Growing Up in Lancaster County (17 page)

Rachel nudged him. “That’s not true. Besides, you grumbled about how hot it is. Remember?”

“Jah, but I don’t grumble all the time. You always grumble about something.”

“Do not.”

“Do so.”

“Do not.”

“Do so.”

“I’d better go,” Audra said. “
She dich, eich, wider
[See you later]!” She waved at Rachel and glided away.

Rachel looked over at Jacob. “I wonder why Audra doesn’t have to work today. It doesn’t seem fair, does it?”

“You’re grumbling again.”

“Am not. I’m just stating facts.”

“Oh good, I think a customer’s coming.” Jacob motioned to a car coming down the road. But instead of stopping, it sped up and passed the stand. A small rock from the road hurled through the air. It hit the front of the stand, putting a hole through the letter
S
in the S
TRAWBERRIES FOR
S
ALE
sign Jacob had painted and nailed to the stand.

“That’s great!” Jacob mumbled. “Now our sign says,
‘TRAWBERRIES FOR
S
ALE
.” He looked at Rachel and shook his head. “Who’s ever heard of trawberries, and who’s gonna stop at a stand selling some weird kind of berry?”

Rachel poked Jacob. “I guess you think you’re funny, huh?”

Jacob laughed. “Jah, I’m the man selling strawberries with a great sense of humor.”

Rachel grunted. “You’re not a man!”

“I will be soon.”

A car pulled into the driveway, and a bald, middle-aged man got out of the car. He walked to the stand and pointed at the strawberries. “How much are you asking?”

“One dollar a box,” Rachel said.

“I’ll take two boxes.” The man motioned to Grandpa’s greenhouse. “I’m going to look at some plants. Would you please put the strawberries on the front seat of my car while I’m gone?” He hurried away before Rachel could respond.

“That was rude,” Jacob said. “He didn’t even pay for the berries.”

“Maybe he’ll pay for them when he’s done at the greenhouse.” Rachel picked up two boxes of berries and took them to the man’s car. She opened the door on the driver’s side and placed them on the seat. Then she closed the door and raced back to the stand.

“I’m thirsty,” Jacob said. “I think I’ll run up to the house and get something cold to drink.”

“That sounds good. Could you get something for me, too?”

“Jah, sure.” Jacob scurried up the driveway.

The man finally returned to his car, but instead of coming to the stand to pay for the berries, he jumped into his car and started to drive away.

Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes and climbed out of the car. He stomped to the stand and shook his finger at Rachel. “Did you put those berries on the front seat of my car?”

“Yes,” she admitted.

“Just look what you’ve done!” He whirled around.

Rachel gasped. Bright red berry juice covered the man’s tan-colored pants!

“I—I only set them there because you told me to,” she said in a shaky voice.

“I did tell you to put them on the seat, but I didn’t think you’d put them where I would sit on them!” A muscle of the side of the man’s neck quivered, and his pale eyebrows pulled together.

“I–I’m sorry. I thought you’d come back to the stand to pay for the strawberries, and I was gonna tell you then that the berries were in the front seat of your car.” She drew in a quick breath. “But you didn’t come back.”

“Oh, you’re right, I should have paid for the berries, and I did tell you to put them in my front seat. So I guess it’s more my fault than yours.” The man reached into his pants pocket and handed Rachel four dollars. “The berries in my car are too smashed to eat, but here’s enough money for two more boxes, plus the ones I sat on.”

Rachel shook her head. “You don’t have to pay for the ones that are ruined.”

He placed the money on the counter and picked up two boxes of berries. “I’ll pay for all four boxes. Maybe my wife can make jelly out of the squished ones.”

Rachel smiled. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” The man hurried back to his car and drove away just as a horse and buggy pulled in. It was Rachel’s aunt Karen and her little boy, Gerald.

“Wie geht’s?” Aunt Karen asked, walking to the stand.

“I’m doing okay,” Rachel said. “How about you?”

“Gerald and I are well.” Aunt Karen patted Gerald’s head. “We were on our way home from town and noticed you, so I decided to stop and see what you have for sale.”

“Jacob and I are selling strawberries.” Rachel motioned to her painted rocks. “And these.”

“Those are nice. Did you paint them yourself?” Aunt Karen asked.

Rachel nodded. “Painting rocks is a hobby of mine.”

Gerald eyed a turtle rock; then he tugged his mother’s skirt and said,
“Shillgrott
[Turtle].
Geb’s mir
[Give it to me]!”

Aunt Karen shook her head. “That’s no way to ask for something. You must say
sei so gut
[please].”

Gerald looked at his mother with pleading eyes. “Sei so gut?”

Aunt Karen squeezed his shoulder. “Jah, you may have the turtle.” She opened her purse. “How much are the rocks, Rachel?”

“I’m asking a dollar for them, but since Gerald’s my cousin, he can have one for free,” Rachel said.

Aunt Karen shook her head. “You worked hard to paint these nice rocks, and I will pay.”

“Danki,” Rachel said as she took the dollar Aunt Karen handed her. “Would you like a box of strawberries, too?”

“I have a big strawberry patch in my garden, so I really don’t need any more.” Aunt Karen smiled. “Your berries are nice and plump, so I’m sure you’ll sell them in no time.”

“I hope so, because I don’t want to spend the whole day out here in the hot sun.”

“It is quite warm,” Aunt Karen agreed. She handed Gerald his turtle rock. “We’d best be on our way home now. Tell your mamm I said hello.”

“I will,” Rachel called as Aunt Karen and Gerald walked away.

Their buggy had just pulled out of the driveway when Jacob returned.

“I brought some of Pap’s cold root beer,” he said, handing Rachel a mug.

Rachel smiled. “Danki. It looks good.”

Jacob took a big drink from his mug. “This sure hits the spot.” He ran his tongue across his upper lip, where some foamy root beer had gathered.

Rachel laughed and sipped from her mug. “You’re right; this does hit the spot! Pap makes the best root beer!”

Jacob glanced at the strawberries. “Looks like you sold two more boxes of berries while I was gone.”

“Jah.” Rachel told Jacob how the man had bought two more boxes of berries after he’d sat on the ones she’d put in his car. “I really felt bad about the man’s pants,” she added.

“That was a dumb thing to do, Rachel.”

“The man said it was as much his fault because he told me to put the berries on the front seat.”

Jacob shrugged. “I guess it was partly his fault then.”

“Then Aunt Karen and Gerald came by.” Rachel pointed to the spot where the painted turtle rock had been sitting. “She bought one of my rocks for Gerald.”

“Really?”

“Jah. I told you I’d sell some rocks today.”

“Puh!” Jacob flapped his hand like he was swatting a fly. “You’ve only sold one, and to a member of our family. I’d be more impressed if you’d sold the whole lot of them to a stranger.”

Rachel frowned. “You don’t have to be so mean.”

“I wasn’t being mean; I was just stating facts.” He gulped more root beer. “Selling a rock to a relative doesn’t count.”

“Jah, it does.”

“Does not.”

“Does too, and I think you ought to stop—”

Woof! Woof!
Jacob’s dog, Buddy, bounded up to the stand and licked Rachel’s arm with his big pink tongue.

“Get away from me!” Rachel pushed Buddy down. “Your breath is awful!”

Thunk!
—Buddy’s tail hit a berry box, knocking it to the ground.

“Oh, no,” Rachel moaned. “Now the berries are dirty!” She bent over and was about to pick them up, when—
thunk
!—Buddy whacked another box with his tail.

Rachel glared at Jacob. “Look what your hairy mutt’s done! He’s always causing trouble! Why’s he out of his dog run?”

Jacob shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’ll put him back right away.” He reached for Buddy’s collar, but the dog put his paws in Rachel’s lap and licked her face.

“Yuck! Go away, you hairy beast!”

Buddy grunted and flopped down on the berries he’d knocked to the ground.

Rachel groaned. “Trouble…trouble…Buddy’s always causing trouble!” She pointed at Jacob. “You’d better pick some more berries!”

Jacob frowned. “Why me?”

“Because your
hund
[dog] knocked over the berries and squished them with his big hairy body. So you should be the one to pick more berries!”

“Oh, okay. It’ll be better than sitting here listening to you grumble.” Jacob scooped up the berry boxes and led Buddy up the driveway, mumbling, “Stupid hund!”

Rachel leaned on the counter and closed her eyes. She hoped the whole summer wouldn’t be full of trouble.

W
hen Rachel stepped onto the porch the next morning, she spotted Cuddles lying on her back, playing with a piece of string.

“You’re getting fat! You must be eating too many mice.” Rachel scratched the cat’s bulging belly. “Maybe I should cut back on your food.”

Meow!
Cuddles looked up at Rachel as if to say, “You’d better not!”

Rachel continued to rub the cat’s belly. “Oh, don’t worry; I promise I won’t let you starve.”

Cuddles closed her eyes and purred.

Rachel closed her eyes, too. It felt good to sit on the porch in a patch of warm sun. She wished she could stay here and pet Cuddles all day, but she had chores to do.

“I’m going to the chicken coop to feed the chickens. When I get back, I’ll give you some food,” Rachel said, giving the cat’s stomach one final rub.

When Rachel entered the chicken coop, she was relieved that the big red rooster wasn’t there. She figured he must be outside hunting for bugs, taking a dirt bath, or chasing the smaller roosters around the yard. Usually when Rachel went into the coop and the big rooster was there, he caused trouble. Maybe she would have an easier time feeding the chickens today.

Rachel opened a can of chicken feed and poured some into the dishes.
Bawk! Bawk! Bawk!
A dozen red hens crowded around the dish, pecking at each other and gobbling up the food.

“There’s plenty for everyone, so don’t be in such a hurry,” Rachel scolded. “If you eat too much, you’ll get fat like Cuddles.”

Bawk! Bawk!
The chickens continued to peck one another, eating as if this was their last meal.

Rachel took the watering dishes outside to fill.

“Rachel, check for eggs while you’re in the coop,” Mom called from the back porch.

Rachel cupped her hands around her mouth. “I will, Mom!”

Rachel rinsed the watering dishes and filled them with fresh water; then she carried them back to the coop. While the hens continued to eat and drink, she checked for eggs.

When she returned to the house, she found Mom in the kitchen, frying bacon.

“I got six eggs,” Rachel said.

“That’s good.” Mom turned from the stove and smiled. “Would you please wash them and put them in the refrigerator?”

Rachel went to the sink and turned on the water. “I still need to feed Cuddles, but I’m not gonna give her as much food as normal.”

“Why not?” Mom asked.

“She’s getting fat. She looks like she’s eaten too many
meis
[mice]. I think she needs to go on a diet.”

Mom clicked her tongue. “Cuddles doesn’t need to lose weight, Rachel. She’s in a family way.”

Rachel’s mouth dropped open. “Cuddles is going to have
busslin
[kittens]?”

“That’s right. I thought you knew.”

Rachel shook her head. “I thought she’d been eating too much.”

“No, she’s going to have a batch of kittens. I’m guessing it will be soon.”

“Oh, that’s wunderbaar!” Rachel was so excited, she felt like doing a little dance. “I hope she has a whole bunch of busslin!”

Mom held up her hand. “Now don’t get too excited. No matter how many kittens she has, you can’t keep them. You’ll need to find each of them a good home.”

“Can’t I keep just one?”

“Well, maybe. We’ll have to wait and see.” Mom turned back to the stove. “Oh, and Rachel, you’d better find a box in the barn and fill it with shredded newspaper. That way, Cuddles will have a nice, safe place to have her kittens.” She pointed to the stack of newspapers inside the woodbox. “You can use some of those. We don’t want Cuddles to have her babies in some strange place we don’t know about.”

“I’ll fix it right after breakfast.” Rachel could hardly wait until the kittens were born!

For the next several days, Rachel closely watched Cuddles. She’d taken her into the barn and shown her the box she’d prepared. Cuddles didn’t show much interest in the box. She just slept on the porch while her stomach grew bigger.

“I saw Audra’s mamm at the grocery store yesterday,” Mom said to Rachel during breakfast on Thursday morning. “She said Audra would like you to spend Friday night with her.”