Courting Buggy: Nurse Hal Among The Amish

by Risner, Fay

  “Surely not!” Andy looked doubtful.

  “Did you see that cat for yourself?” Matthew Stoll asked disbelievingly.

  Noah said, “Just shine your light on this dog's face. See the scratches if you do not believe us.”

  “What happened?” Bennie asked, curious for their story.

  “Our dog stood right up to that cat and ran him off. If I was you guys, I would get out of the timber. It was too dark to see which way that old lion went when he ran off,” Daniel boasted.

  Andy Zook said, “We have made enough racket to scare the coons into hiding. We might as well call it a night.” He turned toward the timber, cupped his hands around his mouth and hollered, “Come on in. Time to go home.”

  The next morning while the women fixed breakfast, Emma said, “I am going to clean the school for the free will supper and air it today. Anyone want to come along?”

  Tootie said, “Not me. I can't breathe when I'm in musky places. Just remember to get all the spider webs down before Mr. Yoder has a chance to see how the school looks. Otherwise, you will be the object of his next church sermon.”

  That tickled Emma. “Gute idea, Aendi Tootie. I will do that.”

  “I'd love to go with you, Emma,” Nora said. “I'd like to see where you teach school, and I'll help clean.”

  “Gute,” Hal said. “You two go do that. Aunt Tootie can go shopping with me this afternoon and help me cook supper. We need to go to the grocery store.”

  At breakfast, John asked, “How did the coon hunt go last night?”

  “Not bad for Dog – uh – uh – the dog's first time,” Noah stammered.

  “He was ready to quit and come home after he tangled with a coon and got scratched up in the gooseberry bushes,” Daniel said before he put the bite of forked sausage in his mouth. He garbled, “Mama Hal.” Daniel chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth with Hal frowning at him “Our dog might need some nursing this morning. Could you look at him?”

  Hal frown turned to displeasure. “You took that little dog out hunting and let him get hurt first thing. What kind of nursing?”

  “Just some scratches on his face from the briers and maybe the coon's claws,” Noah told her. “They did not look real bad, but we do not want the scratches to get infected.”

  “I'll look at Biscuit as soon as we have the kitchen work done,” Hal said.

  Daniel kept wiggling as he ate his breakfast and continually rubbed a spot under his left arm pit. He took the last bite of his eggs, chewed and swallowed as he rubbed the area again. “Mama Hal, I have a sore I would like you to look at. I can not see it gute.”

  “All right. If you are done with breakfast how about you and I go look at it,” Hal said. She led the way through the living room to the clinic. “Unbutton your shirt.” Daniel did as she directed and raised his arm. “Oh my.”

  “What is it?” Daniel asked in alarm.

  “You picked up a tick in the timber when you were coon hunting. It's infected. The tick's head is still in the bite. You must have broken the body off when you kept rubbing the sore. Sit at the table. I need to get a pair of tweezers and some disinfectant.”

  Daniel sat down in a chair while Hal gathered what she needed. “Now lift your arm and hold still.”

  “This is going to hurt, ain't so?” Daniel worried.

  “Not much worse then that sore is hurting you now. That tick head has to come out of there, or the sore will become much worse,” Hal told him.

  She used an alcohol pad on the red area and dug in with tweezers. Daniel puckered his lips and made a sucking sound. “Hold still. Got it.” She showed the head to the boy. “Now I'll put some iodine on the sore.” She used a Q-tip to swab the area. The boy let out a hissing sound when the cold iodine smarted on the raw spot. “You remind me to look at this at bedtime and tomorrow morning. I'll need to treat it with iodine for a while. From now on if you're going to be spending time in the timber, you and Noah look each other over really well when you get home. Catch the ticks before they make a sore like this. Ticks can make you very sick. If you start feeling bad you let me know right away. Dr. Burns will have to prescribe you some medicine to take.

  “All recht,” Daniel agreed half heartedly.

  “I'm serious, Daniel. You don't want to be sick from a tick bite. Besides, I'd prefer you didn't let them get loose in the house with Redbird and Beth crawling on the floor.” She put a bandaid over the area. “Now you are gute to go. See you at dinner.”

  The men went to do chores, and Tootie washed dishes. When Hal came back from doctoring Daniel, she started scraping plates as fast as she could. Tootie smiled smugly. She was sure she wouldn't have any trouble beating Hal this time since taking care of Daniel delayed her.

  Emma watched the two of them compete as she wiped. She hated to see Hal fret over Aunt Tootie washing the slop pail. It just didn't seem fair that Aunt Tootie would get out of doing it time after time.

  Emma came up with a plan. She scrutinized the dishes and silverware as she dried them. She declared to Tootie a plate wasn't clean and a glass. She put them back in the water for Tootie to redo.

  A spoon Emma tossed into the water clattered noisily against the side of the pan. Tootie's lips tightened as she flinched. Emma kept slowing her down, but she didn't want to object and hurt Emma's feelings. After all, she didn't get a good enough look at the dishes and silverware to dispute the girl's claims.

  Emma relaxed when she saw Hal rush across the driveway. The back door banged shut. She struggled to keep from giggling when she saw the surprise look on Hal's face. She had beaten Tootie for once.

  Hal noted the satisfied expression on Emma's face, but she couldn't figure out what happened to slow Tootie down. It didn't matter at the moment. She marched over to the counter and set the slop pail beside the dish pan. Tootie retained her grumpy silence without one word of objection as she washed the nasty pail.

  Chapter 10

  “Are we taking the car to go shopping?” Tootie asked hopefully.

  “Nah, the buggy works nicely to go to Wickenburg, and using the car is against the Ordnung except in a medical emergency,” Hal explained.

  “Can't you bend the rules once in awhile?” Tootie asked.

  Hal paused, remembering back to the Lapp family outing to The Old Thrasher Reunion in Mt. Pleasant. “Nah, I tried that once and got into trouble. The bishop won't let me get away with it again.

  Help me cook dinner first. We will have plenty of time this afternoon to go to Wickenburg. This morning we need to make bread, and my two little girls can stand a bath.”

  “Oh dear. I'm not sure I'd know where to start giving a baby a bath. I've never had one you know,” Tootie said.

  Hal grinned. “A bath?”

  “That isn't funny, Hallie! You know I meant a baby,” Tootie snapped.

  “I'm sorry for teasing you. Giving a bath to a baby isn't that hard if you can keep them in the bath pan, but I'll give you a choice. Do you want to make bread or give baths?” Hal asked.

  “I'll make the bread. It's been years since the last time I did it, but I think I'll be all right with that,” Tootie said without much confidence.

  “The ingredients are in the pantry. The bread bowl is in the cabinet next to the sink, and the yeast container is in the refrigerator. You will have to get a cereal bowl to measure the yeast into. Put a little warm water in with the yeast to get it started working since it's cold.” Hal placed one of the bath pans on the table and poured in warm water. She had brought towels and wash cloths to the kitchen earlier.

  Beth was crawling close by. Hal scooped her up. “Come here, you. You can be first. Nothing to it, Aunt Tootie. I undress Beth, get her wet all over and suds her down. Then rinse her off.”

  “Sounds a little like doing dishes,” Tootie said as she counted out scoops of flour into the bowl she'd set on the table across from Hal.

  Beth splattered Tootie a few times when she slapped the water. Tootie flinched, and Beth giggled. Fin
ally, Tootie moved down to the far end of the table to finish mixing the dough. Hal dried Beth off and dressed her. She put the little girl on the quilt on the living room floor and threw the bath water out the back door.

  Once she'd poured clean water in the pan, she said, “I'm coming for you, Redbird.” Soon Hal had Redbird bathed and back on the quilt beside her sister. The girls jabbered to each other as Hal went back to the kitchen.

  “How are you coming with the bread dough?” Hal asked.

  “I already put the bowl on the warming oven. What are we fixing for lunch?”

  “I'm thinking we can make a light dinner with soup and cheese sandwiches. Cheese should go good with the fresh bread. We'll do more cooking for supper when everyone is here,” Hal said. “How about potato soup and toasted cheese sandwiches?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Tootie peeled and diced the potatoes while Hal chopped up an onion. Hal made sure to watch the clock. “I think it's time to punch down the bread dough and put it in two loaf pans. You do that, and I'll put the potatoes and onion in a kettle to cook.”

  While Hal was busy starting the soup, Tootie kneaded the dough. She greased two loaf pans, divided the dough between them and put the loaves back on the warming oven and covered them with a dish towel.

  “Aunt Tootie, how about a cup of tea or coffee while we take a break?” Hal asked.

  “Tea would be nice,” Tootie decided, sitting down.

  They listened to the soup simmer. After a while, Tootie lifted the lid and stuck a potato cube with the fork. “The potatoes are cooked enough to add the milk, salt and butter now.”

  After the soup simmered a little longer, Hal got out two spoons. She handed one to Tootie. “Taste the soup and see if it needs anything.”

  Tootie tasted and smacked her lips. “Put in more salt.” She stared in the kettle as Hal measured the salt and dumped it in. Tootie tasted again. “The soup tastes sort of bland. Maybe we should add something to it.”

  “How about sausage? We have patties canned in the basement,” Hal suggested.

  “That sounds good,” Tootie agreed.

  “I'll go get the jar while you put the bread in the oven to bake. That way the loaves should be done just before the men come,” Hal said.

  Tootie watched the bread closely and took the loaf pans out to cool while Hal set the table. When they heard the men's voices, Hal said, “Aunt Tootie, bring me the cheese and butter from the refrigerator.” She dumped one of the loaves on a plate. It was only half the size of Emma's and so was the other one. Aunt Tootie must not have put enough flour in, was Hal's thought.

  Hal sawed through the crust with a serrated knife. The bread was dense, but she kept going. Something was wrong. She didn't know what, but she didn't have time to figure it out. The men were washing their hands. She had to get dinner on the table. Hal spread the butter on the slices, laid on cheese, and put on another slice. She placed the sandwiches in two buttered iron skillets to brown.

  As the men sat down, Hal placed the soup kettle in the middle of the table and the platter of sandwiches beside John. He said the prayer. “I come before you in the name of Jesus Christ our king. Bless this family and the cooks that prepared our food, and bless me so that I can do your will. Amen.”

  John filled his bowl and pushed his spoon around in the soup, inspecting what whirled to the surface.

  Jim wandered why. The boys ate from their bowls as if they hadn't eaten breakfast, but he decided maybe he should do the same thing John did. He leaned over and whispered, “What are we looking for?”

  John whispered back, “If you did not find anything that should not be in potato soup it should be all right to eat.” John bit into his sandwich. It seemed stale, but maybe Hal had over toasted it. He ate without comment.

  After the men left for the field, Tootie and Hal rushed through cleanup so they could leave for town. Hal scraped the dishes and pans and set them beside the dish pan. She reached for a small bowl on the counter to empty it. It was full of a murky brown substance. Hal stared into the bowl. “Fudge! Aunt Tootie, you forgot to put the yeast in the bread dough.”

  “I did? I wondered why the loaves didn't double in size,” Tootie said. “Well, it's all your fault.”

  “Why is that?”

  “You had to give me all that unnecessary information about how to bathe the girls all the time I was trying to mix the bread. It's a wonder I didn't forget to put in more than yeast,” Tootie scolded.

  Hal opened her mouth to complain but decided it wasn't worth it. After all, this was Aunt Tootie. She set the slop pail back in the mudroom and dried the dishes. She'd add to the pail after supper and empty it.

  Tootie stepped out on the front porch and watched for Hal. An open buggy slowed down and turned in. Peter was coming back again. I hope he isn't going to invite me to take a drive in Lover's Lane again. Anywhere else would be good when I have time but not today when I'm going shopping with Hallie.

  Peter parked by the house. He slowly stepped down and trudged toward her with a shuffling gait. He doesn't look happy. Maybe I shouldn't tempt him. I'll go inside out of sight until Hallie comes with the buggy. Tootie placed her hand on the screen door handle.

  Peter said, his voice raised and irritated, “You come here, Dolly. Come down here and stand before me. I want to ask you a question.”

  Tootie froze in her tracks. Her eyes widened as he stalked toward her. Is he mad at me because I turned down the ride? He must not be used to taking no for an answer.

  “I said to come here, Dolly,” Peter's voice was harsh as he pointed a finger down and jabbed at a spot in front of him.

  Tootie walked slowly down the steps and stopped about five feet from him. She didn't want to get any closer. “Wh – what is it you want?” She stammered.

  “I want you to tell me if John Lapp stole my horse or not. I know I will not get an honest answer from him or his English wife. My horse is missing. I have been told that the horse was seen tied to the road fence over yonder.” Peter thrust his thumb over his shoulder toward the fence. “You, my special friend, will not lie to me. I will know if you do.”

  “John would never take your horse. He's an honest man,” Tootie said defensively. What kind of sense did Peter make? He'd driven past one of John's horse tied to the fence when he came before. Now he has decided it was his horse on someone else's say so. Tootie looked toward the side of the barn where Hal was hitching up the enclosed buggy. She wished Hal would hurry up. “Peter, are you mad at me?”

  The man's eyes warmed just a little. “I have no reason to be upset with you, Dolly. It is the company you keep that bothers me.”

  Tootie relaxed, but she didn't want to deal with Peter herself. He wasn't going to leave until he talked to John. This man confused her. She needed someone else to convince him his horse wasn't here. She yelled, “Hallie!”

  “Dolly, it will do you no good to yell like that,” Peter said, shaking his finger at her. “Just tell me the truth, and I will leave.”

  Hal rushed around the side of the barn, saw Peter shaking his finger at Tootie and ran toward them. He heard her footsteps behind him and whirled around.

  “What's the matter, Peter?” Hal asked in a calm tone, slowing to a walk.

  “Was ist letz you ask so innocently. I want my horse that John Lapp stole from me. I have heard my horse was seen tied to your road fence,” he said roughly.

  Hal paused. Great! What do I say? If I tell him truthfully that his horse died a long time ago he isn't going to believe me. If he did it would be all John's fault that his horse died in our care. “Peter, you can look at our horses behind the barn and see if your horse is there. If he is, John will bring him back to you. Could be the horse broke loose and wandered over here. John may have him penned up behind the barn with our horses. He's been busy in the field and just didn't mention it to me.”

  “But, Hallie, … .” Tootie started. Hal held up her hand at Tootie. She pouted. All I wanted to do was
remind her that it was one of John's horses Peter saw tied to the fence.

  “I will do just as you say,” Peter said. He stalked toward the barn and around the side to look at the horse herd. Hal and Tootie followed him.

  Peter shook his head. “I do not see my horse in this herd, but you make sure that John brings him back to me.”

  “I will do that,” Hal assured him.

  Peter gave Tootie a weak smile. “Gute bye, Dolly.”

  After Peter left, Hal helped Tootie step up into the buggy. She carried the little girls out and handed Redbird to Tootie then Beth. Tootie placed them on a buggy blanket behind the front seat. She wasn't in the mood to go shopping now. She placed her tightly clasped hands in her lap and stared unseeingly out the window.

  Half way to Wickenburg, Hal asked, “You're awfully quiet. Is Peter's visit bothering you?”

  “Yes, I just don't know what to make of that man,” Tootie admitted.

  “Peter isn't well. He has Alzheimer's disease,” Hal told her.

  “Oh my! What can be done to help him?”

  “The disease isn't curable. It's taking his mind away,” Hal said.

  Tootie looked away to keep Hal from seeing the tears in her eyes. “He's like two different people, a nice man and an angry man.”

  “That's the way the disease works on the mind,” Hal confirmed.

  Tootie turned her sad eyes on Hal. “Tell me about Peter. The nice one, I mean.”

  “He has been a hard working farmer his whole life. Peter has always been a kind man, but he can't abide a dishonest man. That's why he seems so upset with John lately when he thinks John has taken something from him.”

  “I can see that upsets him,” Tootie agreed.

  “Peter called you Dolly. How did he know that's your given name?”

  “I told him when we went for a walk after the church service,” Tootie shared.

  “What do you think of Peter?”

  “He's a kind man that loves animals. He has a gentle voice and warm eyes when he's himself,” Tootie said softly. She was quiet a few minutes. Finally, she fretted, “Why did you tell Peter he could look at the horses? You knew that horse tied to the fence was John's horse.”