Compass North

by Cathleen Ellis

  And every morning she got up and ran, down the county road to the Mulrenan farm, half a mile away. She came to love the running, hearing the early morning birds chirping as she watched the globe of the sun peek over the horizon. The running gave her a chance to think, about some of the experiences Brody might have in Ireland.

  Tyann got a letter from Ireland every couple of weeks. Brody stayed busy, liking his summer class at the school, equivalent to junior college in the US. His Uncle Declan kept him occupied with chores around his home and the docks. He was single, a fisherman, but had lots of guy friends, and two ladies who still pursued him. There was no way he would ever marry; Brody would not explain the reason why to Tyann. He wrote the basic same letter to his parents. He wrote a different sort of letter to Conner.

  Little brother,

  It sure didn’t take long for me to see; Uncle Declan, he’s so deep into this army. He and his IRA brothers, they’ve been out, doing planning. It’s incredible, the hatred, for the British forces, and between some of the Catholics and some of the Protestants, danger, I feel it. Don’t we all believe in the one same GOD? Uncle told me, to say I’m Methodist, if anyone should ask. I’ve been to his church with him a couple of times, unbelievable how many people know him. So, hey, he’s way more than just a fisherman. I’ll keep you up to date, as much as I can. I’m pretty positive pops knows what I’m doing here. I’m not sure he understands how excited and revved up Uncle Declan is when he comes home from his planning meetings with his brothers. I’ve heard the stories of what goes on in Northern Ireland, since my little kid days, uh, you too, Conner. I don’t think pops discusses any of this with momma, but there is stuff in the papers and on the nightly news there in America. Keep stuff from me, this letter and others I’ll write, when I have time, in a safe place, and not a word to Tyann. If she suspects other reasons why I’m here, she’s said not a word to me. Each day’s sure an adventure. Thanks for stepping up and taking over my home and farm chores and your own, a big load for you ‘cause you’re an athlete and a good student. Love, Brody

  

  “Tyann, you’ve that free period, and you’ve got a nice voice, you should join the school choir,” Jenny mentioned to her late in the summer after they saw a movie together.

  Tyann and Jenny Sletery sat next to each other in choir. She felt a little surprised at how much she enjoyed the musical effort Jenny suggested. She loved hearing the blending of voices, soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone. Tyann always took the hard classes, chem, physics, calculus, and fourth year Spanish. The difficult work, and the homework, she always accepted. Now, though, Tyann wondered what direction her life would take. Some days she hardly thought about Brody, except to pray for him, between her helping at the shop, and at home, plus her schoolwork. Her Spanish teacher kept her supplied with books of Spanish literature written in Spanish. It was his own personal collection. He also lent her Spanish tapes to listen to and recite with.

  Jenny and Tyann tried to run together on Sundays, before Jenny’s boyfriend came for Sunday dinner. They each drove their own cars to the running track around the high school football field.

  “Gotta tell you, Jenny, let’s run a little slower for a bit, the more I hear and read about Northern Ireland, the more concerned I get. What if we were teens, in Northern Ireland?”

  “Ty, you gotta think, that Irish women, must be scared totally out of their minds for their husbands, sons, brothers. It’s the bombings, the Irish Republican Army, never knowing when they will strike, or if they’re just after the British Army, or if its fighting between the Catholics and Protestants. Will it take until sometime in the 1990’s to get this thing under control?”

  “I don’t know, Jenny, I bet so; I do pray that peace will eventually come. I gotta think though, that the IRA’s, they must have money coming in. How do they survive, get the arms they need to keep fighting? All I’m sayin’ is that I’m so blessed to live in the US; I can only imagine being a girl up there, the fear.”

  “Stop, Tyann, let’s sit down a minute, somethin’ I need to share with you, if you ever tell anyone I’ll call you a bold-faced liar, understand?”

  Tyann turned to her friend and nodded. They sat next to each other on the grass, near the track.

  “My dad, the last year or so, he’s let me stay after cards when we and the O’Rooney’s have whiskey.”

  “Yeah, my family’s heard about that special whiskey, you drink the stuff?”

  “I do take a drink, but I go straight to bed after that. Anyway, after belting down several whiskeys, the talk always turns to their homeland, Northern Ireland, and the anger, it just seems to explode in these guys, my dad and brothers, and the O’Rooney boys and their dad, and once in a while Brody and the Mulrenans, now just his dad and brother, join us, same with them. And Brody’s Granddad Mulrenan, he died in fighting the British army. What he wanted, and what all Northern Ireland wants is complete freedom from Britain.”

  “He died, fighting for freedom, wow, Jenny, like when our country fought for independence from Britain, way so long ago. Our Irish families, sitting here in America, what do they do about their anger that you say just explodes in them when they get to talking at night?”

  “Besides praying for their families in Northern Ireland, families here, they contribute.”

  “Contribute what?”

  Jenny watched Tyann’s green eyes flame almost to red-brown as Tyann turned to her.

  “Get up, let’s go, I think you can figure it out, Tyann.”

  Tyann saw the grim lines of Jenny’s unsmiling mouth.

  As they started to pick up their running pace, it came to her.

  “Jenny, the Ireland families, yours too,” she stopped and paused, “IRA, contribute to the IRA. It makes sense, you’re all wealthy farmers.”

  Once she got the words out of her mouth, she felt a chill creeping down her spine. She ran hard.

  “That’s what Brody’s doing, besides going to school and helping out. His Uncle Declan is IRA, just like Brody’s granddad was. That’s gotta be super exciting for Brody, but there’s the danger,” she told herself.

  She raced ahead of Jenny, wanting to finish the run as quick as she could. She waited for her. As they started to cool down, Tyann looked over to her friend.

  “I appreciate what you shared with me. My world just blasted open, so much I gotta think about. Holy crud, where’s my head been these past few years?”

  “You’re in love; you got lots to consider now, Ty.”

  Tyann stood with her hands on her hips, looking out over the football field.

  “Jenny, I stand alone now, and I’m on my own. Hey, and I’ve just had a serious revelation,” she eyed her friend, and shook her head, “Brody’s never gonna be happy just being a farmer, after the time he’ll have with his Uncle Declan.”

  They hugged and walked to their cars parked in the lot near the football field.

  “I gotta be the best possible daughter that I can be, this last year with my family, help out, talk to mom and dad about any money they’ve set aside for me, for college. I’m not engaged to Brody; I might want to spend time with another guy. Hey, I have no other experience in dating, none at all, except Brody,” she told herself as she parked in the place where her car went, next to the two car garage. “And note to myself, I can never say anything about the IRA, to the Mulrenan’s. It’s such a part of their Irish history, their loss, Brenden’s dad, Brody’s granddad.”

  

  During that October corn harvest Tyann only helped at the Mulrenan’s part of one weekend. She kept busy in the kitchen assisting Sarah to prepare meals for the hungry harvest crews. One Monday at noon Tyrone pulled his daughter out of school to help repair a corn harvester that stopped working in the middle of a field, during the harvest. The two of them did their troubleshooting, analyzing the mechanical repair that needed to be done. Together they had the machine repaired in a couple of hours.

  On the way back to the store her dad turned to
her, “My Tyann, we’re very lucky to have the parts in stock and for our parts person to deliver the stuff quick to us, right in the field. You and our parts person’ve both told me several times that we need to keep parts for older equipment. And I appreciate your help so much. You’re small, but very strong, which helps in getting into places to do repairs, especially for the emergency today.”

  “Hey, we just got real lucky on this harvester. Dad, when a farmer doesn’t keep his equipment maintained, well this is what happens.”

  “Right, and I told the farmer he had maybe one more season for the harvester, and then he’ll have to get a new machine. Hopefully it won’t break down in the middle of cutting next season.”

  “Oh my gosh, Dad, all that equipment, way so expensive.”

  “Yeah, we’re lucky our farmers have a good relationship with the banks in Porttown, who work with loans for our farmers. And it’s also good that farmers share their equipment with neighbors when they can.”

  

  Father Contran asked Tyann to take over the leadership of the Catholic Youth group at St. Patrick’s. When most of them showed up, there were 25 young Catholics, in grades 9-12. Father took the religious training he gave these teens very seriously. And he needed a thoughtful, energetic young person to help him.

  “I certainly would be happy to help out for this year, now that harvest’s over. I haven’t been very good about getting to CY group; this is my final year to have you as my guide, Father.”

  Tyann convinced Father the importance of pop and snacks after the half hour session and the short meeting the group had three Thursdays evenings a month.

  “More will come, if there are snacks, and we can ask for volunteers to bring each week. You’ll see, Father, I promise.”

  With Father’s knowing the talks that he would give each week Tyann set a calendar for the group for the rest of 1988 and the spring of 1989. They took a break in the summer.

  Tyann liked the results of her efforts with snacks. The group increased in size. By mid-November she and Father had a task for the group. The CY group never helped with a community effort before. And this one involved church members. After Father’s lesson, she spoke to the group.

  “I’ll start, then I’ll let Father take over. We have a service request, from the Porttown Knights of Columbus.”

  “Right, Tyann, some of you may’ve met the Knowlton couple, in their early 80’s, church members for over 50 years. They have no family left here in Porttown. The Knights built them a ramp to their front door, also reframed and installed a wider front door. They’ve widened door frames and replaced four doors in the home, for the day to come soon when Mrs. Knowlton will need a wheelchair to get around. She uses a walker with great difficulty now. The whole inside of their home needs repainting. It’s three bedrooms, a living room, two bathrooms, and a dining room/kitchen combination. All the work’s completed, except painting the walls. And the Knights will provide the protective paper floor coverings, paint, rollers, paint tape, pans, brushes, and off white for all rooms. It’s the same basic color as now. The walls very much need freshening, many years since painting last occurred. That’ll complete the door widening to meet the wheelchair accommodation.”

  Father saw a hand shoot up in the back of the room. He nodded to the teen.

  “It would be our pleasure to help out, Father.”

  Tyann began to clap her hands; the group got up and clapped their hands. She heard a couple of loud whistles and saw lots of smiles. She helped paint leaders find a Saturday in late November that was a bye week for the Porttown football team. 24 CY group volunteered, 12 for the morning shift, 7-noon, and 12 for the afternoon shift, noon-5, with as many of the morning people who could help returning late in the day to clean up and put furniture from the middle of rooms back in place.

  

  “It’s pretty impressive, all these kids, assisting folks who need help,” she said to Father as he stopped by at 11:30.

  She finished painting the last wall in the master bathroom and then joined the hungry crew who just completed their 5-hour shift. The group coming on at noon just finished their sandwiches and drinks. Leaders assigned the new group to areas of the house that needed finishing up.

  Tyann stopped Vanessa, “Tell your folks how much we appreciate the sandwiches and drinks, please.”

  Vanessa’s folks owned a sandwich shop in Porttown, and they were happy to contribute. The entire St. Patrick’s parish knew the Knowlton couple and their need. By 5 p.m. most of the 24 reported in to assist in putting everything back in place. The one thing they did not do was rehang pictures. Father suggested the couple might want to do that themselves.

  Mr. and Mrs. Knowlton drove up in their car and parked in the driveway. The group stood on the front lawn as the couple, the wife moving slowly with her walker, came up the ramp. They turned; Tyann saw tears in their eyes, as they waved and thanked the young people for their efforts. Father joined the couple. Several teens brought cameras and took pictures. A reporter and camera person from the Porttown paper also took pictures of the group and the couple.

  “Wow,” Tyann said to the guy standing next to her in the group, “I didn’t expect the newspaper.”

  “Yeah, well this is a big deal, folks helping folks; it’s starting to happen more here in Porttown, Iowa. It’s a good thing, don’t you think?”

  “I agree, totally.”

  Tyann got around to as many of the group as she could, thanking them for their efforts.

  “It was so worth it, to see how happy the couple was, once they saw the inside and came back out to thank us,” was mostly what Tyann heard as she walked and talked with the group.

  She got in her car. Several blocks from the Knowlton home she suddenly felt wrung out, staying all day on that task, with no energy to even keep her foot on the gas pedal. She pulled over to a curb in front of a home and put her head on the steering wheel. After taking a dozen or so deep breaths and letting them out slow-like she raised her head.

  “Thank you God, for showing me what service looks like. I’ve worked with my family on my own home and now this effort. I think what I want to do is help people, somehow help folks; it feels so good to see the smiles on Mr. and Mrs. Knowlton’s faces. There’s a sense of appreciation; I could feel that, coming from them.”

  

  “How’d you enjoy the Holiday Concert?” she asked as she joined her parents and sister at the kitchen table.

  Tyrone brought cups of steaming hot chocolate for all of them.

  “Great, you all can really sing, Tyann; it’s the first high school holiday concert we’ve attended,” Annie told her daughter.

  “Hey, I might decide to join next year, if I have a free period, that matches with the choir time,” Mandy nodded to her family.

  “Thanks for the hot chocolate, Dad,” Tyann spoke up as she smiled to him.

  “You gonna tell mom and dad what some of our CY group’s doing? It’s somethin’ you helped set up, Tyann,” Mandy nodded to her sister.

  “Right, you know about the Christmas boxes St. Pat’s does?” Tyann eyed both her parents, “Eight families got picked, folks with really big needs. Father works with church members who share that they need help, or know of someone in our parish who needs help. So each box has individual items requested by a needy family.”

  “Yes, we know my Ty. What’re the kids gonna do?”

  “The Women’s Altar Society, they’ve asked the CY group to be the delivery persons for this effort.”

  “You gonna take the Christmas boxes to these eight families?”

  “That’s right; Father says it’ll be a good experience for us. Hey, so many of us have cars, it’ll be a so cool effort.”

  “Yeah, we’ll see how much we have, how little some folks have got, as stuff gets delivered.”

  “Uh huh Mandy, oh my gosh, Mom and Dad, Mandy and I,” she paused as her tears started, “we’re so blessed, beyond measure, to have our nice home, enough food to
eat, parents who love us and are concerned and thinking ahead to our futures.”

  She nodded to her parents and grasped hands with her folks. Mandy held their free hands.

  Tyrone and Annie smiled to each other and nodded to their daughters.

  Annie spoke out, “We are grateful, to you God, for our lives, to be together as a family.”

  

  “Happy, happy Christmas, Uncle Declan says so also.”

  “Merry Christmas to you, Brody, and to your uncle, this call, what a surprise.”

  “This’s my Christmas present to you, Tyann.”

  “To hear your voice, that’s the best.”

  “Thank you for the beautiful Christmas card.”

  “Oh wow, you got it; I had no idea how long the mail would take.”

  “Uh, three weeks according to the postmark on the envelope. My fall term class turned out great. We’re having Christmas dinner with a woman Declan really likes. She’s got a daughter, 16. She and I’ve done stuff together.”

  “I’m so glad, Brody; we’re not engaged and I think it’s great that you have a chance to widen your acquaintances with young women. How will we really know if we’re meant for each other, if we don’t be with other people?”

  “You’re right, wow, so good you understand. Have a Happy New Year, and time moves on so quick, won’t be long before I’ll return to Porttown.”

  “And Happy New Year to you, Brody, you’re in my thoughts and prayers.”

  “As you are in mine, I love you, Tyann, the light of your loving smile, it’s always with me. True north, you’re my compass, heading me true north, toward my hopes and dreams, in God’s hands.”

  “I love you, Brody.”

  She hung up the phone.

  “What a wonderful surprise,” she touched her hand over her heart, “Love, it goes on and on.”

  

  Tyann checked in with her counselor at Porttown High several weeks after her final semester of high school began.

  “Mrs. Frasier, it’s starting to come to me that I want to do something else plus be a farmer’s wife. You know I’ve dated one young man, just him, for the last several years.”