Jimmy
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Grandpa spoke. “The only reason we’ve been doing it on Saturdays was because of your mother’s appointment at the beauty shop. Now that everything is out in the open, we could change the day to suit your schedule. You could be my backup and get a chance to watch Jimmy’s progress.”
Daddy looked at Mama. “Didn’t you mention a hundred things that could go wrong? It’s your turn to back me up.”
Mama crossed her arms. “I don’t recall that you came to my rescue when I asked for help. But before I make up my mind, I’d like to see how this safety device works. The idea of the three men in Piney Grove named James Lee Mitchell spending time together is the first part of this scheme that sounds like a good idea to me.”
Jimmy thought Mama had just called him a man, but he wasn’t sure.
— Eleven —
For the rest of summer vacation, Jimmy worked two mornings a week at Daddy’s office. He learned how to put files in the correct alphabetical order in the filing cabinets and how to run the copy machine. Delores declared him an indispensable asset to the office. Jimmy had no idea what she meant, but when she said the words, she looked at him the way she looked when showing someone pictures of her cats.
One day when Daddy was out of the office for a few minutes, Kate let Jimmy answer the telephone.
“When it rings, push this button and say, ‘Good morning, Mitchell Law Office.’”
In a few seconds, the phone rang. Kate excitedly pointed to the button. Jimmy pressed the button and announced, “Good morning, Mitchell Law Office.”
Kate picked up the receiver and repeated the greeting. After listening for a moment, she passed the call to Delores and gave Jimmy a sheepish grin.
“I should have told you to pick up the receiver before you press the button. The caller couldn’t hear you.”
On the next call, Jimmy coordinated picking up the receiver and pressing the button, but the precise greeting escaped him.
“Hello, the Mitchell office. What do you want?”
Kate grabbed the receiver, but the caller had already hung up.
“Uh, why don’t you sort your daddy’s mail?”
Kate picked up the mail at the post office each morning on her way to work. Daddy got a lot of letters. Jimmy would put the regular envelopes in one stack, the larger envelopes in another stack, and any boxes or packages in another. He made sure they were neatly placed on Daddy’s desk so he could open and read them.
He finished his task and returned to Kate’s desk. Slumped in one of the leather chairs in the reception area was Jake Garner. He’d grown a scraggly beard, and Jimmy didn’t recognize him until he saw the snake on his arm. When Jimmy came into the room, Jake Garner glanced up and grinned.
“The boy with the bulletproof testimony. What’s the sheriff been saying recently? Oh, I guess you don’t see him much now that you ran him out of the county.”
Jimmy didn’t say anything.
“I’m here to pick up a big check,” Jake continued. “Then I’m going to ask Kate here out on a date.”
“Mr. Mitchell will be back in a minute,” Kate said.
“I’ve learned my lesson,” Jake continued. “I’m going into business. The next time you see me, I’ll be driving a new car and living in a big house.” He touched his dirty T-shirt. “I’m also going in for a complete makeover and won’t have to get on TV to do it.”
The front door opened and Daddy entered.
“Jake, sorry I’m late,” he said. “Come into my office. Everything is ready for your signature.”
Jake walked past Kate and Jimmy. He winked at Kate.
“He’s nasty,” Kate said after the door to Daddy’s office shut. “I’m glad he settled his case so he won’t be coming in here anymore. I don’t ever want to see him again.”
Jimmy stared down the hallway at the closed door. His curiosity about Jake Garner and the snake coiling up his arm was gone.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said softly.
That night at the supper table, Jimmy left the kitchen after dessert and went upstairs to his room. He was straightening his caps when he remembered that he’d left a cap on the extra chair in the kitchen. Returning downstairs, he went into the kitchen and found Mama was standing in front of the stove with her hand over her mouth and a shocked expression on her face. In her other hand was a sheet of paper.
Jimmy stopped. “What is it?” he asked.
Mama held up the sheet of paper.
“Not now,” Daddy said sharply. “We need to talk first.”
Jimmy stood still, confused.
“Go back to your room, son,” Daddy said. “We’ll talk later.”
“Can I get my cap?” Jimmy asked.
Daddy picked up the cap and tossed it to him. Jimmy backed out of the room and walked slowly up the stairs. He sat on his bed and tried to figure out what he’d done wrong. He decided it probably had to do with climbing the pole but didn’t know why.
AFTER SATISFYING HERSELF ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF THE safety ropes, Mama had given her stamp of approval to additional pole-climbing lessons. Jimmy, Daddy, and Grandpa all promised not to have a lesson unless everyone was present. Together with Mama and Grandma, the three Mitchell men stood in a circle around the pole and prayed that Jimmy would be kept safe and learn the lessons God had for him in climbing the pole. Jimmy kept his eyes shut until Mama said, “Amen.”
Since then, Daddy held the end of the safety rope while Grandpa called out instructions. Daddy had never climbed a pole and didn’t seem interested in learning now, but he never criticized Jimmy. After each session, he patted Jimmy on the head and told him that he’d done a good job. Daddy usually drove his car to Grandpa’s house and left as soon as Jimmy returned to the ground. Jimmy would stay and spend time with Grandpa.
JIMMY WAITED FOR THE SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS ON THE STAIRS. He went to his door and peeked out. He couldn’t hear anything. He returned to the bed and sat down. He tried to be patient, but it was hard to wait. He went to the doorway and into the hallway. He moved slowly to the top of the stairs. He strained to listen and could hear Mama’s voice but did not understand her words. She and Daddy were sitting in the living room. They almost never sat in the living room unless company came over. Jimmy hadn’t heard anyone arrive.
He started down the steps. When he reached the halfway point, Daddy came out of the living room. Jimmy saw him first and took off up the stairs.
“Jimmy! Stop!” Daddy called out.
Jimmy had already reached the top of the stairs. He turned around.
“I didn’t hear anything,” he said. “I’m going back to my room.”
“Come down. It’s okay,” Daddy said. “We’re ready for you.”
Jimmy entered the living room. Mama was holding a tissue in her hand. Her eyes were red.
“Give me a hug,” she said as soon as she saw Jimmy.
Jimmy put his arms around her neck. She kissed him on the cheek.
“Sit down, son,” Daddy said.
Jimmy sat in a chair. Daddy sat beside Mama on the sofa.
Daddy spoke. “When you sorted the mail for me this morning, you put a letter on my desk from a lawyer in Atlanta. He represents your birth mother. She wants you to visit her. She remarried a long time ago and has two little girls. We’re not sure why this is coming up after all these years, except she may be sorry that she abandoned you.”
“The woman in my baby pictures?” Jimmy asked.
“Yes,” Daddy replied.
“No phone calls, gifts, visits, or cards for eleven years,” Mama said, shaking her head.
“Or child support,” Daddy added.
Jimmy looked at Mama. It hurt him when she hurt.
“I already have a mama,” he said.
“Which is a big reason why we don’t think it would be a good idea for her to come back into our lives,” Daddy said. “We have a happy family.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mama leaned forward. “Do you remember anything about her?”
“Do you ever get them out and look at them?” Mama asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“How do you feel when you see her face?” Mama asked.
“I’m not sure.”
“Do you want to meet her?” Mama asked.
“Ellen, I thought we agreed not to—”
“No, I need to know,” Mama responded firmly. “It’s one thing to be curious and look at a few photos. But this letter raises an entirely different issue.” Mama turned toward Jimmy. “Son, look me in the eye and tell me the truth. Do you want to meet your birth mother?”
Jimmy swallowed. “You’re my mama.”
“And I’ll always be your mama. I just want to know how you feel—”
“This isn’t fair,” Daddy interrupted. “We should be making the decisions for him at this point in his life. Don’t put him under this kind of pressure.”
Mama stared at Daddy for several seconds before sitting back. “Okay. You answer the lawyer. I’m going to concentrate on loving Jimmy.”
SUMMER VACATION ENDED AND JIMMY RETURNED TO SCHOOL. It rarely snowed in Piney Grove, but it was often cold and rainy from December through February. One Saturday in early December the temperature warmed up, and Daddy had an early afternoon tee time. Shortly before noon, he drove Jimmy to Grandpa’s house. In a routine familiar to all three of them, they walked to the storage shed, where Grandpa made sure Jimmy properly attached the climbing hooks to his boots and strapped on the safety belt.
“Grandpa, do you remember the black place on the pole?”
“It’s black from top to bottom,” Daddy said.
“No, he’s right,” Grandpa said. “There is a darker spot about twenty-five feet up on the side facing away from the house.”
“Am I getting close to it?” Jimmy asked.
“No,” Grandpa shook his head. “It’s eight feet or more from the highest white mark.”
Grandpa snapped the training rope to a harness that wrapped around Jimmy’s chest. Since installing the safety lines, there had been several instances in which Jimmy became unstable and Daddy had to pull the rope tight to help him regain his position. Before he dug his right hook into the pole, Jimmy turned toward Grandpa.
“If I climb all the way to the black spot, will you go to church with Grandma on Sunday?”
Grandpa chuckled. “Christmas will be here in a few weeks, and I’ll be there for the Christmas Eve service.”
“But I want you to come this Sunday.”
Grandpa tilted his head to the side.
“Why?”
Jimmy pointed to the line of trees at the rear of the lot. “A Watcher sitting in the tree with the squirrel’s nest in it told me to ask you.”
Grandpa looked at Daddy, who shrugged his shoulders.
“What do you do when he says something like that?” Grandpa asked.
“It doesn’t happen very often, but I send him to his mother. Wherever the thoughts come from or what he sees, it’s real to him.”
Grandpa grunted. “What if a Watcher told him that you should buy him a bike?”
“Could I get a bike for Christmas?” Jimmy asked. “Max showed me a picture of a good one.”
“Climb the pole,” Grandpa said. “If you reach the black spot, I’ll be in church on Sunday. In trying to reach your goal, don’t forget to climb the right way.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jimmy dug his right hook into the pole and leaned back against the belt. He moved steadily up. Jimmy kept his feet positioned in front of him, resisting any urge to let them creep to the side of the pole. Within a few minutes, he reached his previous best height.
“That’s record time,” Grandpa said. “If you have the strength, you can go higher. How do you feel?”
“Good.”
“Can you still see your Watcher friend?”
Jimmy turned his head toward the line of trees. “No, sir. He’s gone.”
He continued climbing. He looked down at Grandpa and Daddy. They had their heads tilted back watching him and seemed smaller than he could ever remember.
“You’re little,” he started up, then his left hook slipped loose. He swung to the side and heard the sound of the safety rope shooting through the pulleys. He leaned back against the safety belt and came to a stop. He looked down. Daddy had stepped away from the pole and was pulling on the rope.
“I’m okay,” Jimmy said, digging his left hook into the pole. “Can you see how much higher I have to go?”
“Not from where I’m standing,” Grandpa replied. “Do you want to come down?”
“No, sir. I want you to go to church on Sunday.”
Jimmy moved farther up the pole. He’d positioned himself on the proper side so that the dark spot would be in line with his climb. He dug his hooks into the wood several more times. Looking up, he saw the blacker area of the pole.
“I’m almost there!” he cried out.
In a few more digs, he came up to eye level with his goal. A double dose of creosote had created the dark stain. He took his can of white paint from his utility belt and shook it. The metal ball in the can rattled back and forth.
“That’s enough,” Grandpa said. “Mark the spot and come down.”
Jimmy looked at the arrow on top of the spray button. Twice he’d gotten a face-full of paint when he didn’t point the can in the right direction. Aiming the can at the pole, he released a quick burst of white. He returned the can to his belt and descended. Closer to the ground, Grandpa reached up and put his hand against Jimmy’s lower back. Jimmy came down until there was only a foot of pole showing above the grass, then hopped to the ground. Grandpa patted him on the shoulder. There was a big smile on the old man’s face.
“Jimmy, that was unbelievable. You looked as good as the men who worked with me at the power company.”
“I’m glad I got to watch you today,” Daddy added simply.
After returning the gear to the toolshed, they went into the house to get a drink of water.
“I’ll drive you home today,” Daddy said to Jimmy. Turning to Grandpa, he added, “And I’ll see you tomorrow morning with a suit and tie on.”
When they arrived home, Daddy quickly changed clothes and left for the golf course. Sitting at the kitchen table, Jimmy told Mama about seeing the Watcher and Grandpa coming to church. She shook her head in disbelief.
“I never imagined God could use that pole for his glory,” she said.
“What?”
“You did a good thing,” she reassured him. “Now we need to pray that God will speak to Grandpa during the church service. He’s not getting any younger and needs to get saved while he still has a chance. It would make your grandma so happy if he trusted in Jesus.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied.
SUNDAY ARRIVED, AND JIMMY WAS MORE EXCITED THAN USUAL about going to church. Mama let him wear his University of Georgia tie. Driving to church, he bounced up and down in his seat until Mama told him to fasten his seat belt.
“What will it be like for Grandpa to get saved?” he asked.
“Don’t get your hopes up too high,” Daddy answered. “He went to church when he was a boy, and he’s had plenty of chances to walk the aisle. I don’t want you to be disappointed.”
“But you should pray,” Mama added. “Just like anyone else in the congregation, your grandpa will have a chance at the end of the preaching to go forward and give his life to Jesus.”
“Will Brother Fitzgerald pray for him?”
“Or one of the deacons helping in the service,” Mama replied.
“I hope it’s not Jesse Langston,” Daddy said. “I wouldn’t trust him to give me directions to the bathroom, much less point me toward heaven.”
“Lee, don’t say that,” Mama said. “I know you’re not serious, but it sends the wrong message to Jimmy.”
“Can you make sure Grandpa gets to talk
to Brother Fitzgerald?” Jimmy asked anxiously.
“It will work out fine,” Mama said. “Don’t worry.”
With the start of another school year, Jimmy’s Sunday school class had moved to a new room and new teacher. Mrs. Goodwin was a nice lady with no interest in Studebaker automobiles. She never strayed far from the curriculum sent from Nashville and only allowed prayer requests at the end of the class time. Jimmy thought about Grandpa while she read the lesson. He sat between Max and Denise, who passed notes back and forth to each other behind his back. At the end of class, Mrs. Goodwin looked at her watch.
“We have a couple of minutes for prayer requests,” she announced.
Jimmy immediately thrust his hand in the air. Before Mrs. Goodwin could call on him, he blurted out, “Please pray for my grandpa! He coming to church because I did a good job climbing the pole.”
The teacher gave him a puzzled look.
“Jimmy’s grandpa used to work for the power company,” Max explained. “He’s teaching Jimmy how to climb a pole using those boots that have hooks on them.”
“The hooks aren’t on the boots,” Jimmy corrected. “There is a thing that goes around my leg—”
“That’s enough,” Mrs. Goodwin interrupted. “Does anyone have another prayer request?”
Several sick relatives and an ailing rabbit made the list. When Mrs. Goodwin prayed, she forgot to mention Grandpa, then dismissed the class. Max continued talking to Denise as they walked out of the room at a slow pace. Jimmy sped past them so he could wait for Mama and Daddy at the doorway to their class. He grabbed Mama’s hand.
“Let’s go!” he said. “I want to see Grandpa.”
Mama smiled and let him drag her along. They stepped outside onto the sidewalk connecting the educational wing with the sanctuary. Jimmy peered up and down the throng of people but didn’t see Grandpa.
“Where is he?” he asked.
“He might not be feeling well and stayed home,” Daddy suggested. “He’s been having more chest pains recently.”
“No! He promised,” Jimmy said.
They wound their way through the crowd and up the broad steps to the sanctuary.
“Maybe they’re already inside and sitting in our pew,” Mama said.