bloom. That will happen, I promise.
“Bonny, would something like that meet with your approval? Is there anything personal you would like me to add? I don’t want to mention that he was troubled at times but had finally put it behind him, and for the last couple of years, his trouble went away.”
“Jim, you should mention Brad’s drinking. He lost every job he ever had until you and Molly took him on to work for you. Most everyone knew what his addiction was, and the mourners will wonder why it isn’t mentioned.”
“Okay, Bonny, we can discuss this with your Pastor. He should have a suggestion on what is appropriate to include. We should also discuss hymns with him. Brad was often humming and singing a song, bluegrass especially.”
“Whispering Hope was one he would sing. I’m not sure if that would be a good fit. I liked it, and have heard the song sung at two funerals; I remember it was ‘Fallen Leaves.’ by the Gospel Quartet. Mom, wasn’t that sung at Dad’s funeral?”
“Yes, I picked the song and sang at the Committal Service, not his funeral. That would certainly be a good one. Another is ‘Go Rest High on That Mountain,’ sung by Vince Gill.
I saw the Funeral Director and my grandfather coming across the room. “Jesus, that’s a sight to see. I have never seen anything more beautiful. I understand, Miss Burns, that it is your business. Will it become more profitable over time?”
“Yes, I’m tied in with the Kingston Stud Farm. It is odd, but I’ve kept up with the different horse registries since the house burned down and Grandpa’s business was destroyed. Then Jim and I became partners in the land, and Jim rebuilt the infrastructure needed to restart a profitable horse farm. Brad saw how Jim was generous toward me and worked to do his part in making the farm exceptional.”
“Jim talked to Brad when he first arrived. Bradley got drunk at a dance the first week Jim was here. Jim talked to Bradley the following day and commented on his habits. I never learned what he said, but it straightened Brad up, and he made some promises to his wife, Bonny. That may be the best time to mention Brad’s addiction to alcohol during the Eulogy.”
“Thank you, Molly.”
I didn’t want to mention Brad’s addiction in the eulogy. “Bonny, it would be better for someone else to speak of it when the Pastor asks if anyone else has something to add.
“Jim, I’ll stand and mention it. Brad and I were closer after what you said to him. I don’t even know what you said. I do know that Bradley was a changed man after that day. Jim and Molly hired Brad that same day, and I wanted to thank Jim for the advice to Brad. Jim also had a few words to say to me. I probably won’t repeat what I am saying here now. We need to finalize the obituary for the paper tomorrow, including the announcement for the funeral, and so forth. Can we leave here now to see the pastor?”
Peabody agreed, and Bonny spent an hour in the pastor’s office. Bonny was looking for a simple service. Brad had been in church only once since Pastor Stevens took over. Bonny was the only person who attended church regularly. “Brad didn’t, and I’m leaning more toward what he would wish for a service. I feel this deep in my heart. We will leave it to the Pastor to provide credible service to the attendees who knew Brad.”
One thing the Pastor objected to in the Committal service before the funeral. “Do you have room in this house to hold the casket? It will be in the paper when the committal service is. If you have your husband buried before, there won’t be a casket here. I understand that your husband will be buried, not cremated. It might not be traditional, but you have his ashes there in an urn sitting on top of the casket
“Mrs. Kendal, people will know that the casket is empty, and I have always felt odd looking at an empty casket where an empty vessel stands. It made me think that the person who was in the casket was now empty of their soul. People have turned away from the traditional order of what has always been. It seems as though you are in a rush to have him interred. It wasn’t long ago you came asking for advice on what to do to make him stop his drinking. I gave the advice you asked for, and he stopped. I have heard you brag that you received advice at that time, and these last two years have been the best years of your marriage.”
“Pastor Stevens, I came here looking for a pastor to perform a service. I’m a widow now and want to follow my husband’s wishes. I’m sorry to say that it wasn’t your advice that I took to stop my husband’s drinking. It was a person I didn’t know well at the time who gave me the advice I needed. I tell you that the minutes when I wake up in daylight and the minutes after supper before I go to bed with the man I loved, I can find a far better use for the twenty minutes when I am on my knees praying about how to solve my husband’s addiction.
“I am going out to the people who came with me, saying that you are too busy to perform the committal service and the funeral. Your beliefs, for some reason, don’t coincide with mine any longer. I’ll ask Gertrude Mims to perform the service.”
“Mrs. Kendal, I provide quality service, but not in the back of a closed storefront.”
“That may be, but I am considering Brad’s wishes. Excuse me, Pastor; I have people waiting for me. Good day to you.”
I could tell Bonny was upset when she came out of the office. “Jim and Molly, I will ask the Minister, Gertrude Mims, to perform the service. Brad always said Stevens was puffed up because he was so close to God. I don’t believe he is any closer to God than I am. I don’t know why I forgot that. Gertrude has two kids who have a garage band. Brad told me that. Maybe they will want to sing the hymns if I ask.”
Alan Peabody laughed when we reached a house that had seen better days. A dog was tied out front, and he met us with a wagging tail. “Alan, do you know Mrs. Mims well?”
“Not well. The reverend holds a prayer service on Thursday nights in an empty storefront. Her congregation is small, and service held early on Sundays. She has an even smaller congregation in an assisted living facility. I don’t think her income is much. She has two children who have a band with other teenagers. They play for donations sometimes. They were the two I thought of singing the songs at Brad’s service. Perhaps Mrs. Mims can explain why. You might be unaware, but Gertrude and Bradley grew up in the same town.”
“Don’t tell me that Bradley was intimate with her?”
“No, of course not, Gertrude is older than he was. Ask her about your husband after she has performed the service. I don’t think Bradley ever shared many details of his life with anyone. You might discover more about his life that he had kept hidden and that you were previously unaware of. I got onto it when we talked and asked her where she was from early on in our association. She said she was from Texas. I laughed when she said that because I had heard Brad say those exact words.
“I told her of a Bradley Kendal who had lived here for five years before she arrived. I think she is the one who looked him up and promised not to spread the fact that they knew each other in their early life.
“Bonny is not answering the door, so she may be over at the building where she holds services. Let’s go over there. If the kids practice in the building, you can ask them about singing in the program during the funeral.
Gertrude’s parked vehicle was by the closed Grocery building. Alan said, “Jim, why don’t you take everyone home? I’ll introduce Bonny to Gertrude. You should return to discuss the obituary and your thoughts on the eulogy. Gertrude should be able to tell us if her two children can sing the hymns. If possible, you can meet with them during the week, sometimes in the evening. The students in the band are all in school. I have heard them sing, and I believe you will find them adequate for Bonny’s needs.”
Bonny told Alice, Molly, and Amelia, “You go along with Jim, and I’ll work on this. Writing may take hours so that it can be in the newspaper tomorrow. Alan will scan it for the publisher after we finish it. Jim, would you please return? You are my rock to lean on.”
“I can do that, Bonny, aren’t you sure you do not need, Alice and Mollym, to work on the obit with you?”
“Jim, Molly, and Mom are here listening to me speak. It is Alan’s suggestion because Brad and Molly have a history together. Molly agrees that she doesn’t want anything personal about her included other than what we discussed about Brad working so diligently to restore the horse business. You said you would do the Eulogy.”
“Bonny, okay, I want the advice that I gave Brad, and you kept strictly neutral without any details. Unfortunately, there isn’t someone who has known Brad longer than I have. There must be something unknown about Brad’s early life that I’m not aware of. I asked him once where he was from, and he said he was from Texas and had a terrible childhood, and that was all he would say. I will do the best I can with the limited information available to me.
“It is good that he spent so much time working for the Colonel. I can expand on that. I’ll return soon and catch up on how you have made out with this new Minister.”
“Fine, Jim, I’ll see you soon.”
I drove everyone home to the horse ranch. Alan Peabody, Bonny, Molly, Amelia, and Alice were glad to get away from having to discuss Brad’s death for a few hours. I quickly drove back to meet with the minister. Bonny hoped to handle all aspects of Brad’s funeral.
When I opened the door to enter, Bonny saw me and hurried over to speak a few words about the minister. “Jim, I just learned that Gertrude knew Brad in his youth. There are many facts that he never divulged. I’ll bet he never told Molly about his youth; otherwise, she would have mentioned it to me. I’m glad I decided not to use the Pastor from my church. The minister, is friendly, and seems better suited to perform the service because she knew Brad in his youth that I wanted for Brad.
Gertrude shared more about Brad’s early life and some of the challenges he faced during his youth. “He had an unhappy childhood with an abusive father and had to deal with his father’s abuse of his mother. I even know why he liked music so much. I discovered that Brad had been in a band for a few years. I never knew he could play a bass guitar.”
“He didn’t own any instruments at all. He did sometimes go when he was drunk and advised the minister’s two kids when the band was getting started. She said that when he stopped drinking lately, he didn’t come as often. I’m discovering so much about Brad that I never knew. I’m so sad about that. Bonny took me by the arm and walked me across the room. “Please meet the Minister. She is nice to talk to.”
“Mr. Thorp, I have never met you, but I know quite a bit about you. Bradley often spoke about you and related your actions when you first hired him to be the kind of person he was capable of, if he left the booze alone; Brad did that every time he was fired, and managed to find a new job. He was sober the day he said that. I was surprised, for often, when Bradley talked to me, I could tell the man had been drinking. If he had too much, I wouldn’t let him near my children, and he respected me in that and never argued otherwise. If drunk, he would stay away from them and listen to them while they practiced.
“When he figured he had to leave, he might approach the band and say, ‘You need to bring up the tempo with the Bass. Try it anyway,’ and then he would turn and walk away. I understand that you will be opening your home for the funeral, and Alan told me that you want someone to play the hymns in the program. Is that correct?”
“It is. There is a stage where the band can play. There is also a pulpit to use. If Bonny has you for the service, would you and the band come by to review things? That way, you can determine the setup, and you won’t arrive on Saturday without knowing what you will find. Any evening will be fine. The band could bring their instruments for the tryout.
Peabody said, “Let’s complete the Obituary for the newspaper tomorrow. Jim has offered to recite Brad’s eulogy. Is that still on?”
“If Minister Mims would do Brad’s eulogy, I would prefer that. I was thinking of what I would say. It would have to be about Brad’s accomplishments concerning the home I’m building. I don’t want it about me. I offered, but I felt it might come across as bragging. If you do the eulogy, everything is about Brad, not me. Molly Burns feels the same way.
“Molly and I will get with you and Bonny and help write it for you. That should work fine. You can tell us a little about Brad’s past that we were unaware. I understand he has lived in this area for less than ten years. People will be interested, I’m sure.”
“Ms. Mims, would 6:30 be okay, this evening?”
“Yes, that will be fine.”
“Thank you, “Mr.Thorpe. I’ll arrive then. I’ll have the kids in the band with me.” I started to leave, thinking Bonny would be with me, but then I remembered they were to work on the obituary.
Bonny said loud enough to be heard, “Thanks, Jim. I’ll be with Gertrude.”
Molly was out behind the horse barn working with a horse. “Hey, Jim, everything settled?”
“Not quite. Bonny is still working on the obit with Peabody and the minister. There will be some facts about Brad in it that most people don’t know. The Minister knew Brad and his family when he was young. Brad had a dysfunctional family, and the minister intimated that that was why Brad drank so much.”
“Oh, I thought all along that it was me who caused his drinking. That is a relief to know. Brad was rather strange and disappeared at times when he had been drinking. I guess I’ll never know where he went.”
“I can tell you where he was and why he was missing. Brad knew the minister, and when her kids started playing instruments, he would visit her house and give them some advice. She said he had played in a band for a few years and must have been quite good. Bonny did not know about this either. I figure that is why he was always singing to himself. I have an excuse for not knowing, but oddly, he kept that fact from the two women he loved. He offered marriage to one and married the other.”
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