Growing Up in Lancaster County (5 page)

Rachel tiptoed across the room. “Are you sleeping?” she whispered.

Mom opened her eyes. “Almost.”

“What about our walk to the creek?”

Mom released a noisy yawn. “I’d better not today, Rachel. After all that cleaning, I’m really tired. You’re free to go outside and play while I take a nap.”

Rachel shook her head. “I’m not in the mood now.” She trudged up the stairs, stomped into her room, and fell on the bed. “Always trouble somewhere!”

She stretched her arms over her head until they bumped the headboard. “We can’t go to Hershey Park; I couldn’t go to town with Grandpa; the greenhouse won’t be built until June; I had to do chores all afternoon; and now Mom’s too tired to walk to the creek. What a disappointing day!”

“
D
id ya see that pretty butterfly?” Orlie asked Rachel when she and Jacob entered the school yard Monday morning.

Rachel looked around. “Where? I don’t see a butterfly.”

“Over there!” Orlie pointed to a bush across the yard. “Do you see it?”

Rachel grunted. “No, I don’t. Are you teasing me, Orlie?”

“Of course not.” Orlie’s nose twitched when he gave her a crooked grin. “I never tease—you know that.”

“Jah, right! You tease a lot, and I’m sure you’re teasing about the butterfly.”

“No, I’m not.” Orlie poked Rachel’s arm. “Maybe you can’t see the butterfly because your eyes have gone bad. Maybe you should go to the doctor and get your eyes checked.”

“I don’t need a doctor. I can see just fine!” Rachel’s long skirt swished around her legs as she ran through the grass. She was almost to the schoolhouse steps when she heard a squeal. She looked around. She saw Audra cowering in the bushes near the porch.

“What’s wrong?” Rachel asked.

Audra’s chin trembled. “I—I dropped my backpack.” She stood up and pointed to the backpack lying in the bushes. “I–I’m afraid to pick it up b–because there’s a spider on it.”

Rachel knew Audra was afraid of bugs, but she’d never realized how much until now. The poor girl was actually shivering, and it wasn’t the least bit cold.

Rachel stared at Audra’s backpack. “I don’t see a spider. It must have crawled away.”

Audra continued to point. “It’s still there. See…on the flap.”

Rachel squinted. “I don’t see a spider. Are you teasing me, Audra?”

“Of course not. Why would I tease about seeing a spider?” Audra’s face turned red. “Would you kill it for me, Rachel?”

Rachel shook her head. “Huh-uh. If there is a spider on your backpack, then the little critter has the right to live.” She turned toward the porch.

Audra dashed to Rachel and clutched her arm. “Please, don’t go. I—I need you to kill that spider!”

“Du kannscht mich net uffhuddle; ich bin zu schmaert
[You can’t confuse me; I’m too smart],” Rachel said.

“I’m not trying to confuse you. There really is a spider,” Audra said in a shaky voice.

Rachel grunted. “If you think so, you’d better kill it yourself, because I’m not going to.”

“
Eww
…I could never do that! What if it jumped at me?” Audra thrust out her lower lip. “Please, Rachel. If you won’t kill the spider, will you at least get it off my backpack?”

With a frustrated grunt, Rachel bent, scooped up the backpack, and gave it a shake. “Is the spider gone now?”

Audra studied the backpack and nodded. “Jah, it’s gone. Danki, Rachel.”

Rachel plodded up the stairs, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe Audra was afraid of a little bitty spider. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t been able to see it on Audra’s backpack either.

What was going on? First the butterfly Orlie said was there but Rachel never saw, and now an invisible spider! Either she was going blind, or Orlie and Audra were in cahoots and had decided to make this “tease Rachel day.”

Well, if anyone else saw anything that wasn’t really there, Rachel would just play along. No point giving them the satisfaction of thinking they’d pulled a fast one on her!

When the teacher, Elizabeth, dismissed the scholars for recess that morning, Rachel headed straight for the swings. She was the first one there, so she got to choose her favorite swing.

She started by making the swing go side to side, then she swirled around a couple of times until she felt dizzy. Finally—
pump…pump…push. Pump…pump…push
—she moved her legs fast and was soon swinging so high she felt like a bird soaring up to the sky. “Whee…this is so much fun!”

“Did you see that pretty bird in the tree over there?” Orlie asked when he joined Rachel on the swings.

“What bird?”

“That one—in the maple tree.”

Rachel slowed her swing so she could get a better look. She did see the bird, but it looked like a blurry blob.

“Do you see it, Rachel?” Orlie asked.

“Uh—jah, it’s real pretty.”

Orlie started pumping his legs really fast. “Bet I can swing higher than you can.”

“Bet you can’t.”
Pump…pump…push. Pump…pump…push
. Rachel got her swing going as high as she could.

“You’d better watch out, or you’ll fly right off and land in the tree with that bird!” Orlie hollered.

Rachel giggled as she flew up. “My swing’s higher than yours,” she shouted. “I win!”

“You didn’t give me a fair chance. I can go higher if I want to.”

“No you can’t, because recess is over.” Rachel started to drag her feet to slow the swing. “See, all the scholars are heading inside.”

Orlie groaned. “I’ll beat you the next time; just wait and see.”

“That’s what you think, Orlie Troyer!” Rachel jumped off the swing, dashed across the yard, and—
floop!
—dropped to her knees!

“What happened?” Audra rushed to Rachel and helped her to her feet.

Rachel brushed the dirt from her dress. “I—I guess I must have tripped on something.”

“I think it was that.” Audra motioned to the hose stretched across the yard. “Didn’t you see it?”

Rachel shook her head. “I—I wasn’t looking down.”

“Are you hurt?”

Rachel inspected her knees. “I’m okay. My knees aren’t even bleeding.”

“You need to be more careful.” Audra patted Rachel’s back. “Were you in a hurry to get inside?”

“Jah, I was.” Rachel started moving toward the schoolhouse again. She was almost to the porch when she heard a bird twittering from the tree nearby. She tipped her head back and squinted. There was that blurry blob again. She didn’t understand why everything looked so fuzzy lately. Could something be wrong with her eyes? Would she need to see a doctor? Oh, she hoped not!

“Are you gonna play ball with us?” Jacob asked Rachel during lunch recess that day.

Rachel shrugged. “I thought I might swing or play on the teeter-totter with Audra.”

“Aw, come on, Rachel.” Jacob nudged her arm. “You’re a good ball player; we need you.”

“I’d rather not.”

“Please, Rachel. I’d like you to be on my team.”

“Oh, okay,” Rachel finally agreed. She was pleased that Jacob thought she was good at playing ball. He didn’t often say nice things to her.

Rachel followed Jacob to the baseball field. “Play center field,” he said.

“Why can’t I play second or first base?”

“You’re good at catching fly balls, so that’s where I want you to go.”

“Where are you gonna play?” she asked.

“I’ll be the pitcher.” Jacob cupped his hands around his mouth. “Orlie, you’re on my team, too, so play in left field.”

“Let’s get the other team out schnell,” Orlie said to Rachel. “I can’t wait till I’m up to bat, because I plan to bat a home run!”

“You always like to win,” Rachel mumbled as she walked to center field.

“What was that?” Orlie called.

“Oh, nothing.”

The first few balls never made it past the infield, so that made two outs. Then came a couple of foul balls. Rachel wondered if any balls would ever come her way, when suddenly—
smack!
—Aaron King hit a ball that sailed right over Jacob’s head.

“Catch it, Rachel!” Orlie hollered. “Get that ball!”

Rachel saw a blur of white whiz past her head, but when she reached out to grab it, the ball flew over her glove. She lunged for it and fell on her face.
Oomph!

“Are you all right, Rachel?” Audra called from first base. “Your
naas
[nose] isn’t bleeding, I hope.”

Rachel touched her nose and was relieved not to see any blood on her fingers. Last month, when she’d been playing ball, she’d gotten smacked in the nose and ended up with a nasty nosebleed.

“What’s the matter with you, Rachel?” Jacob called. “Didn’t you see that ball coming?”

“I saw it. I just missed, that’s all.” Rachel wasn’t about to admit that the ball had looked like a blurry snowball whizzing past her head.

Jacob frowned. “Jah, well, you’d better keep a close watch on the ball from now on.”

Rachel wrinkled her nose. “Maybe I should have played on the teeter-totter or swings. At least no one would be picking on me.”

“Oh, don’t be like that,” Jacob said. “When our team’s up to bat, I’m sure you’ll do better.”

Maybe Jacob’s right
, Rachel thought.
I am pretty good at hitting the ball. I might even make a home run. That would show Orlie
.

Rachel sat on the bench waiting for her turn to bat. Orlie went first and hit a ball that took him to second base. Then Jacob was up, and his ball sailed into right field and brought Orlie home. Lonnie Byler was up next, but he struck out. Then Audra batted, and she struck out, too.

Now it was Rachel’s turn. She stepped up to the plate, took her stance, and waited for the ball. It came quickly—
swish!
Rachel swung—and missed.

“Strike one!” David Miller shouted.

“Don’t swing unless it’s right over the plate,” Jacob called to Rachel.

“I won’t!”

The pitcher threw the ball again, but the blur of white whizzed right past Rachel.

“Strike two!”

Rachel gripped the bat tighter. The fuzzy white ball came again—
swish!
She swung hard—and missed.

“Strike three—you’re out!”

Rachel groaned. So much for getting a home run! So much for showing Orlie how well she could play! He probably thought she was a real loser today.

“What’s the matter with you, Rachel?” Jacob grumbled. “You acted like you couldn’t even see that ball!”

“I could see it. I just missed, that’s all.”

Jacob wrinkled his nose. “Jah, well, I’ll think twice before I ask you to be on my team again.”

“That’s fine with me. I’d rather play on the swings anyway!” Rachel dropped the bat and hurried away. She’d never admit it to Jacob, but she was worried. Was it possible that she hadn’t seen the ball clearly because something was wrong with her eyes? Oh, she hoped not!

A
re you coming with me to see Grandpa and Grandma Yoder?” Rachel asked Jacob as they walked home from school the next day.

“I don’t think so,” Jacob said. “Pap’s gonna need my help this afternoon.”

“When I saw Grandma at church the other day, she said Grandpa was going fishing today, and she thought it would be nice if she and I baked something.” Rachel smiled. “I’ll probably bring home some cookies.”

“Just be sure you don’t mess up the recipe like you did before.”

Rachel glared at Jacob. “Why do you always say mean things?”

“I was just stating facts.”

Rachel kicked a stone and kept walking. She figured that if she said anything back to Jacob, they’d end up arguing, and she didn’t want to arrive at Grandma’s in a bad mood. That would ruin their afternoon together.

“Good-bye,” Jacob said as they approached the driveway leading to Grandma and Grandpa Yoder’s house. “I’ll see you at supper.”

Rachel turned up the driveway, calling over her shoulder, “Have fun in the
felder
[fields]!”

“Have fun baking
kichlin
[cookies],” Jacob called in return. “Oh, and one more thing:
Geb acht, schunscht geht’s letz
[Watch out, or else things will go wrong]!”

Rachel gritted her teeth and hurried along. As she approached Grandma and Grandpa’s house, she noticed her three-year-old cousin Gerald sitting on the front porch of his house with a jar of bubbles. Gerald and his parents, Aunt Karen and Uncle Amos, had moved into the house next door to Grandma and Grandpa soon after Mary and her family moved to Indiana.