G
Gargantuas
Guest
The following is a bonus story from my website http://www.SarahConradofEagleCreek.com
Tommy was struggling to stand up in the gusty, snowy wind as he attempted to fix a broken fence. His fingers were raw; the skin was cracking. Snow was slowly creeping into his boots making his feet especially cold; but still, he continued, bound and determined to complete the task at hand. This was not a fun way to spend a birthday.
"Afternoon Tommy."
He looked up in the direction of the voice. "Hello, Mr. Conrad."
"I've done some thinking. I want you to preach tomorrow."
"Huh? I thought you were going to do it?"
"I was, however, I have since decided that Will Clementine and I should travel to Casper tomorrow and meet with a man named Sam Hines. Preacher Baker always spoke highly of him."
Tommy whined, "Why me?"
"Because, I believe you'll do an excellent job. I've already seen six other boys and given them their assignments and now it's your turn."
"The high school boys aren't supposed to conduct a church service until the second Sunday in February."
"I'm well aware of that. And you know that Preacher Baker died on Wednesday, so, everyone's schedule is going to be thrown off until we can arrange for a new preacher to come to town."
"I'm only thirteen."
"That doesn't matter to me. You can speak well enough. I want you to do it."
"I dunno."
"You don't know what? Young man, I am convinced that you have the traits that conduce to a fine presentation." He shrugged. "If nothing else, you got good material."
"I just don’t wanna do it."
Out of nowhere a large clump of snow landed in Tommy's face. The force of the blast knocked him back a step. As he wiped the snow from his eyes he could see his father's scowling face come into view. Tommy gulped.
Augustus Grossman glared at Tommy. He poked his now empty snow shovel into the ground and fixed his eyes on his son. He spoke in a polite tone: "Michael, my friend, could you please do me a favor?"
"Name it."
"Ride your horse down to the end of our drive way; turn around and come back, please."
Michael shrugged. He turned his horse around and began the one hundred yard trot down to the end of the driveway. Tommy stood there looking at his father; quaking in his boots.
A couple of minutes later, when Michael returned, Tommy was, once again, working on the fence.
This time Tommy looked up and waved at Mr. Conrad. He ran to meet him.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Conrad." Tommy said with a cheerful voice. "It's awfully cold outside. Will you please come in the house and warm yourself by the fire?"
Mr. Conrad nodded. "Thank you, Tommy."
"The front door is unlocked. Please, make yourself at home. I'll take your horse back to the barn so he can have some fresh hay and water. I'll also throw a blanket on him."
Mr. Conrad got down from his horse. "Thank you, son."
As Tommy walked with the horse around the house, Mr. Conrad kicked the snow off of his boots and stepped inside. As soon as he shut the door, he saw Augustus Grossman. Michael gave him a nod.
Augustus shrugged. "I got to raise him right."
"Yup."
Michael hung up his hat and coat and warmed himself by the fire in the parlor.
Augustus went to the kitchen and lit up the stove.
Tommy returned a minute later. Michael could see him kicking the snow off of his boots and shaking the snow off of his coat. As soon as he stepped in, Tommy asked, "Mr. Conrad, may I get you some hot chocolate?"
"That'd hit the spot. Thank you."
Tommy smiled. "I know that traveling around town in three feet of snow is quite a challenge. I am glad that you've chosen to sit awhile and visit with me."
When Tommy went into the kitchen he noticed the milk, cocoa and sugar were already mixed together and in a pot on the stove. A couple of minutes later, Tommy returned to the parlor with the hot cocoa.
Michael was very grateful. He sipped it and popped his lips. "Sweet."
"May I ask, sir, what brings you to the Grossman Ranch on such a miserable day?"
"I want you to preach tomorrow."
"I would be honored."
Michael smiled.
Tommy asked, "How is the widow Baker?"
Michael sighed. "Cecilia's taking this hard. Rodney went so suddenly. That whole day was chaotic. I can't remember much of what happened."
"If I recall correctly sir, as Preacher Baker was on the floor and Dr. Westbrook was working on his chest; Mr. Cotterman lead the congregation in song."
Michael nodded. "Oh yeah, 'Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus." He chuckled to himself. "It was the invitation song. I knew Rodney would've insisted that interruption worship service be kept to a minimum."
"And then, as Officer Walsdorf ran to get his car. You, um…" Tommy choked up. "You looked at Preacher Baker's sermon notes and continued with the message right where he had left off."
Michael sighed. "Per his instructions."
"My father and Mr. Mock ran to get a table with collapsible legs. They brought it into the church building and rolled Preacher Baker on to it as a makeshift gurney. But, if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you take him out the side door at the rear of the auditorium? It's only two steps to the ground. The front door has at least fifteen steps."
Michael cleared his throat. "He was… he was slipping away. We knew it and he knew it too. He was struggling to keep his eyes open, so, Augustus and Rufus, thought he might enjoy seeing everyone's faces one last time. Or, at least, the faces of most folks on the right hand side of the auditorium."
"Thank you for telling me that sir. I've rarely seen my father cry. He did not want to talk much about the experience. Your description has brought me an increased level of pride in my father."
Michael nodded. "Good."
"I am confident that this shock has been difficult for you and the other elders at church. You will remain in my prayers. Sir, about what I said earlier, at the fence;" Tommy sighed. "I'd like to apologize…."
"Apologize for what, Tommy?" Mr. Conrad had a puzzled look on his face. "I just now rode up here on my horse; you showed hospitality to both me and my animal. When I told you about my decision you eagerly accepted the assignment."
Tommy smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Conrad."
He put a hand on Tommy's shoulders. "Thank you, Tommy. You are the fine young man I have always expected that you would become."
The two men put on their coats and hats and returned to the blustery winter landscape. Augustus met them on the side of the house with Michael's horse.
Michael mounted his horse. Tipped his hat and rode off.
Tommy and Augustus waved as he disappeared into the stormy day.
Tommy collapsed his shoulders. "Dad, you know that I am not prepared to do this."
"Yup."
They began walking back over to the fence Tommy had been working on earlier.
"And, and, and you know that I get nervous and tongue tied when I stand in public."
"Mmm hmm."
"Then why did you make me do that?"
"Do what? You were working on the fence. I tossed a shovel full of snow in your face. I asked Mr. Conrad to ride down to the front of the driveway and come back. I didn't make you do anything."
Tommy reached down and tried to stand up the heavy fence post. "You didn't have to say anything, I understood perfectly well what that glare meant. So, why did you make me do that?"
"Because," Augustus helped him steady the post. He pointed at the house. "Because, exactly thirteen years ago, a midwife walked into that parlor and said, 'Congratulations, you have a son.'"
"And so, if I'd been a girl…?"
Augustus chuckled, "Your mother knows how to give the same glare to Diane and Bernadette and Olivia."
"So there's no escaping the disapproving glares of Augustus and Patricia Grossman?"
Augustus shook his head.
Tommy smiled. "I love you too, dad."
They hugged.
Tommy was struggling to stand up in the gusty, snowy wind as he attempted to fix a broken fence. His fingers were raw; the skin was cracking. Snow was slowly creeping into his boots making his feet especially cold; but still, he continued, bound and determined to complete the task at hand. This was not a fun way to spend a birthday.
"Afternoon Tommy."
He looked up in the direction of the voice. "Hello, Mr. Conrad."
"I've done some thinking. I want you to preach tomorrow."
"Huh? I thought you were going to do it?"
"I was, however, I have since decided that Will Clementine and I should travel to Casper tomorrow and meet with a man named Sam Hines. Preacher Baker always spoke highly of him."
Tommy whined, "Why me?"
"Because, I believe you'll do an excellent job. I've already seen six other boys and given them their assignments and now it's your turn."
"The high school boys aren't supposed to conduct a church service until the second Sunday in February."
"I'm well aware of that. And you know that Preacher Baker died on Wednesday, so, everyone's schedule is going to be thrown off until we can arrange for a new preacher to come to town."
"I'm only thirteen."
"That doesn't matter to me. You can speak well enough. I want you to do it."
"I dunno."
"You don't know what? Young man, I am convinced that you have the traits that conduce to a fine presentation." He shrugged. "If nothing else, you got good material."
"I just don’t wanna do it."
Out of nowhere a large clump of snow landed in Tommy's face. The force of the blast knocked him back a step. As he wiped the snow from his eyes he could see his father's scowling face come into view. Tommy gulped.
Augustus Grossman glared at Tommy. He poked his now empty snow shovel into the ground and fixed his eyes on his son. He spoke in a polite tone: "Michael, my friend, could you please do me a favor?"
"Name it."
"Ride your horse down to the end of our drive way; turn around and come back, please."
Michael shrugged. He turned his horse around and began the one hundred yard trot down to the end of the driveway. Tommy stood there looking at his father; quaking in his boots.
A couple of minutes later, when Michael returned, Tommy was, once again, working on the fence.
This time Tommy looked up and waved at Mr. Conrad. He ran to meet him.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Conrad." Tommy said with a cheerful voice. "It's awfully cold outside. Will you please come in the house and warm yourself by the fire?"
Mr. Conrad nodded. "Thank you, Tommy."
"The front door is unlocked. Please, make yourself at home. I'll take your horse back to the barn so he can have some fresh hay and water. I'll also throw a blanket on him."
Mr. Conrad got down from his horse. "Thank you, son."
As Tommy walked with the horse around the house, Mr. Conrad kicked the snow off of his boots and stepped inside. As soon as he shut the door, he saw Augustus Grossman. Michael gave him a nod.
Augustus shrugged. "I got to raise him right."
"Yup."
Michael hung up his hat and coat and warmed himself by the fire in the parlor.
Augustus went to the kitchen and lit up the stove.
Tommy returned a minute later. Michael could see him kicking the snow off of his boots and shaking the snow off of his coat. As soon as he stepped in, Tommy asked, "Mr. Conrad, may I get you some hot chocolate?"
"That'd hit the spot. Thank you."
Tommy smiled. "I know that traveling around town in three feet of snow is quite a challenge. I am glad that you've chosen to sit awhile and visit with me."
When Tommy went into the kitchen he noticed the milk, cocoa and sugar were already mixed together and in a pot on the stove. A couple of minutes later, Tommy returned to the parlor with the hot cocoa.
Michael was very grateful. He sipped it and popped his lips. "Sweet."
"May I ask, sir, what brings you to the Grossman Ranch on such a miserable day?"
"I want you to preach tomorrow."
"I would be honored."
Michael smiled.
Tommy asked, "How is the widow Baker?"
Michael sighed. "Cecilia's taking this hard. Rodney went so suddenly. That whole day was chaotic. I can't remember much of what happened."
"If I recall correctly sir, as Preacher Baker was on the floor and Dr. Westbrook was working on his chest; Mr. Cotterman lead the congregation in song."
Michael nodded. "Oh yeah, 'Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus." He chuckled to himself. "It was the invitation song. I knew Rodney would've insisted that interruption worship service be kept to a minimum."
"And then, as Officer Walsdorf ran to get his car. You, um…" Tommy choked up. "You looked at Preacher Baker's sermon notes and continued with the message right where he had left off."
Michael sighed. "Per his instructions."
"My father and Mr. Mock ran to get a table with collapsible legs. They brought it into the church building and rolled Preacher Baker on to it as a makeshift gurney. But, if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you take him out the side door at the rear of the auditorium? It's only two steps to the ground. The front door has at least fifteen steps."
Michael cleared his throat. "He was… he was slipping away. We knew it and he knew it too. He was struggling to keep his eyes open, so, Augustus and Rufus, thought he might enjoy seeing everyone's faces one last time. Or, at least, the faces of most folks on the right hand side of the auditorium."
"Thank you for telling me that sir. I've rarely seen my father cry. He did not want to talk much about the experience. Your description has brought me an increased level of pride in my father."
Michael nodded. "Good."
"I am confident that this shock has been difficult for you and the other elders at church. You will remain in my prayers. Sir, about what I said earlier, at the fence;" Tommy sighed. "I'd like to apologize…."
"Apologize for what, Tommy?" Mr. Conrad had a puzzled look on his face. "I just now rode up here on my horse; you showed hospitality to both me and my animal. When I told you about my decision you eagerly accepted the assignment."
Tommy smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Conrad."
He put a hand on Tommy's shoulders. "Thank you, Tommy. You are the fine young man I have always expected that you would become."
The two men put on their coats and hats and returned to the blustery winter landscape. Augustus met them on the side of the house with Michael's horse.
Michael mounted his horse. Tipped his hat and rode off.
Tommy and Augustus waved as he disappeared into the stormy day.
Tommy collapsed his shoulders. "Dad, you know that I am not prepared to do this."
"Yup."
They began walking back over to the fence Tommy had been working on earlier.
"And, and, and you know that I get nervous and tongue tied when I stand in public."
"Mmm hmm."
"Then why did you make me do that?"
"Do what? You were working on the fence. I tossed a shovel full of snow in your face. I asked Mr. Conrad to ride down to the front of the driveway and come back. I didn't make you do anything."
Tommy reached down and tried to stand up the heavy fence post. "You didn't have to say anything, I understood perfectly well what that glare meant. So, why did you make me do that?"
"Because," Augustus helped him steady the post. He pointed at the house. "Because, exactly thirteen years ago, a midwife walked into that parlor and said, 'Congratulations, you have a son.'"
"And so, if I'd been a girl…?"
Augustus chuckled, "Your mother knows how to give the same glare to Diane and Bernadette and Olivia."
"So there's no escaping the disapproving glares of Augustus and Patricia Grossman?"
Augustus shook his head.
Tommy smiled. "I love you too, dad."
They hugged.