Bee Happy

by Marcia C Brandt

  “So why are the hives in the old machine shed instead of out by the pond? There must be more to this story. I watched you turn white as a sheet before you started to tell me. What is that about?” Calli wasn’t going to let Roger stop there.

  “Okay, if you insist, but can’t we finish this at home? I’m ready to put my feet up in my recliner and rest a bit.” Roger got the agreeing nod from Calli and they both headed for the checkout counter. Roger paid their bill and told her to go on ahead; he needed to speak with Mildred for a bit. Calli got into her van and sat there awhile before she started it up. Her mind was trying to make sense of this long tale her grandfather had just told her. She could tell by his reluctance that there must be some sort of tragedy associated with the bees. He wouldn’t just quit not after what his grandpops had taught him, like getting back on the horse if you are thrown off or back on the bicycle after a spill. She revved the engine, gave it some gas and headed for home. Now that she’d relaxed a bit, she knew she was tired too. She had been up very early and had sold all her produce and flowers. Might as well swing by the bank and deposit my bag of cash. One last errand before she heard the end of this story.

  Roger arrived about fifteen minutes after Calli had changed clothes and plopped herself on the couch, feet up, relaxed and ready for the continuation of the bee keeper’s tale. Roger was busy in the kitchen for a few minutes before he came into the living room and claimed his favorite recliner. He knew that there would be no sleep until he finished telling Calli what had driven him away from his bees. “Guess you’re ready to hear what happened.” Calli was all ears and almost afraid to hear what horrible thing had driven him away. “Grandpops and I had what we called a ‘honey route’, like the milk man, but we delivered honey. I know most people don’t remember having a milk man any more, but Evergreen had two local dairies that delivered fresh milk, cream and eggs on a regular route each week. We thought we were pretty clever to be doing the same thing as the dairies only with our honey. We had quite the operation and more than just plain honey. We whipped it and made the best spread you could put on bread. Lois was one of our customers. She’d always take an extra jar to give to someone as a gift and then without fail, they became our customer too. Love her for that!”

  There was no way that Calli could guess where this was going. It sounded like a perfectly successful business to her. She began wondering if she could become a bee keeper like her Grandfather and sell the honey at the farmers market along with her vegetables and flowers and herbs. “You might be wondering why I quit since we were doing so well with the honey. That’s the part of the story that makes me sad and lonely. My grandpops was really one of my best friends, a lot like you and me. He and I would spend the day together making plans and having the best time laughing at our mistakes and celebrating our success. I never dreamed that we’d ever quit the honey business. As you know I decided that I wanted to go to school and become a teacher. So I went to the local junior college for two years and then on to the state school to get my teaching degree. While I was gone, Grandpops kept the honey business going, but he was slowing down a bit and it was becoming more of a chore than something he wanted to do. I guess that me being gone had taken the joy out of the business. I got a teaching job about two hundred miles away from the farm. I was so excited. I was out on my own, had my own job and my own apartment with a couple of friends. This was what it was like to be grown up. My second year of teaching I got a call from my father one Sunday afternoon, Grandpops had passed away. He had been down by the pond tending to our bees. We never figured out what happened really. Everyone guessed it was a heart attack but we’ll never know for sure. I came home for the funeral and was heartbroken. I hadn’t come back to visit as much as I had planned. I was too busy to take time to speak with him on the phone and too busy to come home to the farm to help him with the bees. I was so disgusted with myself that I moved the hives into the shed. I knew that the bees would leave because it wasn’t a good place for them. They found other places to swarm and make their honey. But they were done making honey for my grandpops and me.”

  Calli had tears running down her face. She could feel her grandfather’s pain and self-loathing. It didn’t seem like there was anything she could say that would help heal the wounds. This had to be many years ago, no wonder he turned white when she told him her bee story and found the bee hives. They sat in silence for a long while. Both of them feeling the sadness and not knowing what to say next. Calli’s mind was searching for a way to create the ‘happy ending’ to this story, maybe she’ll have a dream that will give her the answer.

  “Thank you Grandfather for telling me. I know it wasn’t easy to remember why you stopped being a bee keeper. I never wanted to cause you any more pain or grief. But I know there has to be a reason why those bees led me to the shed and to the bee hives. Maybe we’ll have an answer in the morning. I see you are tired and so am I. Sleep tight. See you in the morning.”

  Roger just nodded his head and sighed. He’d not thought about the bees or his grandpops passing for a very long time. Memories are supposed to be happy ones, life is supposed to have happy endings. He knew Calli well and knew that she would wake up with some sort of plan, a plan to turn this long tale into a happy ending. A smile came across his face, yes; Calli will give me a happy ending to my bee tale.

  Chapter 5 Bee a Happy Ending

  Calli slept like a rock that night, even with all her questions rolling around in her mind, once her head hit the pillow she was fast asleep. When she heard the rooster in the morning, she rolled over covered her head with the pillow and went back to sleep. She wasn’t finished with the dream. This was her answer dream, the one that would give her the happy ending to the bee story her Grandfather had told her last night. An hour later, Calli rolled over and stretched, making those morning groans that stretched all her muscles and joints back out into proper position, there were a few cracks and creaks which were probably from carrying all her buckets yesterday. Getting dressed, Calli could smell the bacon frying in the kitchen. This was her kind of morning. Sleeping in a bit and then going downstairs to the best breakfast she could hope for. As she brushed her hair, she suddenly realized that she had indeed remembered her dream, the one that would create the happy ending. With a whistle and a jog in her step, Calli descended down the old pine staircase and reached the kitchen just as her Grandfather was putting her plate on the table. “Morning, Calli. How did you sleep? I sure was out like a light and didn’t wake up very early. I probably won’t be that early bird catching the worm today!” Calli laughed at his pun. “Me either. When I heard Rex the rooster this morning, I just covered my head with my pillow and went back to dreamland, which by the way was very good thing. I do believe that I found a way to make the happy ending for you and the bees.” Roger didn’t look convinced in the least bit. “Really? Pray tell what do you have in mind now?” Calli was always bringing her creative side to their business. Roger could count on her to suggest something new and innovative that usually gave them the edge over their competitors. Just last year she figured out a new way to display their vegetables at the market and it almost doubled their sales instantly.

  “I know that you feel like you let your grandpops down. And that has to be very painful to remember. I’m sorry that I made you tell me the whole story, but I’m not sorry to know about your successful business with Grandpops. I wish I could have known him, he sounds like a very wise and kind man. I’ve had my own experiences in healing emotional wounds. I know that you don’t hold much stock in what you call psycho-babble. But I do know that your heart can heal from past hurts. And I know it doesn’t matter how long ago the hurt occurred. I’m a living example and you know that for a fact.” Calli was reminding her grandfather about her own journey back from heartbreak She was deeply in love with her high school sweetheart, they had dated all through high school and planned to get married, have a family and live happily ever after. That fairy tale ending didn’t happen for her. Cal had v
olunteered to join the National Guard, thinking it would give him training and a good paycheck to help them get their lives started on the right foot. Then he was sent into a combat zone and never returned. Her heart was shattered and all her dreams were smashed. She had gone into a very deep depression and didn’t want to do anything. Luckily for her, her best friend was studying emotional healing techniques. Sally brought Calli back from the depths of her depression using several healing systems. At this point Roger had asked her to move in and help him with the farm and gardening business. This gave Calli a reason to get up every day and a reason to be happy again. She and her grandfather had become very close, to the point of being able to know what the other one was thinking.

  “I know. You were in the dark pit of depression after Cal died. And I know that Sally worked some kind of magic with you. For that I am eternally grateful. I have you to thank for making these past few years filled with fun and laughter and love. I do love you and don’t know what I’d do without you. But I’m not one to lie on a couch and spill my guts about something that happened so long ago. I just don’t think it will help me, it’s been too long.” Roger seemed to have his mind made up and it didn’t look like there would be anyway that Calli could persuade him to change it at this point in his life. She was going to have to be so subtle in how she presented her idea that he’d never know that he was being healed. Sally had told her that she could do the healing session ‘long distance’; Calli had no clue what that meant but she was determined to at least call her and see what happened.

  “I’m not going to ask you to do anything that you don’t want to do, would you at least give Sally permission to ‘work her magic’ on you from a distance?” Calli felt her fingers cross behind her back. If he would only say ‘yes ’maybe this would be a starting point for the next phase of her plan, getting those bee hives out of the old machine shed, spiff them up, and get the bees a new home. She believed in destiny and she just knew within her heart that it was their destiny to revive those old hives, gets the bees making honey, and start up the honey route again. This seemed like the perfect time to add another source of cash for them. Besides, she also wished that this project would allow her Grandfather to heal the old wounds from his Grandpops passing. She knew there was some kind of guidance from above or at least a hint that the magic of love could be a soothing salve for her Grandfather.

  “What does that mean, work on me from a distance? What do I have to do? Do I have to eat or drink some magic potion and wake up like Alice in Wonderland too big to return home?” Calli could see the twinkle in his eyes and knew that he was teasing her and had already decided to let her contact Sally for the healing. “Well, I guess if I don’t have to do anything special, she can give me some magic, as long as it doesn’t cost too much. I’m not sure what you think this will accomplish, but you know how difficult it is for me to say no to any of your ideas. They always seem to be successful, although I’m not sure where you plan to lead us next.” Calli was so overjoyed she almost jumped out of her chair and gave him a hug, but she didn’t. She stayed in her chair, finished her breakfast with a smile on her face and a song in her heart. She knew without a doubt that there would Bee a Happy Ending to his story.

  Chapter 6 Working Her Magic Sally worked at the mayor’s office in the small town of Evergreen. She always took her lunch to work and when the weather was nice she’d eat outside at the town square right across the street from the mayor’s office and city hall. Calli knew her schedule; Sally always had lunch from noon to 1 pm, just like clockwork. So, Calli packed herself a sack lunch and headed for the town square to rendezvous with Sally. The two of them had been friends for a very long time, both of them growing up in Evergreen and never leaving their home town for greener pastures like most of the high school graduates did these days. The interesting part of the story is that many of them returned after a few years, discovering that the green pastures were exactly where they left them, right here in their own home town.

  “How’s everything going for you? I hope you don’t mind me joining you for lunch. I know that you have to keep a rigid schedule to keep the mayor happy. One of these days he’ll learn to be just a little more flexible and not make you punch the clock,” Calli grinned knowing that probably was never going to happen this lifetime. “Oh, you are always welcome to join me; I appreciate the company and love having a like-minded person to talk with instead of all the ‘good ol’ boys’ that work at city hall. I wonder how anything gets done or how any new ideas ever get introduced to this town. ‘That’s how we’ve always done it.’” Both of them laughed, yes, a small town was a good thing even if it did have a few old ideas that won’t wither away gracefully.

  “Progress is something that belongs down the road for some other town to be fool hearty enough to try,” Sally was quoting the mayor verbatim and had that solemn look on her face just like he did whenever she suggested a new way of doing something, anything, even updating their computers. Calli knew she was telling the truth and also knew that Sally would be happier in another job but in order to pay the bills she stuck with this job and appreciated the dependable salary and benefits.

  “So what brings you to town instead of enjoying the peace and quiet of your gardens?” Calli knew that anything she shared with Sally would stay between them, unlike most people in a small town where everyone’s business seemed to be share with anyone who would listen. “You know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without your help and healing. I was really in a deep depression and you were the one who helped me return to myself again. I’ll always be grateful. Now, I have another favor to ask you and I want you to understand that I’m going to pay you for your healing sessions. And I won’t take no for an answer. One of these days’ people in this town will be knocking at your door asking for your help and they will be willing to pay you and then you can leave the good ol’ boys club and have your very own peaceful healing space.” Sally nodded in agreement. “Here’s what’s going on with my grandfather. Remember I told you about my little encounter with the two bees? How they led me to the machine shed and the bee hives in the corner? Well, during market yesterday I learned that my grandfather used to keep bees with his grandfather. Talk about repeating a generational pattern. Anyway, to shorten the story, his grandfather died beside the bee hives and my grandfather has some sort of guilt associated with his death. That’s when he moved the bee hives into the machine shed and refused to keep bees ever again. For some reason I have a feeling there’s a special purpose or reason why those two little bees led me there and now I think it’s about healing for my grandfather. He’s not of the generation who will come to you himself, but he agreed that you could do some long distance healing with him as long as he didn’t have to drink any potion or lay on your couch.” Sally knew Roger very well and understood exactly. “You know that I’ll be very happy to send the healing to him. He’s a very special man and after all he’s taking care of my best friend and letting her live on the most beautiful little piece of land in the county. I just need to know what time he usually goes to bed and that’s when I’ll do the healing session.” “Thank you so much. He’s usually in bed by 9 pm but if you wait until 10 pm he’ll be there for sure.” The rest of the lunch hour sped by too quickly for them. “We’ll have to do this more often although I know that this is your busiest time of year.” Sally tossed her sack into the trash can and hurried back to work. Calli stayed in the park a little longer wondering how the bee hives would look back down at the pond. Maybe she’d stop at the library and see if there were current books about bee keeping that she could check out. Sometimes it made more sense to use books instead of the internet. She knew that she had a touch of her grandfather’s old fashioned ways. He believed that a book took more time to create and that it had more value than some of the dribble on the internet. Those were his words, dribble. She laughed at the thought. Her grandfather was the one who believed in her the most of anyone she knew and it was her turn to offer that belief righ
t back to him. Somehow she felt this would lead them to a bigger picture and a bigger mission for the little town of Evergreen.

  The afternoon was a little windy; Calli wore a hat to keep her hair out of her eyes as she did some much needed weeding in her garden. Even with all the mulch they used, there were some pesky weeds that were determined to grow where they didn’t belong. Rabbits had been one of her trials when she first started gardening. Grandfather had given her the best advice and it was working quite well. First of all the garden was too big to fence properly, he had suggested that she get some plastic great horned owls and place them around the garden. Calli didn’t think the rabbits were stupid enough to believe they were real, but after a time she understood how it worked. Every other day she moved the owls to a different location in the garden and that seemed to keep the rabbits guessing and out of her vegetables. Everything looked good this year. The rains had been coming at the best time to keep every plant healthy. She knew that if there were a couple of good years in a row that she’d have enough money to begin her next big project. Not the bee keeping one but the one that she’d never shared with anyone, including her grandfather.

  A van pulled into the driveway and parked. Calli could see from the row of broccoli that it was Jim and his old 60’s colored van. The van model wasn’t really from the 60’s it just looked like it. Now what is HE doing her on my turf? Calli was irritated already and had no idea why he was here. Maybe grandfather had called him for something. They seemed to get along and she’d never share with him her feelings about Jim, how he grated on her just by being in her presence. “Hey, Calli, is it ok if I come over to the garden? I don’t want you to think I’m here stealing gardening secrets or anything like that.” Grrr, rats, he’s here to talk to me. I suppose I’m to act like I’m glad to see him, even though I’m not. “It’s ok Jim. Come on over, I’m just finishing up a little weeding, seems like I can never stay ahead of them.” “I understand, that’s one of my biggest jobs most days too. I came over to see if you’d be interested in going to see a movie with me tomorrow night. There’s a new Harry Potter movie playing and I know that you like all that magic stuff.” Oh, my, God. He’s asking me out on a date. I haven’t been on a date since Cal died, not that guys hadn’t asked me. I wasn’t ready before and now that I feel almost ready to date again, here’s the worst possible guy asking me out. What am I going to say? Calli’s mind was in overdrive and there were no words coming out, the only indication that she’s registered his invitation was the fact that her jaw had dropped and her mouth was wide open, still no sounds were coming out. “I know this might seem a little sudden, but we’ve been market buddies for a couple years now and I’ve noticed that there’s no guy escorting you around, except Roger and I don’t think he counts in the romance department.” Jim had a silly grin on his face and was waiting for his answer. He looked totally relaxed and confident all at the same time. He was handsome and smart and worked hard and seemed okay, all except for his weird van.