Giggle Book Four

by BobA. Troutt

  *****

  Giggle Book Four

  Tic Toc

  Kirbytown was a small community that sat snuggled in the valley and was surrounded by rolling, golden hills. In the center of town stood a giant town clock that bonged on the hour and chimed every half hour. It could be heard throughout the valley. Bong, bong, bong it sounded!

  Every day at noon, Zebulon, the old clockmaker listened for the clock. Zeb’s great grandfather built the clock many years ago. It had become the town landmark for everyone around. Zebulon was the best clock maker in his day. He loved clocks because he had been around them all his life.

  Zeb lived not far from town in a place called Buttermilk Hollow. His house ticked and tocked with all kinds of clocks. Chimes, dings and ticks filled his house with love. His long white hair flowed with waves of curls and his snow white beard covered around his slim face. He was a tall, thin, humble man with crippled legs and hands. His eyes were weak and his thick glasses helped him to see but every time he smiled, his eyes twinkled.

  Zeb’s family was all gone; there was no one left but him. Zeb lived with his longtime best friend and co-worker, Chester A. Osgathorpe, III. Chester was a small, chubby mouse with a patch of white hair between his ears and white curly sideburns that hung on each side of his face. His eyes were big, black and bright. Chester always wore a cap between his large ears. He also wore high-top tennis shoes, a plaid shirt and khaki pants. Chester walked with a crutch because he had a bad leg. Zeb had whittled the crutch out of a matchstick. Old Zeb never could pronounce Chester’s full name so he nicknamed him Tic Toc since Chester loved clocks as much as he did. Zeb and Tic Toc were the best of friends. They had been through a lot together. When they weren’t working on clocks, they were sitting around playing cards or checkers to pass the time away.

  “Your move, Tic Toc,” Zeb chuckled as he picked up Tic Toc’s checkers after he had jumped them.

  “You won’t get another one,” laughed Tic Toc. “King me.”

  “Now, now, now, Tic Toc, we’ll see about that,” said Zeb as he took out his pocket watch and looked at it. “Just a minute, Tic Toc,” he said as he eased up from his chair and went to the door.

  Zeb looked at his pocket watch. Bong, bong, bong went the town clock. Zeb turned and smiled at Tic Toc.

  “Sounds good,” he said. “It’s right on time as always.”

  On his way back to sit down, Zeb caught a glimpse of the clock standing in the corner that was still and quiet. No tick, tock, bong, bong or even a chime could be heard. Tic Toc noticed Zeb had the same expression on his face each time he looked at the clock. He often wondered why Zeb never said a word or even talked about the clock. All Zeb ever did was run his hands along the wooden cabinet and gently pat it with his hand.

  “Come on Zeb,” yelled Tic Toc. “Are we going to finish the game?”

  “Sure,” Zeb said as he turned and went back to his seat.

  “What’s the story about that old clock?” asked Tic Toc. “You never talk about it like you do all the other clocks.”

  “Oh, it’s nothing,” he replied. “It’s nothing.”

  “Are you sure, Zeb? You know we are good friends and you can talk to me about anything,” said Tic Toc.

  “Yes, I suppose you’re right, Tic Toc. The clock is very special to me,” said Zeb with tears in his eyes. “The clock was a gift from my wife many years ago. It’s my favorite and always will be. I loved her so much and I miss her to this day,” he explained. “Every time I look at the clock, it brings back memories. One day it stopped working and I never got around to fixing it. By the time I did, my hands were crippled so bad I couldn’t do the work. So, I’ve had no other choice but to let it sit still and quiet all these years. If only I could hear it bong, chime or ding once more, it would bring comfort and joy to my heart.”

  “Why didn’t you get someone to fix it for you?” asked Tic Toc.

  “No!” yelled Zeb. “No! No! No! The clock is special. It’s mine and I don’t want anyone to touch it but me.”

  “I’m sorry. I was only trying to help,” Tic Toc apologized.

  “I know,” he said. “I didn’t mean to yell at you. Please forgive me.”

  “Sure,” Tic Toc replied. “I understand.”

  “I believe I will go lie down for a while,” stated Zeb, “and take a nap.”

  “Sounds like a good idea, Zeb,” replied Tic Toc. “I’ll think I’ll do the same.”

  Zeb eased up and went to his bedroom. Tic Toc jumped down from the table and headed for his mouse hole, yawning.

  “I’m tired, too,” he said as he stretched and let out a long deep breath.

  As Zeb lay in his bed, he felt so ashamed for yelling at Tic Toc. We have been together for so many years. He’s all that I have left. I hope I didn’t hurt his feelings too bad, he thought. He placed his hands behind his head and said to himself, I wish I could surprise him with something nice.

  “That’s it,” mumbled Zeb. “Yeah, a surprise but what kind of surprise can I do with these old crippled hands of mine and these bad eyes? Wait a minute,” he said as he sat up in bed. “I’ll make him a miniature grandfather clock to sit in his room. That’s it. That’s what I will do,” he said with a little giggle and chuckle. “He’ll definitely love that.”

  But my hands,” he thought as he looked down at them and gently rubbed them. My hands are too crippled and my eyes are too weak. What am I going to do? he asked himself as he got up and sat down on the side of the bed. No matter what, I must try, he thought. I must try.

  Zeb had made up his mind. No matter how great the pain or struggle, he was going to make the sacrifice to build the miniature grandfather clock for his friend.

  In the next room, in a hole in the wall, Tic Toc thought, too. He also wanted to do something special for his friend. What can I do? thought Tic Toc. What can I do to ease his pain? Tic Toc questioned himself as he paced back and forth, thinking and wringing his hands. Then all at once, it hit him.

  “That’s it,” yelled Tic Toc. “I’ll fix the old clock and surprise him. No, no wait a minute. There’s no way I can do that. With this old crippled leg it will be a struggle for me to get up and down the clock. Besides, Zeb said he didn’t want anyone to touch it. However, I’m not just anyone, I’m his best friend. I have to give it a try.”

  That day, the two of them vowed to surprise their best friend. The next day, Zeb worked on the miniature grandfather clock before he came out of his room. But, Tic Toc decided to wait until the next night, when Zeb was asleep, to start working on his surprise. Neither one of them knew what was going on. They played cards and checkers like nothing was going on.

  Time passed each day as Zeb worked on the miniature grandfather clock with his crippled hands and weak eyes. Tic Toc noticed Zeb rubbing his hands more and more each day while they played cards and checkers. His hands seem to be getting worse, thought Tic Toc. But, I don’t understand because he doesn’t work anymore.

  At night, Tic Toc worked on the special clock while Zeb slept. He tried his best to get it fixed so he could surprise Zeb. One night, Zeb was awakened by an unfamiliar sound. He heard among the regular ticks, tocks, bongs and dings of the other clocks, a faint pick, pick, pick and a twist and turn along with a bang, bang, bang. What is that? he thought. And where is coming from? He eased up slowly from his bed and walked into the living room and listened to see if he could figure out what the strange noise was. Is it coming from the old clock? he thought.

  “Yes, I believe it is,” he mumbled as he made his way over to the clock.

  Quietly, he looked through the little window on the side of the clock. Tic Toc saw him and in the nick of time he hid in the clock works. Huh, thought Zeb. I don’t see anything or hear anything.

  “That’s strange. I guess my ears are getting bad now,” he mumbled as he went back to bed.

  The next day, Zeb never mentioned
what he heard during the night and Tic Toc was relieved.

  “Tic Toc, have you any threes?” asked Zeb as they sat around the table playing cards. Zeb smiled and said, “Go fish. Well, Tic Toc,” he said as he got up, walked over to the door and opened it, “Let’s see if everything is on schedule.”

  Bong, bong, bong went the old town clock.

  “Yep, right one time,” laughed Zeb.

  Zeb and Tic Toc finished their card game and played a few game of checkers. Before they knew it, the day had passed and it was time for dinner.

  “I believe I’ll turn in early tonight, Tic Toc,” Zeb said after he finished his dinner. “You look like you need to turn in early, too. Here lately, I’ve noticed you seem awfully sleepy during the day. Are you getting enough sleep?”

  “Why, yes, Zeb,” cried Tic Toc.

  “Are you sure? You look like someone who has been working the night shift,” giggled Zeb.

  “I’m sure,” replied Tic Toc.

  “See you in the morning,” stated Zeb as he headed to his room.

  Tic Toc finished his dinner and cleaned up before he went to his room in the wall. When he passed by Zeb’s room, he saw Zeb putting something inside an old shoebox. As Tic Toc lay in his tiny bed, he became more and more curious about what Zeb was putting inside the shoebox. I should go take a peek, thought Tic Toc. I’m sure he’s asleep by now. Oh, I can’t do that. Zeb is my friend. If he wanted me to know, he would tell me. But, Tic Toc’s curiosity got the best of him. He snuck into Zeb’s room to see what he was hiding. As he inched closer and closer to the shoebox, he thought more and more about what it could be. His imagination was running wild. Just a little peek, he thought. Zeb will never know. But as he stood up on his tiptoes to peep in, he quickly turned and walked away. No, no, I can’t look. Zeb is my friend. As Tic Toc turned and walked away, Zeb slowly opened one of his eyes, winked and fell back to sleep.

  Zeb rose up early the next morning to put the finishing touches on Tic Toc’s miniature grandfather clock.

  “It’s finished,” Zeb quietly said as he leaned back in his chair and admired his work. Huh! he thought. If I can do this then maybe I can fix my clock. Zeb slipped back in bed to go to get a little more sleep when he noticed how quiet it was. Without Zeb’s knowledge, Tic Toc had worked all night to stop all the clocks in the house and set Zeb’s surprise. The house was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Slowly, Zeb eased back out of bed and paced the floor. Oh, no! Oh, no, thought Zeb. My ears have failed me, too? Worried, he went in the living room to look around. Suddenly, out of the silence, bong, bong, bong went the old clock. But how, he thought. I can’t believe it.

  “Surprise!” yelled Tic Toc.

  “Tic Toc, my old friend, how can I ever thank you?” Zeb exclaimed with tears in his eyes.

  After Zeb regained his composure, he thanked Tic Toc and told him he’d be right back. He went to his room and came out with the shoebox. He reached inside the shoebox, took out the miniature grandfather clock and put it on the table.

  “Surprise!” he yelled when the clock chimed and dinged.

  Tiny tears ran from Tic Toc’s eyes. He was just as surprised as Zeb had been. They laughed and listened to the bong, bong, bong of the big clock and the ding, ding, ding of the miniature grandfather clock.

  Zeb looked over to Tic Toc and asked, “Do you want to play some checkers?”

  Tic Toc looked up, smiled and said, “Why not.”