Chapter 4

We packed things Tuesday evening since we would be leaving early in the morning. Linda and I had the clothes we had packed for our honeymoon. I knew when we added Loretta’s and the few things that Jimmy could not get along without, our vehicle would be terribly crowded from Keene, NH to Brattleboro. We would make do somehow. The child’s restraining seat would take up considerable room and there was no way we anticipated we would need one when we packed for our honeymoon.

Maury handed Linda an envelope as we prepared to get in the rental car heading for the airport. “Linda, this should be enough to take you through this month. You will be receiving $1,700 a month from the estate to replace your wages. As soon as this quarter ends, I hope I can distribute what Stan will be receiving as his share of what is coming to him.

“I’ll soon be visiting you and Jimmy and can explain more fully what you will be receiving as I gain more knowledge. I do have two years to complete this. As I have stated, I don’t want Jimmy to go out of my life so you will be seeing a lot of me.”

I shook hands with Maury. “Maury, this is so strange. It was a week ago today that I was married. Now I have a son and I am his guardian. Needless to say, I will be trying very hard to become the father that he needs. I won’t let him forget the first father he knew either. That wouldn’t be fair to Charlie’s memory. Linda will do the same with Bonny’s memory as well.”

“Thank you, Stan. I feel I have done right by Bonny and my brother. Please let me know of any problems and I’ll do my utmost to help.” He turned to Loretta and gave her a hug. We could see real affection for each other. We were soon in the air. Jimmy had flown several times before and he didn’t seem that excited about being on a plane. He may have even flown on this one.

We landed in Keene, New Hampshire, and it was a problem getting everything crammed into the car. Thank God I hadn’t purchased the small vehicle yet that I had been looking at for Linda to drive. Thirty-five minutes later, we turned off Western Avenue and headed up my street.

My neighbor from across the street saw us pull into the driveway and she came over to tell us that Porky hadn’t been any trouble. He was always waiting on her when she arrived to freshen the water in his dish and feed him. I thanked her and as I had done the same for her on occasion and a thank you was sufficient.

Loretta stood looking at my house and said it was pleasant. I knew her home had a lot more character than mine, but I was satisfied. So it was just an elongated box with a bow-window in front. I had more plans for it now that I was married. It needed a substantial deck on the rear of the building and someday I anticipated enclosing the breezeway. These things would come. There was even room to add more rooms if needed.

“Come Jimmy and meet Porky. I promise you he will say hello and make you welcome.” I opened the door and Porky came bounding into the kitchen. He paused and looked at what might be an intruder. “Porky, say hello to Jimmy. I’m turning you over to him.”

“Meeyow!” With that he came and rubbed his pelt around Jimmy’s legs. Jimmy immediately dropped down on the floor and when Porky came around in front, Jimmy hugged Porky to him. Porky squirmed and then lost his balance and fell over. Porky then cuddled into Jimmy’s arms and purred the loudest I had ever heard him.

“Guess you have a new someone to love you. All you have to do to keep his love is to love him back.”

“I will. I always will. Can Porky sleep on my bed with me?”

I laughed. “Just try and stop him. The cat has a mind of his own and he won’t change it for anything”

“Goody.”

The bed I had installed in the room where my small office was located was a twin size. Eventually I would exchange it for the bed in the guest room where Linda slept until we began our relationship. That was now to be Jimmy’s room. Jimmy tired early and we put him down without a problem. Loretta went to bed in my so-called office shortly after the room was made up.

“Stan, we are sleeping in our own bed tonight. What a change this last week has brought. Our life has been turned upside down.”

“Do you regret it?”

“No, not at all. I just never expected having a child this soon into our marriage. I thought we would have months of time to go places and see things, and yes, be as noisy as we wanted to in our bedroom.”

I laughed, “It does cramp our style, doesn’t it? We will get used to it. Just think you will be a full-time Mom and that should have its own rewards. I’ll be working but we’ll plan things for evenings and on my two days off we can go do things. I anticipate we will have a little extra money to take in things that Jimmy will enjoy which we might not have thought of going to on our own.”

“It’s a trade off is what you are saying and we’ll be that much better for it.”

“Exactly.”

Loretta stayed ten days before I drove her home on the second Sunday after leaving Pennsylvania. Jimmy hadn’t had any problem with the transition. Much of that was because of Porky. Porky had always slept on a blanket laid on the floor in the closet off the room I called my office. The first full day we were back, Linda told Jimmy it was time for his nap. “Okay, can I sleep with Porky?”

“Of course you may.” Linda and Loretta were talking and not paying attention to Jimmy. He got a drink of water and disappeared. A half hour later, Linda went down to his room to see that he was alright. He wasn’t there. Loretta told me Linda about went wild and ran around screaming that Jimmy had gone out of the house and wandered off.

She was about to call 911 when Loretta went into her room to get a wrap and Porky came out of the closet and rubbed her leg. The cat turned and went back. Loretta looked in and saw Jimmy curled up on the floor. Porky dropped down and cuddled up to Jimmy. Linda called me at work and told me the whole story.

That night when I came home Linda had taken a picture, printed it, and had it sitting by my plate. She had made a caption for it “He who sleeps with Cats.”

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We stopped in Arlington to see Aunt Mildred on the way up to leave Loretta off. The two had known each other when I was married to Bonny and had a fine time getting reacquainted. I invited both for Christmas. I believe all of us were looking forward to the holiday more than usual. I know I was. Linda was looking forward to having Mike with us. Wendy wasn’t answering her phone and Mike didn’t think she still lived at the same apartment.

His words were that he didn’t miss Wendy. I know Linda was hurt by not being informed that her mother had moved and wondered where she was at present. There was no Christmas card from her either. Mike did get a waiver from the court system for the week off from work, so he was with us. I had installed a blow-up mattress in the cellar and turned the heat up on the zone so Mike could be very comfortable with the sleeping arrangements.

Right after Christmas, Linda asked, “Dad, what are your plans after you complete your parole?”

“Linda, I’ve given that a lot of thought. I’d like to move up here somewhere near you. Do you think I could find something in my line of work?”

“I would think so. Stan and I have talked about it and that is why I am asking. He is talking about fixing up a spare apartment in the cellar. There are low interest loans that can be applied for from the town. I would think we would meet the criteria. The cellar is dry and all we need is some walls and appliances along with the wiring. Jimmy needs a grandfather to take him fishing and to the school sport events.”

Mike stared at both of us. He was so pleased he was almost breaking up. “Are you sure? I wasn’t much of a father to you.”

“I agree that you weren’t, but I think I know why. The problem is behind you now and if it appears again we’ll face it together.”

This conversation happened in front of Mike’s mother-in-law, Mildred. Loretta was present as well and neither had any objection. I spoke up. “I think I had better run this by Maurice. If he doesn’t object, then I’ll welcome you.”

“Are you going to tell him about my being a felon?”

“Yes, but I’m going to emphasize that you have paid for your crime. Linda can explain that she knows of nothing in your background that would bar you from being around Jimmy.” With a quivering voice, Mike thanked us all. This was something we could look forward to later in the season.

That evening I had a surprise. My mother, Susan Rider, informed me she was in town and wanted to see her new grandson. “Betty is with me. The kids are home with their father. Shall we get a motel room?”

“Mom, I guess you will have to. I have a houseful and didn’t know you were coming.”

“No Problem. This was a spur of the moment trip.”

“That’s great. Aunt Mildred is here along with her son-in-law, Mike. Loretta Dinsmore is with us. I’m driving her home Sunday. Linda, my wife, is anxious to meet you. It’s early, come on up and then we’ll call around and find you a room.”

“Give me directions and then we’ll be right there.”

I had to explain to Jimmy that he had another grandmother coming and an aunt would be with her. He was confused, thinking that his aunt would be an old, old lady like the lady I called Aunt Mildred. “No, Aunt Mildred is Linda’s grandmother so that makes her your great-grandmother.” I laughed about Aunt Mildred being thought of being old, old. She was still in her sixties.

“Okay.” It was more than okay when my mother and sister came into the house bearing gifts. Some things are more important than others to a kid who was almost four years old. Maurice came the same day for a few hours and said he would be back one day the following week. He saw no reason to deny Mike moving here so that was fine.

I was a little worried that when everyone left and Jimmy’s life just went from full attention from several people to just Linda and me, Jimmy would be lost. One thing that came about that was a plus while our guests were here. When they were talking to Jimmy and referred to me and Linda it was your “Mommy and Daddy.” This totally confused Jimmy. It wasn’t long before I realized this.

Linda and I took Jimmy to McDonalds for a happy meal. While there, we explained to him that we wanted him to remember his Mommy and Papa and that was why we had so many pictures of them in his room and around the house.

“Every little boy should have a mommy and daddy. Your Mommy and Papa can’t be with you so we are going to be your Mommy and Daddy. We love you just as much as they did. We want to be a good Mommy and Daddy to you, but if you still want to call us Linda and Stan, then that’s okay too.” Jimmy didn’t respond and he never called us Mommy and Daddy until after everyone had left. That was okay, though. Soon it became a habit and we felt now we were actually his father and mother.

One thing that brought us close was the fact that every day while I was at work Linda would walk through the woods back of the house and down through them to Route Nine. It wasn’t far down the road to where I worked in the store. The doors would open automatically and he would come bursting shouting “Daddy.” We couldn’t at first figure out why this was such a treat for Jimmy.

Then Linda said, “Stan, it is because you leave in the morning just like his father did, but now he can see where you are and can relate that you aren’t far away and he is sure you will be coming home when your day of work is over. He even has learned to watch the clock, once in the morning when it is time for our walk, and of course when it is time for you to come home.”

Winter prevented this most days, but Linda said he called getting into the car to see me, a walk. So we figured it was the coming to see me that was the walk however, you got there.

Linda was a wonderful mother to Jimmy, but then she was a wonderful wife to me at the same time. She kept Gram Loretta and Great-Gram Mildred in the loop. Whenever my sister Betty and my mother, Susan called on the phone, Jimmy wanted to say “Hi” and wanted to know when he would see them again. Whether he knew how all these seldom seen people were related to him was suspect, but he did love to talk to them.

Maurice was of course, his favorite person after me and Linda. Mike was fast becoming a favored person too. Both gave each other something and they talked two or three time a week. Jimmy was counting down the days until Mike would arrive. He promised to take Jimmy fishing when he could come to live with us in the summer.

It seemed good to have some extra dollars. I asked Maury if it was okay to use the money that came to me to remodel my cellar so Mike could live with us. “Go ahead. It is your money to do what you want with it. As long as Jimmy is taken care of to my satisfaction, there are no restrictions. If you didn’t, there is no way I could take the money away because it was distributed to you when approved by the court as I fulfilled my ongoing duties of administrator.”

I hired a carpenter to build walls and put up the sheetrock. He got them ready for the prime coat. The below level bath was amazing to me because water doesn’t run up hill. Anyway, the apartment was ready as soon as Mike had time to put the finish paint on when finished with the correction department in New Jersey.

Jimmy was into everything while all of this construction was going on. He was curious and asked a million questions. The carpenter had kids and was careful to call Linda when he was performing any dangerous construction while Jimmy was present. The carpenter had made a deal with the boy that he would answer all his questions if he would leave when asked without putting up objection. It worked wonderfully well.

Christmastime was the last time Mike had been able to visit. We knew that Jimmy would most likely have forgotten what Mike looked like as it was several months before he was released, although they had spoken on the phone dozens of times. Linda took an excited Jimmy with her to pick Mike up at the bus station. The bus was a little late. The passengers got down from the bus and walked around to get their luggage from the storage compartment.

Linda and Jimmy watched from the outside of the car until the half-dozen passenger dispersed. Then they began walking toward Mike. Linda hugged her father and then turned to Jimmy standing at her side. He stuck his hand out to shake Mike’s hand, “Welcome home, Grampa. You’re going to live with us and you promised to take me fishing.”

“I certainly am. Do you have a hug for your grandfather?”

“Lots and lots, Grandpa. Daddy will be home early and then we are going out for supper. Grandpa, you have a new room in the cellar, but you have to paint it before you move in. Mommy said I could help. I had to beg awful hard before she said okay.”

“I’ll bet you had to promise to obey me when I told you to do something and promise to stop when I said you shouldn’t do it.”

“I promised. When can we begin?”

“I want to rest up a couple of days. We have to go fishing remember?”

“Okay.”

Mike was relaxed and happy to be back in a family setting. “I do have to find a job very soon, though.”

“As a mechanic?”

“I guess so. That pays pretty well, but I do enjoy cooking.”

Linda spoke up, “I know someone who is desperate for a breakfast cook. The woman up the street lost the one working for her and it complicates her being with her two kids in the morning.”

“I’ll give it some thought. It wouldn’t be enough to pay all my bills.”

“You know, Dad we aren’t charging you rent to live here. You might just make it on what she would pay. She does own a busy diner.”

“Well, first I’ll see if I get on with an auto repair garage.”

“But Grandpa then you won’t have time to take me fishing.”

“Sure I would. You can fish on Saturdays and Sundays and even fish in the evening when I get home.”

“I su’pose.”

Mike spent two days looking for work. He volunteered that he was a felon when asked about his work history and emphasized he had done his time. Mike did have a glowing letter written by Pat Huber listing his qualifications. I suspected once he mentioned “felon” Mike never had a chance.

When I got home from the store the next night, Jimmy stuck right next to Mike. I questioned Linda if he had been like that all day.”

“Yes, he is right with him every minute. He went with Dad to the paint store. The men on the counter kidded with Jimmy. Jimmy just loves the changes here.”

“Maybe he is lonely, Linda. He has got over you as his new mother and the fear of you leaving like Bonny did. One day she was with him and the next day she was gone.”

“Stan, could be, I guess. At least he seems to be over the worst of it”

“Linda, have you talked to Toni Wynde about employing Mike as a cook?

“No, but I have set him up. Nothing definite, just mentioning that Mike does cook. She will be walking by when he is mowing the lawn this evening. She will have her two kids with her. We’ll go out and introduce her. I’m taking a Frisbee for the kids to play with while they are talking. You and I can play with the kids.”

“You’re pretty sneaky.”

“I know and sometimes it pays off. I snuck through the window into a house one time and look what it got me.” It worked out just like Linda assured me it would. Toni’s two kids had a few years between them. There was a six-year-old girl and a boy of ten. Toni had on jeans and a flowered blouse. Her hair as in a pony tail. I had met her a few times, but I doubt I had said a dozen words to her. She looked to be in her middle thirties. Mike was forty-one.

Linda hailed her as she walked by. “Stop and talk, Toni. This is my Dad, Mike Lewis. We made him an apartment in the cellar and he is here permanently. Jimmy, you toss the Frisbee. I’ll join in a minute.”

Jimmy was glad to have anyone play with him. “Wanna play? I only have my Mom and Dad to play with. Grandpa Mike is going to play sometimes. He is taking me fishing. Do you like to fish?”

“I don’t know, my dad left us alone a long time ago. There’s just us, and Mom works all the time.”

“We’ll ask Grandpa if he will take you with us. You have to ask your Mom if you can go.” The Frisbee was in the air and conversations stopped with the kids carrying on as only kids can do. Linda and I joined in, racing around. Jimmy was the youngest and the kids made sure the toy could go to him to catch.

Toni said to Mike, “Linda mentioned the other day her father was arriving here to live. Do you like the area?”

“I love the fact that I’m living here with Linda and Stanley and they have folded me into their lives. I’ve been where I couldn’t visit her that often. I made some bad choices awhile back and have now finished my debt to society. Some mistakes that I will never make again. Linda and Stanley fully support me and if I’m tempted, they would be terribly hurt. I love both and especially my grandson who loves me without judgment. I will never disappoint him.”

“With that attitude I’m sure you will be happy here. Linda also mentioned you liked to cook?”

“I do. I worked in the kitchen where we fed more than a 700 persons every day. I continued feeding just a few when I left there and now I delight in feeding my family.”

“Would you consider working in a restaurant cooking breakfast?”

“I might take it on temporarily until I can find steady employment.”

“I am desperate to find someone. When can you begin?”

“What time do you open?”

“Doors are open for patrons at six. The cook should be there an hour earlier. Once orders start coming you won’t have time to find something you forgot to set up. I personally, will be training you for the rest of the week.”

“I will see you at five.”

“I could pick you up when I go by if it would be more convenient for you.”

“It would. What time will my duties be complete? I’ll have Linda come get me. I promised Jimmy I would take him fishing tomorrow. I’ll have to get my license and some bait. Would your children like to tag along and watch? If they think they would like to fish too, we can get them some equipment.”

“Do you really want to watch them?”

“Sure, Jimmy needs some friends and maybe your children would enjoy the outing. Anything different is fun at their age.”

“You’re quite the philosopher.”

“Maybe I just had time on my hands and found it best to reorder what my life was at the time and make a change. I have done that and find myself much happier. I have reconnected with Linda, something I didn’t have a chance to until she found Stanley.

“And then there is Jimmy. He lost the father and mother he knew only as his parents until they tragically died in an accident. Stanley, his biological father, took him and I believe has been as happy with them as the boy was with his mother. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but he was so young. I commend them and they have done much the same for me.”

“Mike, I didn’t know all of this. They have been my neighbors and speak when we chance to meet. I’m sure if when you come to work for me I will know them better. My two children are sure having a great time with them right now.”

“Linda isn’t working because she has been concentrating on making Jimmy happy. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind having them in to play. What are their names?”

“Diana and Dennis. Dennis is named for his father. Dennis, the father, hasn’t been a presence since shortly after Diana was born. He was the one who owned the restaurant. I got the restaurant and he got his freedom to go with a woman I never knew about.”

“That’s sad. I can imagine how you feel.”

“It’s in the past. Hard on the kids though.”

“Well, maybe they won’t mind hanging out with Jimmy until they get older and have other interests.”

“Mike, I’m sure they will enjoy it. I’ll ask and Linda can invite them if she isn’t busy. I’m not going to unload them on her. I have my mother that comes in when I’m working. Lunch and dinner she doesn’t mind, but it is difficult my having to go in early.”

Diana was the first to give up playing and came over to stand with Mike and her mother. Linda and I followed leaving Dennis and Jimmy still playing. Jimmy missed two that he should have caught. He sat down. “I don’t want to play no more.” Dennis said he didn’t either”

Linda asked everyone in for a soda. Porky immediately came out for some attention. It wasn’t long before Toni said she had bothered us long enough and stood up to leave. Jimmy wanted to see where his new friends lived, so Mike walked with Jimmy up to the neighbors.”

Linda turned to me. “Toni needs a man.”

“Mike is too old for her.”

“Dad is only six years older than Toni. I’ll bet the age difference wouldn’t bother either one of them.”

“Well don’t bring it up to Mike. He has to get over your mother. I wouldn’t think he would be looking for a woman yet. Mike is a handsome man so he might not have a choice.”

“Stanley, I’m not into match making.”

“That surprises me, most women are.” Linda stuck out her tongue and I grabbed her. “I guess I shouldn’t mention anything about age differences. I’m six years older than you.”

“That’s right. I never think about it either. Love conquers all.”

When Mike and Jimmy returned, Jimmy was wired. Mike though, was quiet. He asked, “Stan, are you sure it is okay for me not to pay rent for a couple of weeks until Toni can get someone hired to cook for her?”

“Absolutely! Be a grandfather to Jimmy, that’s what is important. I’m Jimmy’s guardian and the estate replaces what Linda would make if she was working. We’re fine, honest.”

Mike ended up working thirty six hours a week. He did at first ride in with Toni for the first week and a half while he was learning the ropes. Monday was the one day the restaurant was closed. Linda drove me to the store after that and I let Mike drive the pickup to work. He would be home for lunch and have the rest of the day with Linda and Jimmy.

Mike never said much about working with Toni. After awhile we got onto the fact that Mike was doing more than cooking. He worked with Toni in reorganizing her menu to make it easier on the cooks and how to make the diner more profitable for her. After a bit, he insisted on paying room. Jimmy was in preschool starting in September so his mornings were taken up. Mike was with him most of the day except on Saturday. My day off was still Sunday, Jimmy was okay with not seeing Mike one day.

Over time Dennis and Diana seemed to be at our house as much as they were at their own. Toni’s mother was glad that she wasn’t depended on to sit with her grandchildren as much. With Mike taking on a larger role at the diner, Toni was seeing more of her own children, but then Jimmy might be with them.

Linda found she had a lot more time for herself too. She watched the three kids and the interplay between them. At first she began writing down her observations. Then she decided she would write it into a story. She would pass this to me to read while she was getting supper and I was relaxing.

“Linda, why don’t you put all of this into a story and maybe we can find someone to publish it. I think it is good. Keep it as fiction and you can have the three kids having various problems. They come to you and you advise them by asking questions. Pull the problem apart so each can see the situation in a different light. They will arrive at the answer to solve their own problems. The three kids are enough different in age so you can dwell on something that bothers them.

“Jimmy is the youngest and would naturally ask Diana who he looks up to. Dennis is the oldest but can have his own problem. Either Diana or Jimmy can throw out a bit of wisdom that they have heard you expound on. It must be true because you know something about everything and you are an adult.”

“I could, I guess. I used to draw pictures for my charges when I was babysitting. Maybe I can add some sketches to highlight any actions that take place in the story I’m writing. I’ll have a try at it. What am I going to call this story?”

“How about, ‘Three Kids and me?’ Even how the four of you got together would be a nice intro. I don’t know as I would share this with Toni. She might not like it.”

“I certainly won’t mention it to her. This will occupy my time when the kids are off with Dad. God, is he ever enjoying his life. He has work doing what he likes to do. I’m sorry I wasn’t closer to him when I was the age of these kids.”

“You know it is getting to where you will have even more time when the kids are in school. We talked about having a child of our own. What do you think?”

“I think I would like to. I didn’t want to bring it up because my job has been to bring up Jimmy.”

“But if Jimmy is in school and Mike and I are here too to watch Jimmy, nothing is taken away from him. Besides, he spends almost as much time up at Toni’s house with Diana and Dennis because Mike likes her kids as much as he does Jimmy. I think it is time we should expand our family.”

“Okay, tonight we begin working on making a baby.”

“Linda, I wouldn’t say it is going to be work. I think it will be fun and not work.” Linda landed in my lap with kisses. Oh the book I suggested never seemed to get off the ground and in another year she had a new baby to care for.

Mike soon was named manager of Toni’s restaurant. He still cooked breakfast, but he spent most of the hours that the kids were in school there at the restaurant. Linda and I wondered how Toni could afford to pay Mike the salary that he was bringing home. I questioned her a month after she raised him to this level.

“Stan, Mike is paying the extra cost for his own salary increase. He has shown me how to streamline my whole diner. He has cut the number of entrée’s. Those were the exotic ones that I had on the menu which I always lose money on. If listed on the menu and seldom ordered, I eventually had to throw the food out. He has cut the salt, pepper, sugar, and ketchup packs by 50%.

“Mike went through my garbage pail and saw that my servings were too large so I have cut the portions by fifteen percent, but if people want seconds after they finish their meal, they get a free portion. Very few ask and are happy with the size of the portions. So Mike is my manager and when I pay him and at the end of the week, I’m still money ahead. The older folks usually ask and I give them a portion to take home in the doggy bag they would have had when I served the larger portions. It keeps them coming back. No food is wasted and it generates a steady patronage.”

“Mike is working out well for you?”

“I don’t know what I would do without him. The kids look on him as a father figure.”

“And you, do you look on him as husband material?”

“Not really. I’ve been there once and that is enough.” I dropped the subject. Mike now had a good job. He had friends and Linda had her father at hand and we all had Jimmy. Uncle Maury came at least once a month to see him. Aunt Mildred talked with Jimmy at least once a week and we visited her twice a month. Loretta, Dinsmore came down from upstate Vermont quite often to Arlington to visit at the same time. It got so she would come down when we were planning on seeing Mildred and the two became great friends so she would be with us.