4036 Chapter 36 Yellow jacket

Chapter 36.  Platters of food for an army

Christmas Morning so much for sleeping last night, being woken up by a sound at the back door scarring the dickens out of me, who could be outside so early in the morning not even light out, wrestling the blanket to one side hurrying into the kitchen looking out the back door, just as I looked out a voice.

“Morning’ Merry Christmas” I heard him say walking away with a small empty basket. Looking down near the door a silver box, that wasn’t there yesterday, slowly opening the door with one step outside lifting the lid open looking inside, four glass bottles with red handles. Pulling them out clanging each glass bottle together realizing they were Milk bottles, a Milkman, wish we had one back home every now and then I’d have to run to the corner store and get a gallon for dinner before dad got home, closing the door by the side of my foot bringing them to the counter trying not to break them, just as I turn around to open the refrigerator door stopping me dead, it open its light beaming outward lighting up the whole kitchen, John stood holding it open for me.

“Good Morning”

“It was the Milkman”

“Put them on the second shelf”

“Ok” taking two at a time sliding them in, John held the door looking inside before I got the last two, John already had resting on the door ledge the Cake from last night.

”Want some?” John Asked.

“Anybody else up” John already started walking away with the cake into the dining room.

“No’ everyone’s still sleeping”

“Maybe just a small slice”

“Cool’ some cold milk with it”

John set the cake on the table returning getting down two plates, handing me down two glasses, he took the plates and Milk following bring the glasses. Pulling the cardboard cover off by its tab almost like a small ice cream lid, filling up both glasses and sitting the milk down, John already had our cake ready two slices with napkins and no forks, already he was going after his second slice when I only got half of the first one started.

“Little nippy this morning” I said looking out the window.

“Break of dawn gets a little chilly here”

“It’s almost light out already”

“Sun rises around seven” John said taking another slice.

“When will they get up?”

“Any time now, Dad’s gets up first light”

“Doc”

“Cody’s always up before the girls”

“I have a brother that likes to wake me up early too”

“What’s his name?”

“Joey he’s nine and Jamie she’s almost eleven now”

“So you miss them and your folks back home”

“I do, I wish we were home”

“You’ll get back have faith”

“We just need to get back”

Rays of sunlight gleaming thru the sheer curtains, across shinning off the moisten milk glass, pushing its dampness down with a finger before finishing it off, a cold Shiver rush thru me.

“So how is it in the future?”

“It’s really different than here”

“How much changed”

“A lot from what we’ve seen around here”

“What about the war?”

“Gulf War?”

“No Vietnam”

“That’s was over around the end of 69, but were in the Gulf war with the Iraq now overseas”

“Wow’ who won?”

“We’re still fighting them”

“Seem like we’ll never get any peace”

“Hey look who’s up, Morning Josh”

Josh trying to keep his sleepy eyes open, looking around the rooms slowly walking over pulling the chair next to me sitting down both feet crossed on the chair, leaning over resting his head on my side.

“You sleep out here, with Mike?”

“Yes and how did you sleep ok?”

“When”

“During the night”

“I don’t know”

“Want some cake or Milk?”

Shaking his head no, looking up not saying anything just that look that a small boy can give you without saving anything glancing outside, John clean the crumbs off before picking up the plates and empty glasses taking them into the kitchen, looking over he started making coffee in the silver pot waiting for the first perk to start coming up the steam before putting the lid on.

Doc came out first with a quick wave heading to the bathroom, Cody following just behind him coming in sitting down next to Josh, Doc came in and started helping John in the kitchen, Lisa walk in sitting down with us looking around resting her head on the table.

“What happen to Santa he didn’t come last night?” Cody asked.

“He stopped by our house and left our presents under the tree”

“Why didn’t he leave them here?”

“He knew you were going home this morning”

“Ok but he did stop by”

“Yes he stopped by while you were sleeping”

“What did he bring?”

“You’ll have to wait till you get home”

“Bet he brought a lot of toys”

Josh leaned in looking up with a puzzled look, he didn’t say anything just looked up with a sad lost feeling being left out, Rubbing his shoulder he just push harder into me, everyone was starting to get up hearing them all making way to the bathrooms before coming in, Doc turn the TV set on but keep the volume low finding a Christmas movie instead of news almost every station with recaps of Apollo, May coming out from the bedroom wearing a long pink flowery rob on.

“Good Morning”

“Morning dear how was your night?”

“Ok, is everyone up?”

“Almost’ we started Breakfast“

“Did we get our milk this morning?”

“Yea Mom’ Shawn brought it in”

“I called yesterday so we had plenty this morning”

“Four Bottles”

“No Juice?”

“No just Milk”

“We got plenty of Juice”

“Go sit down have some coffee”

May came in sitting down next to Cody, Doc brought the pot in setting it on the table along with five cups, Mike walked in with jeans on and hair comb back sitting down, Doc filled the cups handing them to us, Cody got up to watch TV with the others.

“Cody go get the paper”

I’m barefoot” and went in sitting down, Brian turn from the TV saying, “I’ll get it, we’re do they drop it?”

“Front driveway”

Brian went outside returning just looking at the front page before handing it to Doc.

“Anything good” Doc Asked.

“No It’s just Christmas stuff and the Moon orbit”

“Lot of after Christmas sale items”

“This is a big paper”

Brian handed it to him sitting down, reaching over for the sugar and creamer for coffee, watching the sun crossing the table showing the print from the currents around the center before the pot shinny right out at Mike, May moved the pot over Lisa sat up looking around then went into the livingroom.

“Mom you want to cook the eggs?”

“I’ll cook them”

“Good they always turn runny for me”

“No runny eggs here”

Glade John said that before he made them, May got up and into the kitchen pulling out two big frying pans, while John finished up the bacon, placing toasted rye on a plate smelling so good just lingering in the air, a bell went off somewhere in the house, must be a smoke alarm was my head looking around the room, no smoke showing anywhere, Doc headed to the front door.

“Well come on in” Doc said opening the door letting them inside, more company stopping in here, they must be popular in this town, And another kid with them everyone stood up greeting them, the Lady went right to May hugging her, as the small girl stayed with the others after say hi to Grandma’ more family, the tall man sat down with John and Doc holding his hand outward saying hello to rest of us.

“Harold this is Mike, Brian and Shawn the smaller ones our Chris and Josh from the north.”

“Nice to meet you boys”

“So you brought them down with you?”

“No they arrived a few days ago”

“So you boys staying here over the Christmas week?”

“No we have to get back” Mike said out snapping.

“Just in time for Breakfast” May said checking the coffee pot.

“We just stopped by to drop off a few things”

“You got to stay and have Breakfast”

“Ok’ we won’t be intruding”

“No we have plenty”

“Looks like you got a house full already”

“The more the merrier”

“ Virginia take you coat off we’re staying for a little bit”

“So how everybody been on the farm?”

“There doing good’ Farms are going under one after the other”

“Maybe they can sell out and move down here?”

“No they like it in Pennsylvania”

“Mike’ give me a hand getting another table” John asked.

“In the basement?”

“No there’s no basement in Florida”

Everyone got a charge out of the basement and Mike was embarrassed getting up following john, to the bedroom, Josh sat up scratching his arm, Doc looked over lifting his arm looking at the bandage, patting him on the leg with a nod.

“We’ll change it soon try not to scratch”

“ok’ it sore”

“How’d he get hurt”

“Feel on some old broken glass”

“Ouch”

“Shawn here stitch it up for him”

“He did?”

“he’d be a good doctor”

“That must have been hard”

“why didn’t they take him to a hospital?”

“No way to get him to one we’re they were”

“Camping”

“Yes’ Camping” May spoke out setting plates on the table.

Not a moment too soon John and Mike brought in a card table with three more folding chairs, placing it on the end. This was one long table now two large leafs and a card table sixteen chairs with just enough room to get by.

“Ok Breakfast is ready” Linda said out bringing platters in setting them on the table, May bringing in two more large platters they must be feeding and army with all that food, looking at all the eggs sunny side up steaming, even the bacon was steaming, looking to the kitchen its only a four burner stove and they made so much food how did they get it so hot no microwave, everyone started sitting down around the table Linda placed Josh next to me on the end with Chris and Virginia at the card table.

Hands went outward to one another John said a small thank you with a quick amen, one by one plates were filled, two eggs and home fries, toast went around the table along with the bacon platter, Josh only took one egg and toast no bacon, Small glasses filled with juice at each setting and coffee cups steaming hot. Brian had no trouble eating nor did anyone else.

Mike look up at me when she placed them on his plate, I just hope he wasn’t going to say anything about my Mothers gooey eggs she made trying to pawn them off on him, smiling back he keep quite knowing all along he wanted to get a big response from everyone, Josh played with the toast mixing it with the yellow center adding jelly on his toast liking the taste of grape before eating it.

Everything was almost taken plates stacked on empty plate giving more room, as soon as the girls finished asking if they could go watch TV, May said yes without anyone objecting to them leaving the table, Linda and Harold’s wife Elisabeth clear the table, Josh finished but wanted to stay inside.

Brian and Chris and the girls all went outside, John brought over Doc bag setting it down next to him before going out with Mike.

“Ok Josh let’s have a look at your arm”

Josh walk around me sitting in the chair between us, Doc slowly removed the bandage as the women talked over coffee and doing the dishes, It was red with some sand around the stitches, he clean the sand off and rub cleaning solvent over it.

“Look here Josh see its healing as good as new”

“Ok it still sore”

“Just a few more days it will be ok”

“The stitches still holding?”

“Holding good and this thread you used”

“It was all I could fine”

“No it’s fine it will dissipate”

“It will what?”

“Break up on its own”

“So we don’t have to take them out”

“No just keep it covered a few more days”

“All new again”

It didn’t take too long before everyone started to leave, Harold and Elisabeth brought a few present for Doc and May setting them under the tree, They had Christmas eve presents so they could visit with family, heading to his family next that She wasn’t too keen on going, Outside everyone getting ready to leave Cody already in the back seat jumping out saying goodbye and hurry back to the car before the girls.

“Shawn’ can we go with them?” Faye and Lisa asked.

“Why you asking me?”

“Mike said we better check with you first”

“Why they going with them” Josh asked me.

“To be with girls their own age”

“Aren’t we going to leave?”

“After awhile”

“They coming with us?”

“Were all leaving together”

“Ok’ Chris too?”

“Yes Josh all of us”

Cody jump in the front seat with John, when Linda was clear backing out the driveway, John follow just behind with the girls waving out the window, Mike stood by me as we waved with Doc and May, it was quite around now one bird singing maybe he was saying goodbye to them too. Back inside everyone sat at the table, all the chairs folded up placed near the wall and card table also now we had more room to get around, May went to get dressed that sounded like a good idea finding the jeans and socks with a little clean up before someone else drops in.