Oh for Pete's Sake!

[PacNorWest]

Oh For Pete's Sake, is a story I'm writing.
Characters;

Evangaline Anastasia Porter Hanson ...called Evie
Lars Harold Hanson...called Hap
their daughter; Inga
their son; Peter

Neighbors; Sue Apperton {husband Ben is gone]
Children;
Ben 10
Clora 8
Sandra 6
Zander 4
Jane 2

Economic depression has claimed the United States, and retired Evie and Hap are struggling to keep them selves alive.

#1
Evie shoved the #12 Griswold roughly against the top of the fireplace insert. The large skillet hanging over the narrow shelf that was her cooking surface. Beads of sweat tickeled at her temple, and the heat from the insert made an already miserable day, feel more uncomfortable.

"How am I going to feed five children?' she whispered softly, no one was there to listen. or comment. It was her despair talking, panic at their situtation.

Hap, had the children lined up on the back porch. They were washing up,
getting ready for lunch. The children were like baby ghosts. They made no sound, each working with each other to make certain they were as clean as they needed to be.

Hap shook his head slightly. Looking at the thin, hunched over neighbor children, he couldn't help but compare them to Inga and Peter. Evie had raised their children to be happy, healthy. A boisterous confident son and daughter. So different from the youngsters walking to the table.

Evie added the last dab of butter and a lump of bacon fat to the warmed skillet. It went skittering across the pan, a slight sizzling sound in the worn down day. When the grease was well melted, she threw a handful of flour in the pan and stirred rapidly. Adding cups of double, watery reconstituted milk, she stirred the gravy.

Gravy over re-heated rice. The rice was ready; it was starting to stick, and she moved it to the far edge of the cooktop.

"Com'on everyone," she called, and nearly stepped on the littlest child, Jane, as she turned around to see where every one was at.

It reminded her of the chapter in Oliver Twist where the children lined up with their bowls. But, this wasn't a story. It was real.

Grabbing a slotted spoon, she dished out a spoonful of rice and topped it with a dipper of thickened brown gravy. Jane's dish wobbled a bit, but Clora was right there to steady the old aluminum pie plate. Evie gave each child as much as she thought they might eat.

Admonishing them softly, she said, "You may have more.' but her heart was heavy. There would not be much for seconds.
She added a double scoop of rice and gravy to Hap's plate, and a smaller spoonful to her own plate.

In a small bowl, she scraped the last of the rice and gravy from the pans. Her spatula had been so busy, there wasn't any gravy residue to color the cup of warmed water she put in the pan to clean the lunch.

[PacNorWest]

I have an unusual writing style, as I am the only hired hand on this ranch; I sometimes offer short, choppy chapters.
I write as I have the time, and do finish the stories I start.

I encourage and enjoy comments, the good the bad and the exasperated! Probably the best way is to just add comments to the story as it goes along. Thanks, Pac.

[PacNorWest]

#2 Evie and Hap had long ago given up talking at mealtimes. The children were scared. No one volunteered a word, but they answered a whispered reply if asked a question. A yes or a no, and the oldest two were done talking.

Evie and Hap had talked about what the kids might have endured, to create such fearsome demeanors. But it was all guesswork on their part. Hap and Evie's own kids were grown; they felt at a terrible disadvantage trying to deal with modern children. But left overs warmed on the stove and the last of the cookies helped settle the kids into the spare bedroom for the night.

Pete and Inga had both taken the bedroom sets from their rooms when they married and moved away; so Evie and Hap rolled out what blankets they had and everyone went to sleep. Evie heard the children crying during the night, but when she got up and went down the hall, the roon was quiet and still when she peeked in.

Sue Apperton had knocked on the back door two months ago. "my kids are starving to death,' she announced as she pushed the 5 waifs into the kitchen. "I can't feed them no more. I gotta go find work; I'll be back." And she was gone, before Hap and Evie barely made it from the living room to the kitchen to answer the door.

As it was, the two retired oldsters stood looking at the frightened, crying children; taken aback at the boldness and roughness the woman displayed. They had been watching TV, sort of napping on the sly, and had loose ends trying to come together to make sense of it all. The children stood just inside the door, each clutching a paper sack with some belongings. The oldest two were stoic, but the younger kids were silently crying. Evie felt her heart lurch, just thinking back on the night it all happened.

Sue was the next door neighbor of sorts. Evie knew there was a husband at one time; but he hadn't been around for a while. The woman came and went at all times, and Evie was startled to find out there were five of the children. She had only seen the oldest two, and had not realized there were three more.

Two months had gone by, since that startling night. Two more months of misery for the children; two more months of almost panic for Hap and Evie. The food stores were slowly dwindling. There was no money, no food available to buy if they would have had money. The paper was worthless as a value.

[hummer]

I like your writing style.....and enjoyed the first 2 chapters. I am looking forward to reading more. Thanks.....hummer

[Carlyblue]

I like it!!!! I will be looking forward to more chapters, when you have time.

Carly

[sabretech2001]

Very good start, and I'll look forward to more of this story.

[PacNorWest]

#3 Evie sat at the kitchen table, staring at a messy, written list. It was her grocery list; one that would not be filled any time soon. She needed everything, had enough for maybe 3 meals. Lost in heavy thought, she missed the quick tug on her sweater sleeve. There was a more insistent tug, enough force to wake her mind wanderings.

Four year old Zander stood waiting. Evie slowly slid her arm around his shoulders, so as not to startle him. The thin dark eyed, dark haired child seldom allowed contact with her or Hap. This moment was a treasure. Evie felt tears start to sting, but she took a deep breath and said "hi Zander," very softly.

Zander stood quietly, his expressive eyes roving over Evie's wrinkled, care worn face. Very slowly, he reached for her hand and pulled slightly. "You come," he said with a rusty, raspy request.

Evie drew in a startled breath. For two months, Zander had never spoken a word. She and Hap had decided perhaps he had a medical reason for not speaking, and had just enjoyed the serious youngster as he was.

Zander tugged again, urging the woman to get to her feet. Evie followed him outside. It became obvious they were headed to his mother's house. The house was stale smelling to Evie. Dirty floors, crusted dishes still in the sink, a neglected house devoid of people.
They had been back in the place several times, gathering up the few belongings the children had. It didn't take many trips to bring the total of their clothes and shoes. There were no toys, nothing Evie could find that the kids could play with. So strange, she reported later to Hap. It was like the children didn't have a chapter in their parent's life.

Zander took her upstairs in the empty house. Pointing, the child wanted help moving the old, stained mattress. The smell was overpowering, causing Evie to gag slightly. Coughing to cover her reflex, Evie tried to move the mattress with her foot. She really didn't want to put a hand on that filthy bed. However, it took both hands to help Zander pull the mattress to the side. Evie wiped her hands on her rumpled denim skirt. Swallowing hard, she waited on the child that watched her intently.

The youngster went to a board that had been centered under the bedding. He picked up the board, and pointed to the small lumps Evie could see lined up in a row. Waving with his hand, Zander indicated she was to pick up the small paper sacks.

Evie read the small black lettering; Corn meal, oatmeal, flour, beans, lentils.

"Oh Zander, are you sure?" Evie knew in an instant that this was the fall back line. The food the children had hidden out of desparation and hunger. He was offering it to the strangers next door. Evie sniffed, tears gathering in her eyes. "The other's, they agree?" she questioned.

Zander nodded, reaching down he handed her a package. Then another, until Evie had to use her apron to hold the dusty paper sacks.

"Thank you Zander, will you help me take them to our house, help me to cook supper?" Evie urged the boy to speak in a non threatening way.
Zander shook his head yes, and then no, but used no voice to get his point across.

Evie gathered up the corners of her apron and used her free hand to guide herself down the narrow stairs to the main floor. She knew there was nothing in the cupboards or drawers in the kitchen, she had already checked. As Evie reached for the doorknob, Zander stopped her progress. He silently opened the door and stuck his head out and looked both ways. Heavens, Evie held herself in check, that child is only four years old and he has more common sense than I do.

The coast was clear, and the two of them scampered across the yards and into the Hanson home. Evie opened the kitchen door and was confronted by a line of children standing tightly together with their arms folded, unhappy expressions on their faces.