Just Another Maniac Monday

by Jennie Marts

  John seemed comfortable and at ease in the company of so much estrogen. Edna wondered if he had a wife. Or maybe daughters. There was so much she didn’t know about him.

  He cocked an eyebrow at Edna. “I’d like to hear the story as well. Why don’t you tell them, Eddy?”

  Edna was curled into the corner of the sofa, her legs tucked under Cassie’s sleeping bag. She looked questioningly at John, trying to decipher if he really wanted her to tell the tale. He nodded, so she guessed it was okay. She’d been thinking about the past all day, but now she was at a loss for where to start.

  She cleared her throat. “I was in my early twenties that summer. I hadn’t married yet, and my mother considered me an old maid. It was her idea to send me to spend the summer with my dad’s sister, my “spinster” Aunt Janice. My dad had passed away the year before, and I was sad and angry and bored with my life. I thought a change, any change, would be a good idea. But when I agreed to go, I had no idea that summer would change my life forever.”

  Chapter Four

  It was the summer of 1955 and 102 degrees the day Edna arrived in Coopersville, Kansas.

  She’d craned her neck to look out the window of the bus as they drove into town. The sun shone brightly, and the town looked almost idyllic, with bright storefronts and a courthouse in the center of the town square. She saw a hardware store and a movie theater. A grocery sat on one corner, and she spied a red-and-white-striped pole signaling a barbershop.

  The sidewalks were alive with people and activity, and Edna secretly thought it looked wonderful.

  A tiny stab of guilt hit her for feeling excited, but she was so glad to get out of that house with her mother. Her dad had been gone almost a year, and yet she could still smell the antiseptic the nurses used to sanitize not only her father’s wounds but every inch of their home.

  His death still settled over the house like a black crow stands over its prey, protecting its meal as it feasts on the carrion. Her mother tried to hide the bottles from which she claimed she only needed an occasional nip. But an occasional nip had turned into an all-day affair.

  Her father’s illness had postponed her plans for college and instead she’d found a job to help her mother with the monthly bills. She’d spent the last several years working at the drugstore, stocking shelves and serving as cashier.

  Since her father’s death, her job had been a refuge from the pain surrounding her house. A feeling of dread fell upon her each night as she returned home and tried to anticipate what was in store for her when she opened the front door.

  Would her mother be sweet and extra-affectionate, pouring on gratitude for Edna staying home from college to help take care of her ailing father? Or would this be one of the nights her mother had already had one too many sips? When she fell into a mire of depression and despair, crying and railing at the unfairness of the world and her husband’s untimely death?

  Edna had tried to act affronted at the idea of being shipped off to spend the summer with her aunt, but inwardly she felt a sense of relief mixed with a tiny hint of excitement.

  She craved something new and different. Granted, rural Kansas might not be a hot bed of excitement, but anything would be better than staying with her mother. Any place that she could be free to read a book or lie around on the sofa without fear of what her mother was doing. That she could open a window and let in fresh air. That she could breathe.

  Breathing was a chore as Edna stepped off the bus into the hot, humid Kansas air. Even though it was almost five, the sun still shone hot in the sky.

  It had been several hours since their last rest stop, and the plastic seats of the bus had contributed to her sleeveless button-up shirt now being soaked through with sweat. Adjusting the knot at the center of her shirt, she pulled it down to cover her bare midriff. She was glad she’d chosen pedal pushers and canvas tennies for the trip instead of the skirt and heavy saddle shoes her mother had suggested.

  She had run a final load of laundry through the wash last night and had pulled her best white bobbysocks from the dryer that morning. It wasn’t until later in the morning that she realized something red must have been in the wash, and one of her socks had a large pink stain covering the better part of the fold. She was sure she would make quite an impression with her damp, wrinkled clothes and one pink-tinged sock.

  Her naturally wavy blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and she was sure her bangs had fallen, as she could feel them clinging to her damp forehead. Her cute, perky hairstyle now one more casualty of the hot, humid Kansas summer.

  The air itself, so full of moisture, seemed to slam against her as she stepped to the sidewalk and looked around for her aunt.

  The bus had pulled up across the street from a drug store that boasted of a malt shop inside. Edna thought she could’ve given her left foot for a chocolate malted right now. They’d stopped at a diner for lunch, but Edna was careful with her hard-earned wages so had eaten the peanut butter and jelly sandwich she’d packed earlier that morning.

  Her stomach growled at the thought of a home-cooked meal, and she hoped her aunt was a good cook. Anything had to be better than the simple meals of soup and sandwiches she frequently put together for her and her mother in the evenings.

  The bus driver set her heavy suitcase next to her on the sidewalk and climbed back onto the bus. Only a couple of people got off at that stop with her, and one man was already walking down the street. The other person, a red-haired boy about her age, was met by a small family who immediately surrounded him with hugs and kisses. Edna assumed he was home from college, and tried to quell the tiny prick of jealousy at the loving family waiting to envelope their son.

  With a low groan, the bus pulled away from the curb, leaving Edna alone with only her suitcase and cloud of exhaust. She looked around, but saw no one resembling her aunt waiting to pick her up. She supposed she could go across to the drugstore to find a payphone, but she didn’t have her aunt’s phone number. They had only corresponded through the mail, and it would probably take too long to send a quick letter asking if she forgot to pick her up.

  Edna waited another five minutes then pulled her suitcase to the shade of the awning in front of the hardware store. The sidewalk was so hot she could feel the heat through the thin soles of her tennis shoes.

  An elderly man came out of the store carrying a bag and a small flat of petunias for a customer. He wore a beige apron tied around his waist, and Edna watched as he settled the plants and the bag on the front seat of the woman’s car and gave her a wave as she drove off.

  He looked pleasant and had a warm smile as he stepped back onto the sidewalk and turned to Edna. “You look a little lost. I’m Fred; this is my store. Is there something I can help you with?”

  “I just arrived in town and my ride seems to be late. At least I hope she’s late and hasn’t forgotten about me. I’m supposed to be meeting my aunt, Janice Anderson. I don’t suppose you might know her?”

  Fred laughed. “I know just about everyone in these parts, and if I’m not mistaken, that’s your Aunt Janice barreling down Main Street right now.” He pointed to an old blue pickup speeding through town, its paint chipped and faded from the sun.

  The pickup screeched to a halt in front of the hardware store, and Edna was shocked to see a black-and-white Border collie and a pink pig in the bed of the truck. Neither seemed to be fazed by the erratic driving. The dog panted lightly and the pig stood chewing on a mouthful of the hay that covered the bed of the pickup.

  A tall woman climbed from the cab of the truck, her figure hidden by the set of denim overalls she wore over a loose cotton top. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and tucked under a straw cowboy hat. She smiled warmly at Edna, her face tanned and alive with excitement.

  “Hey there, honey. You’ve got to be Edna. You look a little different from the last time I saw you. Why, you’re a grown woman. And gorgeous too.” Leaving the pickup door open, she stepped onto the sidewalk and pulled Edna into a h
uge hug. “Sorry I was late. I got caught up in a few chores at home. But I am so glad you’re finally here.”

  Edna inhaled the scent of her aunt. She smelled like warm sun and hay and a hint of vanilla. Janice talked fast, laughed easily, and always had something positive to say. Edna absorbed her compliment as if it were a ray of sunshine on her skin, and she was reminded of how much she loved her aunt.

  She hadn’t seen Janice since she was ten years old, when her aunt had come out to Colorado for a rare visit. Edna remembered connecting with Janice, and they had shared a few letters over the years. But still, Edna had been a little worried that she may not be excited about a houseguest for the entire summer.

  The giant hug and enthusiastic greeting set Edna’s mind at ease. She smiled up at her aunt. At five two, she felt small crushed in the arms of her tall aunt, but it felt so good to be crushed in anyone’s arms that Edna relished in this display of affection. “I’m so glad to be here. I didn’t think I would ever get off that bus.”

  Aunt Janice clapped the hardware store owner on the shoulder. “Thanks for looking out for my niece, Fred. This is Edna. She’ll be staying with me over the summer. Can you add her name to my account in case I send her into town to get supplies?”

  Into town? How far out did Aunt Janice live? Edna looked at the old blue pickup and imagined driving it. Would she have to bring the pig?

  “No problem,” Fred said. “Do you need help with the suitcase?”

  “No thanks, I got it.” Janice lifted the suitcase and dumped it in the bed of the truck. The Border collie tentatively sniffed the edges of the bag.

  Edna thought of the numerous books she had in that suitcase and was amazed at the ease with which her aunt had tossed it into the truck.

  Janice pointed to the animals. “These are my riding buddies. The fat pink one is Mazie and the dog is named Penny.” She nuzzled the dog under the chin. “A farmer sold her to me for one cent and it was the best penny I’ve ever spent.”

  Edna reached out to stroke the dog’s neck and was rewarded with a lick on the hand.

  “She likes you already.” Her aunt smiled at her.

  Edna grinned back. She’d just made her first friend of the summer.

  “You ready?” her aunt asked.

  Was she ever. She was ready for whatever this summer had in store for her, and she couldn’t wait for it to start. Picking up her purse, she headed for the passenger side. The faded blue door had several rows of wire strapping the handle of the door to the cab of the pickup.

  Aunt Janice waved her over to the driver’s side. “Sorry, that door’s wired shut. It had a run-in with an old bull and lost. It’s usually just me in the truck so I haven’t got around to fixin’ it yet. You’ll have to climb across.”

  “That’s okay.” Edna crossed to her aunt’s side and slid across the big bench seat. The truck smelled of hay, engine oil, and a sweet, tangy scent of tobacco. Edna spied a red-and-white pouch of Red Man tobacco and wondered if her aunt actually chewed tobacco or if she occasionally had a gentleman friend riding with her. Either answer seemed kind of neat to Edna.

  Her aunt slid in after her, and with a loud grinding of the gears shoved the truck into reverse. She waved to Fred, and they headed back the way she had come, the pickup rumbling over the red-bricked road. “Well, how was your trip? Meet anyone interesting?”

  Edna thought of the odd assortment of folks who had surrounded her on the bus. An elderly couple sat across from her and offered her an apple. They said they were headed to see their grandkids in Missouri. She’d also smiled at the red-haired boy who’d got off at her same stop. She had a row of seats to herself and spent most of the trip napping, reading, or looking out the window, daydreaming about the summer ahead. “Not really. I mostly read a book.”

  “Oh, good. I hope you brought some books with you. I love to read and am always looking for something new.”

  Edna thought of the stack of romance novels and adventure stories she’d packed and wasn’t sure they were exactly her aunt’s kind of reading material, but this woman was continually surprising her. “I did bring some along, and I’d be happy to share.”

  “We’ll come into town later this week and get you set up with a library card. Then you can come into town and get both of us new books. I never seem to find the time to get down here during the week.” Aunt Janice pulled the truck into Howard’s Hamburger Joint, a drive-in carhop restaurant. “You feel like grabbing a hamburger and a soda before we head out of town?”

  Edna’s stomach rumbled, the apple long ago digested. “I’d love that. I’m starving. And I could sure use the ladies’ room.”

  “You go ahead. I’ll get you a burger and fries.” Janice stepped from the truck to let Edna slide out. She picked up the little speaker from the display to place their order. “Chocolate soda or strawberry?”

  Edna’s mouth watered at the thought of the icy soda bubbling over rich vanilla ice cream. “Strawberry, please.”

  Her aunt pointed to the sign on the outside of the building, and Edna headed for the ladies’. While she was in there, she used a few minutes to wash her face and hands and reset her ponytail. She had tied a big bright blue ribbon around her ponytail, similar to a style she had seen Audrey Hepburn wear in one of the fashion magazines they sold at the drug store.

  That morning, the bow had looked starched and neat, but now it hung limp and wrinkled in her hair. It had gone from dreamy to droopy in the heat and humidity of the long bus ride.

  Adjusting her purse as she walked back to the truck, she failed to notice the boy leaning against the hood of his car until she almost tripped over the tanned legs stretched out in front of him.

  He reached for her, grabbing her around the waist to steady her before she could fall. “Whoa there. You all right?”

  Embarrassed at her clumsiness, Edna laughed and tried to play it off. “Oh sure, I’m fine. Just got off the bus and felt like another trip.”

  The boy laughed good-naturedly. “That’s a good one. Are you new in town, then?”

  “I’m spending the summer with my Aunt Janice.” Edna pointed at the blue truck and her aunt, who appeared to be watching them, and popped up a little wave.

  “That’s cool. My name’s Frank. I’m home for the summer from college.” The boy was of average height and build, clean-shaven, and dressed nicely in shorts and a button-up short-sleeve shirt. His black hair was just a little too long and greased back with pomade. He was handsome in a boy-next-door kind of way, and his dark eyes were kind and friendly.

  “I’m Edna. Nice to meet you.” She gestured to the town. “So, what’s fun to do around here?”

  Frank laughed. “This is about it. We have the malt shop to hang out in and the movie theater on Friday nights. And the lake, of course.”

  “The lake?”

  “Sure. Watson Pond is right outside of town. It’s a giant lake and has a great beach. That’s where most of us hang out in the afternoon. You’ll have to come out with us sometime.”

  Edna smiled. She was looking for a fun summer, and within an hour of her arrival, she had met a cute boy and had an offer to go swimming. Not bad. “I’d like that.”

  “Great. I’ll call you out at your aunt’s.”

  “Do you know the number?”

  Frank grinned. “It’s a really small town. We know everyone’s number. Plus, I know your aunt. A couple of my buddies and I help out at her farm when she needs extra work done.”

  The sound of a motorcycle engine had Edna turning, and her heart caught in her throat. A silver motorcycle pulled into the parking spot next to Frank’s car, carrying the cutest boy Edna had ever seen in her life.

  He wore faded jeans and thick-soled, black engineer boots. His white t-shirt was tucked into his pants and had a dark smear of grease across its side, as if he had wiped his hand there. He wore dark sunglasses, and his greased-back blond hair made him a dead ringer for James Dean.

  He parked the motorcycle and headed to
ward them. Edna thought her heart would stop, and she willed herself to breathe.

  The boy, whom Edna now saw had a thin edge of blond stubble along his chin, ambled up to Frank and threw his arm around his shoulder. “Hey, Franky. What’s up?” He nodded at Edna. “Who’s your new friend?”

  Frank gestured to her. “This is Edna. She’s visiting her aunt for the summer. She’s staying out at the Anderson farm.”

  He nodded at Edna. “That’s cool. I like your aunt. She’s a good lady.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Johnny Collins.”

  Edna reached out and took his hand, willing herself to appear calm and collected. And not show that she was trembling inside. She had met plenty of cute boys, even gone out on dates with some of them, but no one had ever affected her the way this boy did. Just the touch of his hand sent an electric thrill racing through her body. “Nice to meet you.”

  Wow. Could she have been any more exciting? Reluctantly, she let go of his hand. She had expected it to be smooth, like Frank’s, but it had the rough callouses of hands that did a hard day’s work.

  He looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on her mouth then slowly taking in her legs. The corner of his mouth tipped up. “Nice socks.”

  Stupid washing machine. If only she hadn’t been in such a hurry to get to the bus this morning, she might have noticed. Now she just looked like an idiot.

  She blinked up at him, trying to think of something clever to say. He was taller than Frank, and she tilted her head to look into his eyes. He had bright blue eyes, a crystal blue cross between the shades of sapphire and ice, and she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze from his.

  Either the sidewalk was going to need to open up and swallow her whole or she needed to figure out something to say. “Thanks. I did that on purpose. That’s the way we wear them where I’m from. It’s all the rage in Colorado.” She tipped up on her toe, showing off her pink-stained sock as if it were the latest in fashion.

  Johnny laughed, his small grin turning into an all-out smile. “I like it. Maybe it will catch on here.” He winked at her as if they were in on the joke together.