The Selfless Act

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Shaking his head briskly, Larry pressed his thumb to his chest. “No way! I’m the bread winner in this family. Your place is here, taking care of the kinner as well as the house.”

  “But they’re all in school most of the day. And if they came home after school let out and I wasn’t home from work yet, I’m sure they could fend for themselves a short time.”

  “No.” He rose from the bed and looked directly into her eyes. “It’s better for them and you if you’re not working outside the house.” As if the matter were settled, Larry opened the closet door and took out his pajamas. Then he came to where she still sat, bent down, and kissed her forehead. “Try not to worry. Somehow, some way, the money to pay the hospital bills will be there when we need it.”

  Arlene wished she could be that certain. If she could open the envelope Dad had left her, their financial problems would most likely be solved.

  Akron

  Exhausted from a hard day at work on a job that wouldn’t pay much, Joel crashed on the couch as soon as he’d eaten supper. He tried watching TV for a bit, but his eyes grew heavy, and soon he dozed off.

  Sometime later, he was roused from a deep sleep by the rumble of a car. Feeling as though he was in a stupor, he rolled off the couch and stood. “Now who in the world could that be?”

  Joel stumbled over to the window, pulled the curtain aside, and peered out. One of his outside lights was burned out, making it hard to tell what the vehicle looked like. Joel thought it might be a truck, but he couldn’t be sure. He figured if it was someone he knew, they would turn off the ignition and come up to the house. Instead, the driver of the rig sat in the driveway a few minutes, then drove up to the garage, backed up, and headed for Joel’s shop.

  Oh, no! Warning bells went off in Joel’s head. He quickly grabbed the brightest flashlight he owned and jerked the door open. Stepping onto the porch, Joel saw his own breath as he shined the light on the vehicle. Sure enough, it was a truck, but he didn’t recognize it.

  Who is that? He moved over to the steps to get a better look. Suddenly, the door on the driver’s side of the vehicle opened. A tall man with a scruffy beard stepped out.

  “What do you want?” Joel called, holding the flashlight so he could see what the man was doing.

  The bearded fellow didn’t look in Joel’s direction as he reached into the back of his truck, took out a cardboard box, and started walking unsteadily toward the shop. He was clearly drunk or maybe high on something.

  “Stop where you are!” Joel hollered. “Get back in your truck or I’m calling the sheriff!”

  The man hesitated, then started moving again in a zigzag pattern.

  Joel’s heart pounded as he squeezed tighter on the flashlight. His fingers were numb from the cold, but his body felt like it was overheating. If I had a gun, I’d fire it over that guy’s head. Maybe he’d be scared enough to hightail it outa here. Joel shouted at the fellow once more, this time with a little more force. I sure hope he doesn’t have a gun. If he does, I could be in trouble.

  Even though Joel was concerned for his own welfare, he was more worried about his prized Corvette in the shop. “This is your last warning,” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “The sheriff lives nearby. It won’t take him long to get here.”

  The bearded man stopped walking and turned to face Joel. Then he wobbled back to his truck, placed the box he held inside, and got in. He sat behind the wheel several seconds, then turned the vehicle around, drove up the driveway, and headed out onto the main road.

  Joel stood watching to be sure the man wasn’t coming back, then he ducked back inside and grabbed his cell phone. “As if I don’t have enough to worry about,” he muttered, before dialing 911. Joel gave the best description he could of the man and his vehicle. The lady on the phone, who worked for dispatch, told Joel she’d send a patrol car out to his address and they’d search the area to see if they could spot the trespasser’s truck. If the vehicle returned, Joel was to call back right away.

  He clicked off the phone and slid it into his pocket. When he brought his hands up to his face, he noticed they were shaking. Having an uninvited visitor on his property had unnerved him. If I had a watchdog, it might have dissuaded the intruder—not to mention, given me a warning that someone was there.

  After pondering the idea further, Joel decided he would go to the local animal shelter in the morning to see about getting a dog. He also needed to fix the outside light that had burned out.

  “Maybe I should get an alarm system, too—at least for the shop,” he mumbled. With a car that expensive on his property, Joel couldn’t afford to take any chances. He should have taken care of this when he’d first bought the Vette.

  Joel peered out the living-room window to be sure the strange man hadn’t come back. He felt some relief knowing the sheriff would drive by his place and check around the area. There was no way he could get much sleep tonight. In fact, he probably wouldn’t sleep well until he’d made sure his property was well protected.

  CHAPTER 4

  The next day before going to work, Joel replaced the yard light that had been out, then drove to the animal shelter to look for a dog. Before he left, the sheriff’s office called to let him know the guy who’d come on his property had tried the same thing at a house a mile down the road. He’d been caught and taken to jail, so that was a relief. Even so, Joel needed to make sure his property was protected from intruders. He wanted a dog big enough to be intimidating but not so large it would cost Joel a lot of money to feed. A good strong bark was also a must.

  He wandered up and down the aisles, peering into each of the dogs’ cages. There weren’t many to choose from. Joel figured they were probably picked over because people came here looking for dogs to give as Christmas gifts. One dog in particular caught Joel’s attention—not for himself, because the critter was too small. The brown-and-white terrier mix reminded him of the one Doris had as a child. She’d named it Bristleface and taught the yappy critter all kinds of tricks. Joel would never forget how hard his sister cried when Bristleface ran into the road and got hit by a car. The dog had been killed on impact. After that, Doris had never asked for another dog.

  “She might like one now, though,” Joel said aloud. It wouldn’t replace the baby she’d lost, but it would be good company. Since the dog looked so much like the one she’d had before, Doris might be happy to have it. It could even be the selfless act I’m supposed to do. He smiled to himself. Once Doris sees the mutt, I bet she’ll put in a good word for me with Aunt Verna.

  He crouched down and stuck his fingers through the cage, letting the dog lick them. “What do you say, Bristleface Two? Would ya like a new home?”

  Yip! Yip! The dog’s tail wagged as it wiggled around. It was the answer Joel needed. Setting aside his idea of getting a watchdog for himself, Joel hurried to the front of the shelter to let the person in charge know he’d found the right dog for his sister. Maybe an alarm system for his shop and better lighting would be all he would need at this time.

  Joel climbed into his truck with the dog and scratched the side of his head. Now what? His original intent was to find a dog for himself, take it to his place, then head to the job he’d started yesterday. Now he had the yappy terrier to deal with, and he didn’t have time to go all the way to Doris’s house this morning. He could take the critter to his place and lock it in the house while he was at work, but the dog might not be housebroken, so that wasn’t a good choice.

  “Guess I’ll have to be late for work whether I like it or not,” he muttered, moving the dog off his lap and onto the passenger’s seat. Sometimes Joel didn’t think things through well enough; this was one of those times. I should have waited till I finished working for the day to visit the animal shelter. Sure hope Doris is home when I get there, or I’ll really be in a fix.

  He picked up his cell phone and called the owner of the house where he had been working, to let them know he’d be a few hours late. When that was done, he started up the truck and head
ed for the freeway, going south. The first few miles, the dog rode calmly, until it started throwing up.

  “Are you kidding me?” Joel looked over at the poor mutt, while he brought his vehicle to a stop on the shoulder of the road. Then he grabbed a rag from under his seat to wipe up the stinky stuff. He opened his window, hoping to get rid of the putrid odor, but the icy-cold air blowing in wasn’t pleasant. The trip to Doris’s would be miserable.

  Berlin

  Because Brian was working, Doris had hired a driver to take her to an afternoon appointment to get her leg x-rayed. If it had healed as well as the doctor hoped, she’d get the cast off next week. After the appointment, she planned to meet her friend Anna for an early supper.

  Doris was able to get around better now, with the aid of one crutch or a cane, so her sisters didn’t come over as often as they had before to help out. When Elsie and her family moved into Dad’s house, Doris had been worried Aunt Verna and Uncle Lester might come back here to her place to stay. She loved her aunt and uncle, but she was glad when they’d returned to their home in Burton. A few days of shouting in order to be heard by Aunt Verna was tolerable, but any longer became unbearable. Usually the shouting wouldn’t bother her so much, but Doris was sensitive about everything these days. She was still trying to come to grips with having lost her baby, and seeing her sisters go through trials of their own on Christmas Eve had only worsened her depression.

  What I need is to go back to work at the restaurant, where I’ll be busy and around people, she thought. After her cast came off, she’d be faced with physical therapy, so it could be several weeks or even months before she was able to be on her feet long enough to complete a shift at Der Dutchman.

  Hearing a car come up the driveway, Doris went to the living-room window and looked out. At first, she thought her driver had mixed up the time and arrived early. She did a double-take when she saw Joel’s truck pull up in front of the house and jerked her head when he got out of his vehicle with a scruffy-looking dog in his arms.

  What is Joel doing here, and why does he have that hund with him? Doris hobbled to the door and opened it.

  “Hey, look what I’ve got for you!” He was all smiles as he held the dog close to Doris’s face.

  She leaned her head back when it tried to lick her nose. “You bought this dog for me?” Doris couldn’t imagine what would possess her brother to do such a thing. She’d never mentioned wanting a dog—to Joel or anyone else, for that matter.

  Still grinning, he nodded. “I got it at the animal shelter in Akron this morning. It looks so much like the dog you had when we were kids, I couldn’t resist buying it for you.” Joel stroked the terrier’s pointy little ears. “Thought maybe you could call it Bristleface Two.”

  Doris leaned against the doorframe for support and warmth. “It was nice of you to think of me, Joel, but I can’t take care of a dog.”

  “Oh, you mean, because of your leg?” He gestured to her cast.

  “It’s not that. I’ll be going back to work as soon as I’m able, and no one will be here to keep an eye on the dog.” She sucked in her bottom lip. “Besides, I lost my desire to have a hund after Bristleface died.”

  Joel pressed one hand to his temple. “So you won’t take the mutt?”

  “No, sorry, I can’t.” She stepped back into the house.

  “So what am I supposed to do with him?”

  Doris shrugged. “You could keep him or see if someone else in the family would like a dog.”

  He moved his hand to the back of his neck. “I don’t have time to run all over the place, trying to find a home for the critter. I have a job to do and need to head there now.”

  “Well, you can’t leave him here. My driver will be coming this afternoon to take me to an appointment, and I’m meeting Anna for supper after that.”

  Joel glanced at the dog and frowned. “It’s out of the way, but maybe I’ll stop by Arlene’s place and see if one of her kids would like the mutt.”

  “That’s a good idea.” Her body lacked tension and stress as she patted the dog’s head. Doris had felt this way when she owned her own little terrier when she was a girl. The dog made her forget all the problems she’d had at school or with her siblings—at least for a little while. This dog might do the same, but she didn’t want the extra responsibility.

  Wait a minute, she thought. I know who Joel should give the hund to. “You know, Scott’s still out of school, recuperating from his surgery. I’ll bet he’d like a dog to play with.”

  “You could be right, Sis. Don’t know why I didn’t think of it.” Joel turned to go. “Have a nice day. Oh, and tell Anna I said hello.”

  Doris stood in the doorway, watching him get in his truck and drive away. As the wind picked up, she quickly shut the door. Even though the sun shone brightly, the air was bitter cold. She should have put a jacket or her shawl on before answering the door.

  Farmerstown

  Arlene stepped onto the porch and was about to shake some throw rugs when Joel’s truck pulled into the yard. Scott must have seen it, too, for he poked his head out the door. “Look, Mom, Uncle Joel’s here. Bet he came to see how I’m doin’.”

  Arlene hoped it was true, but her brother had only shown up once to see Scott since his surgery, using the excuse that he’d been busy with work. No one should ever be too busy for family, she thought.

  “Go back inside, Son. It’s icy cold out here. You can visit with your uncle when he comes inside.” She remained in place, holding the rugs.

  Scott’s lower lip protruded, but he did as she asked. Watching Joel get out of his truck, Arlene was surprised to see that he was holding a dog.

  Joel smiled when he stepped onto the porch. “How’s Scott doing?”

  “Better, but not quite ready to return to school.”

  “I’m glad he’s doin’ better. The kid’s probably happy he gets to stay home awhile.”

  “He is, but he still has to do his schoolwork. Scott’s brother has been bringing it home for him.” She stared at the dog in Joel’s arms. The critter had a shiny black nose, reminding her of a wet olive. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your new friend, Joel?”

  “Oh, well…I actually thought maybe Scott might like to have this little fellow.” Joel patted the terrier’s head. “That is, if it’s all right with you.”

  Arlene bit the inside of her cheek, wondering if this was her brother’s attempt at doing another so-called selfless act. Giving the dog to her son might make Joel believe he had an easy chance at getting his portion of the will, but she wouldn’t vote for it and didn’t think her sisters or Aunt Verna would, either. On the other hand, Scott had been bored since he’d come home from the hospital, so having a dog to fuss over could be a good thing.

  “Come inside, and we’ll see what Scott thinks.” She draped the rugs over the porch railing and opened the door.

  As soon as they entered the house, Scott greeted them, smiling from ear to ear. “What have ya got, Uncle Joel? Is that your cute little hund?”

  “It’s yours if you want it.” Joel handed the dog to Scott.

  “Wow, ya mean it? I get to keep him for my very own?”

  “Yep. Every boy needs a good dog.”

  Scott held the terrier close and snickered when it licked his chin. “I think he likes me. What’s his name?”

  “That’s up to you.” Joel stroked the dog’s head. “He reminds me of a dog your aunt Doris had when she was a girl, so if you can’t come up with something better, you could call him Bristleface Two.”

  “Can I just name him ‘Bristleface,’ without the word ‘two’?”

  “Don’t see why not.” Joel looked at Arlene. “Sorry I can’t stay, but I’m already late for work. I’ll come by some other time to see how Scott and his new dog are doing.” He paused and gave Scott’s shoulder a pat. “Take care of Bristleface, ya hear?”

  Scott’s grin never left his face. “I will. You can be sure of it.”

  As Arlen
e watched Joel get in his truck and drive off, she couldn’t help thinking her brother’s heart had softened a bit.

  Berlin

  As soon as Doris entered Boyd &Wurthmann Restaurant, she spotted Anna sitting at a table near the window. She headed that way and took a seat across from her.

  “How’d your doctor’s appointment go?” Anna asked.

  “I didn’t see the doctor today. Just had an X-ray of my leg taken. I’ll see the doctor in a few days to get the results. Then he’ll decide how soon the cast can come off.”

  “I bet you’re anxious for that.”

  “Jah.” Doris glanced down at her cast. “I’m tired of the cumbersome thing and will be glad when I’m able to go back to waitressing.”

  “Have you thought about looking for something closer to home?” Anna tilted her body toward Doris. “Maybe they’re hiring here.”

  Doris removed her shawl and placed it across her lap. “This would be a nice place to work, I suppose, but Der Dutchman is a bigger restaurant. More people seem to go there, which means more tips.”

  “I see what you mean.” Anna gestured to her menu. “I already know what I want, but feel free to take your time deciding. Since school’s out for the day, I don’t have to rush.”

  “Me neither. Brian will be working late this evening, and I told my driver I’d call for a ride home after I had supper with you.” Doris studied the menu, although she didn’t know why. She planned to have her favorite turkey club sandwich, with a cup of chicken noodle soup.

  When their waitress came, they told her what they wanted. Anna ordered a cold plate, of cottage cheese, Jell-O, fruit, trail bologna, and swiss cheese. She also asked for a bowl of chili.

  “How are things at school?” Doris asked, after taking a sip of water. “Have things settled down now that Christmas is over?”

  “Jah. Everything’s pretty much back to normal. But with Valentine’s Day coming next month, the scholars will soon begin making cards to give each other. Of course when I bring heart-shaped cookies and fruit punch for a treat on Valentine’s Day, they’ll get pretty excited.”