Courting Buggy: Nurse Hal Among The Amish

by Risner, Fay

The whole congregation looked around, trying to see what made the noise. Hal turned red. She was dumbfounded that her Aunt Tootie, out of the blue, hit a Plain woman in the back for no reason with, of all things, a hymn book. That embarrassment turned to horror when she realized the woman was, of all people, Stella Strutt. Stella twisted around and gave Tootie a very harsh stare then an equally mean glare at Hal. She said dummkopf sharply in German and looked like this assault was proof that Hal's queerness ran in her family.

  Hal snatched the hymn book away from her aunt. She hissed, “Aunt Tootie, why did you hit Stella Strutt?”

  Tootie whispered, “I'm very sorry. I was trying to kill a black widow spider. I was afraid it was going to bite her. I missed the spider, and now it has gotten away.” She studied the floor around her feet, looking for the insect to make sure it wasn't on her. She blushed when she realized Stella was still glaring at her. Tootie said, “I'm so sorry, Mrs. Strutt. I tried to stop a spider from getting on you. It was a black widow. That's the worse kind you know.”

  That was enough to suffice for the moment. Stella shifted around on the bench to face the front.

  Hal patted Tootie's arm to get her attention. She whispered, “Perhaps you should just sit quietly now before you get into anymore trouble. You don't want to get us kicked out of here, do you?”

  “Of course not, Dear. Never that,” Tootie said meekly.

  On the other side of Tootie, Nora leaned across Emma and whispered, “Tootie, this is their church. Act like it.”

  “I said I was sorry,” hissed Tootie.

  Minister Yoder crossed his hands in front of him, taking in the commotion in row four on the women's side. “Is there something wrong, Stella Strutt?” He asked.

  The elderly woman puffed up like a toad. “It is all right now. The English woman behind me hit me in the back with her hymn book. She says she is sorry so I forgive her,” Stella said in a tone that didn't sound forgiving.

  Even more curious now, Luke turned his attention on Hal. “Was there a reason your aendi hit Stella Strutt?”

  “Jah, a black widow spider crawled up its web and right behind Stella on the bench. Aunt Tootie was afraid it was going to bite her. She meant to kill it, but her aim was bad,” Hal said with a heavy sigh.

  “I see,” Luke said. “So can I start my sermon now?”

  “Aunt Tootie has promised to pay close attention to the front of the room from now on,” Hal said solemnly.

  “Gute to know. Instead of what I was going to preach, I am reminded of a parable that might fit this moment. Today I will recite it in English. It is about a spider web in a household that had a mother with several daughters. The mother had the daughters take turns cleaning the house from top to bottom.

  One day, the daughter in charge of cleaning that day saw a spider web. It hung in the top corner of the door that went from the kitchen to the living room. It was up high so she could not reach it. She decided she was not going to worry about it. She had all she wanted to do to make the house look tidy when it was her turn to clean. She was not going to all the hard work to make the house look immaculate. After all with such a large family, the house would soon need cleaned again. If she was lucky, it would be one of her sisters turn. That sister could take the spider web down.

  When company came to visit, a woman noticed the spider web. She said to another woman someone should do something about that web instead of letting it hang there for all to see.

  The other woman said in order to take care of the problem someone needed to kill the spider. The two women stood under the web looking for a spider but did not see one. Another woman came from the kitchen. They pointed at the web. She was amazed that there would be a web in this clean house. Someone should do something about the web she told the other two. They all agreed and just walked away.

  Six months later, the worship service was in that house again. The house had been cleaned from top to bottom except for the spider web which now held the dead spider.

  One woman took the time to look for the web she saw at the last Sunday service in that house. She whispered to her husband, as she nodded above them, that the web was still there. Someone ought to do something about that web she said to her husband, hoping he would take the hint. Another man stopped to speak to her husband, and the men went outside.

  One woman pointed the dusty web out to another. Soon all the women took turns saying something should be done about that web. One woman pointed out, they were at the Sunday service in someone else's house. What could they do? None of them had a dust rag. It bothered all the women now to look at that web, but look at it was all they did.

  The women of the house were really bothered by the web after they heard all the talk that day that cast aspersions on their cleaning. By the time all the company left that evening, the tired woman and her daughters had forgotten about the web. All the talk didn't bothered them enough to remember the web again.

  Another six months went by. The Sunday service was again at that house. First thing the visiting women did on the way to the kitchen was to look up. Each commented she was bothered that the same old cobweb still dangled there after all this time. They all agreed that something should be done about that web.

  One said, “We need to get rid of that cobweb.” A couple of them went for the broom and dust mop. Others asked the woman of the house for dust rags. They stood looking up at the cobweb, complaining at the poor sight it made but doing nothing.

  A deacon came over to see what the women were doing. His wife mentioned the cobweb to him some time ago. He thought by now one of the women in the house had taken care of the problem. “What's wrong?” He asked.

  His wife said, “We are looking at that cobweb. It bothers all of us to see it still there. Someone should do something about it already.”

  The deacon looked at the dusty web. “How long has that cobweb been there?”

  “For over a year,” replied his wife.

  “That long,” he said. “All of you women have fussed about the web that long, but not one of you cleaned it down.”

  All the women burst forth at the same time with excuses. They wanted to do something about getting rid of the web. They gave reasons why they didn't, including the woman who owned the house and her daughters. They each ended their excuses with they agreed someone really should do something about that web.

  The deacon took the broom out of his wife's hand and a dust rag from a woman. He threw the dust rag over the broom straws and lifted the broom up to the door facing. One swipe took care of getting rid of the web. The deacon was able to do something about it, and it took all of four seconds. We should all know not to leave something that we think is important to be done for someone else to do when we can do the job.

  As for what happened today, anyone that sees that spider in here during the service or his web under a bench, I say do not wait for someone else to take care of it. Do what Nurse Hal's Aendi Tootie attempted. Take care of the problem right away yourself, before that spider bites someone or builds a web.” Minster Yoder said, “Now for the silent prayer. Und wann dir einig sin lasset uns bede.”

  At the minister's bidding, the congregation slipped off the benches onto their knees. After they were seated again, Hal vowed to keep a better watch on Tootie. She kept only partial attention on Deacon Enos Yutzy. He read scriptures about Aquila and Priscilla's lives as tentmakers and how they moved about the country.

  When he finished, he turned the preaching over to Bishop Bontrager for the main sermon. “Dear Brothers and Sisters, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray The Lord's Prayer together. Und wann dir einig sin lasset uns bede.”

  Everyone went from the benches to their knees to pray the prayer out loud. After the Bishop said amen, they rose and sat again.

  During Eldon Bontrager's sermon, Hal heard familiar giggling. She looked beside her. Beth was on the bench, but Redbird was missing. Hal leaned over to look in the aisle. Mortified, she saw her redheaded to
ddler crawling toward the bishop. What more could this family do to interrupt this day's worship service?

  Redbird made it as far as the bishop's feet. She sat up and giggled which caused a few snickers from the congregation. The bishop stopped talking. He stood very still and watched the child. Redbird pulled on his shoestring and untied his shoe. Giggling, she grabbed his pant leg, raised herself up and patted his knee. She smiled up at him, wanting his attention.

  Bishop Bontrager smiled kindly at the tot and lifted her into his arms. He gave her a hug. “That what you wanted?”

  Redbird cooed at him.

  “If it is all right with you, Redbird, I will finish my sermon so we can call dinner. You must be hungry.” The bishop turned to his congregation. “There is a saying. Nothing proves one's character quite like his kindness to children and animals. When we go about our daily life remember that saying when you are with a child or taking care of your animals. Remember not only the people you walk around see how you act, but God is watching you.

  Proverbs tells us train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Redbird is here at the worship service to be trained in our ways. I do not want to be the one to do anything that would turn her away from us, including telling this tiny child she can not interrupt my sermon.”

  Redbird laid her head on his shoulder and blinked her eyes, fighting sleep. She dozed off. The bishop glanced at her and said softly, “In Matthew scripture says, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

  Eldon looked down at the sleeping toddler and smiled. “I hope my sermon wasn't so boring that I almost put all of you to sleep like Redbird.” That brought some giggles and chuckles. “Now we will sing, Amazing Grace in English.”

  When the hymn was over, Minister Bontrager said, “As for announcements, if the Lord wills and we live, in two weeks the worship service will be held at Adam Mulenburg's farm. On Saturday evening in one week, there will be a free will donation supper at the school to raise funds for school supplies for the coming term. That starts at 7 P.M. There is not a member meeting this Sunday and no disciplining needed. Now it is dinner time. As you all already know the smells coming from the kitchen are voonderball gute.”

  Chapter 7

  After the men turned benches into tables and placed benches around the tables for seats, they passed around the light lunch of bread slices with spreads of cheese, jams and applebutter. Relish plates full of pickle spears, red beets, radishes, and carrot sticks. Dessert was cookies and snitz which were fried apple pies.

  John Lapp sat down next to Peter Rogies, father of Cooner Jonah. The elderly man stared at the wall. After awhile, he looked beside him. He smiled weakly and said in a cracking voice, “Do you know who I am?”

  “Of course, I do,” John replied.

  “That is gute that you do. At this moment I do not,” Peter said wearily.

  “Peter Rogies is your name,” John said, wondering if this was the elderly man's dry wit at play. “Everyone knows who you are.

  Peter nodded agreement. “I expect they do.” He took the bread, served himself and handed the platter to John.

  Conversations flowed at all the tables as the men caught up on the news of the last two weeks. After they ate, they made room for the next diners by going outside to get a breath of fresh air. Those gatherings every two weeks were much better than the Budget newspaper when it came to catching up with what was going on in the Plain community.

  John Lapp sat on the edge of the porch with Cooner Jonah Rogies. Cooner Jonah's father, Peter, walked down the driveway in front of them. He had changed out of his black suit to his every day blue shirt, trousers and gallouses already. He padded along barefoot with his straw hat perched on the back of his head which was how he always wore his hats. Peter was talking to an empty space beside him, and his right arm was outstretched with the hand closed.

  “What is Peter doing?” John asked.

  “His chores. Recht now Daed is taking his horse out to pasture,” Cooner Jonah replied with a furrowed brow.

  “Who is he talking to?”

  “His dog, Pet.”

  John rubbed his beard. “I do not recall the last time I saw Peter's old sorrel.”

  “The horse died of old age several years ago. Daed does not remember that anymore. So did his dog die,” Cooner Jonah said with a heavy sigh.

  “You mean he thinks he is leading his dead horse and walking with his dead dog?” John gave Cooner Jonah a quizzical look.

  “Jah, pitiful it is when a man as sharp as my father once was has lost his mind,” Jonah said with teary eyes. “Sometimes, it is a tough day like this one for Daed. He does not remember anything except in snatches at times. I think having so many people he can not remember around him at the Sunday meetings makes him more ferhoodled. My family has faced the fact that he is old and sick. I know we can not help him get better. All we can do is take care of him and know whatever happens to him it is God's will.”

  “A shame. Know that Peter will be in our daily prayers along with your family for what you are going through,” John said as he watched the elderly man walk up behind Tootie and stop her. The two of them seemed to be getting along all right. Since he didn't know what to say to Cooner Jonah, he changed the subject. “Say, how you coming with the spring work.”

  “Coming right along. Hope the weather holds for a while. Seems every year we get started gute and get one rain storm after another that stops us from working,” Cooner Jonah complained, still keeping a watch on his father.

  After she ate, Tootie felt as if she was in the way in a room full of efficient Amish women as they cleaned up Anna Rogies's kitchen. What she needed was some fresh air with some peace and quiet. Tootie edged her way through the chattering women and went outside.

  She came around to the front of the house. John was talking to a man on the porch. Other men were gathered by the front of the house. A group of boys stood by the barn, and teenage girls sat under a shade tree at the side of the house, watching the boys. Tootie turned in the only direction left that she could be alone which was toward the road.

  She clasped her hands behind her back and strolled slowly, taking in the scenes this farm had to offer. Good fresh country air. She breathed deeply and appreciated hearing only faintly the chatter and laughter.

  “What are you doing out here alone?” Peter Rogies said from behind her.

  The old man was dressed in chore clothes and barefoot. Tootie tilted her head over one shoulder as she curiously checked him out. He had one arm outstretched. His hand was a fist. Perhaps, he had a disability from a farming accident.

  When he caught up with her, he said, “You were at the service today?”

  “Yes, my name is Tootie.”

  “That can not be your given name,” Peter said matter of factly.

  “No, my given name is Dolly,” Tootie answered.

  Peter studied her face a moment as if he was trying to pull a memory from the depth of his mind. A glimmer of recognition came over his face. He smiled. “I thought I knew you. Where are you living now?”

  “I live in northern Iowa, but I'm visiting John Lapp and his family. His wife, Hallie, is my niece. You are Peter Rogies, and you own this farm?”

  “You should know,” Peter said with meaning. “Are you still married?”

  “My husband passed away a few years ago,” Tootie replied. “Are you still married?”

  He nodded no as he looked off into space. “My Sara died.” He seemed uncomfortable dwelling on the subject of his wife. “What are you doing out here by yourself?”

  “I needed some fresh air. All the chatter of so many people was getting to me,” Tootie said truthfully.

  “I know just what you mean. So many people around me makes me verhuddelt,” Peter said.

  “Excuse me, what does that mean in English?.”

  “It means I get confused. Wait a minute, and I'll walk with you.”

  Tooti
e liked Peter's husky, cracking voice and his friendly manner so she waited. He walked over to the fence and made a circling motion with his hand around the top wire. “Now I am ready.”

  They continued their walk together toward the road. Not talking. Just enjoying quiet companionship until Peter looked down between them and said, “Heel.”

  Tootie didn't know what Peter meant. She remembered Edwin said heel when he trained a bird dog he wanted to follow him. If that is it, Peter must want me to walk a few steps behind him. Is this what Amish women do, heel like a dog when they are told to be submissive? She slowed down and trailed behind him.

  Peter looked back. “Sorry if I am walking too fast for you. I will try to slow down so you can keep up.”

  Tootie smiled. Amish men were truly strange, but she liked this man with the kind eyes anyway. She didn't want to hurt his feelings. If only I had brought that Amish book with me. Maybe I'd have a clue what Peter Rogies meant by heel. I should have hidden that book in my suitcase so Nora didn't know I had it with me. “I just need to get some walking practice in, and I'll do better,” she excused.

  “Dolly, you want to see the day old colt behind the barn. He is a nice looking fellow already,” Peter said proudly.

  “I'd love to see him,” Tootie exclaimed. As they rambled along beside the fence line, she looked out over the cornfield filled with neat green rows. “The corn is coming up I see.”

  Peter gave the field a wistful regard. “Growing corn is a treat for these old dim eyes.” Tootie edged closer to him with a scrunched up face, trying to avoid a large black and yellow spider creeping down a blade of grass. Peter looked at the grass and back at her with a youthful grin. “I see you still do not like spiders even after listening to the worship service this morning.”

  Tootie's face heated up. “If you think I'm going to step on that spider to kill him you're mistaken. As for this morning, I did try to kill that spider to keep that woman from getting bit. What happened is too embarrassing to talk about except to say I'm so sorry I caused such a ruckus at your worship service. What horrible things must your family and that poor woman think of me?”