What Do I Do Now, Mom?
by: E Walk
(© 2009-2010 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 40 

Who Is That Masked Man?

I pulled the car into the shed, and before I could turn off the engine, we were met by Wylie.  “Where have you been?  We’ve been worried sick.  We were afraid something happened to you.”

I picked Wylie up, “I missed you, too.  I did call Billy and told him that we would be late.”

“Why didn’t he tell me?”

I put Wylie down, “Why don’t you help Witt take his things to the den?  Where’s Dad Randy?”

“He’s working with the two big guys in your bathroom.”

“Witt, I’m going to go talk to Randy.  Why don’t we change clothes and make sure that everything is ready for the new peeps before they arrive.  You’re going to have to teach the guys how to take care of new the chicks.”

Witt started to laugh, “Dad, you forget.  We’ never had peeps delivered from a hatchery at our farm.  We depended on the chickens to hatch their own eggs and take care of the chicks.”

When I walked into the house, smells were emanating from the kitchen.  I went to see who was doing what.”

Walt was in the kitchen and I asked, “What smells so good?”

“I made a big casserole, using some of the leftover pork from the pig roast.  I actually made two casseroles, since I didn’t know if the Wallaces would be here or not.  I called your mother for the recipe.”

I laughed, “I’m surprised she's not here.”

Walt giggled, “She would have been, but she said she had an appointment with her psychiatrist to find out where she went wrong when she and Grandpa were rearing you.”

“Okay, smart ass.”

“Dad, I’m just telling you what she said.”

“Walt, you said that you wanted to talk to us.  Is there a problem?”

“No Dad, I was going to ask if I could play football this fall, but I’ve decided that there is no way I can, since I would have no way of getting home after practice.  Witt isn’t big into sports and Wade is more into wrestling, so he can feel other guys cocks.  He and Eric sent me away so they could play big boy games like I presume you and Dad Randy do.”

“Does Randy and my relationship bother you?”

“Heck no.  In fact, I’m happy we’re living in a home where there is love.  What scares me is that I’m going to turn out like my Dad.  I sure as heck don’t want to have ten children running around looking for things to eat.”

I hugged Walt, “Son, you’re in for some surprises.  When is it that you’re going to turn 16?”

Walt looked at me.  “Dad, what do you mean?  I will turn 16 on September 4th.  That’s the same day as Witt turns 17.  Wade was a day late and his birthday is on September 5^th.”

“Walt, you certainly can try out for the football team if you want.  We’ll make sure that you get to and from school, somehow.  The high school isn’t that far away.  I’m going to go talk to Randy.  We need to think about doing the chores.”

Walt hugged me and I went to find Randy, Ritch and Aaron.  They were in the master bathroom.  Randy was saying, “Guys, we did the impossible.  We got this bathroom done.  Let’s call it a day.  I, for one, am exhausted.”

Aaron looked around, “Mr. Taylor, this looks terrific.  What are we going to be doing tomorrow?”

“Guys, there is only one bathroom left to do in this house, and then we’ll start working in Witt’s house.”

Randy followed me into the bedroom, “What took you so long?  The guys have be worried about you, all day, especially Wylie.”

“Randy, you’re not going to believe what happened today.  I’ll go help the guys with the chores, while you read a letter that Mr. Latham left.  We need to sit down after dinner with the three oldest boys and have a meeting.  We need to sort out what needs to be done next.  Quite frankly, I feel like resigning from the school district, but I don’t think we are in a financial position where I can afford to do that.”

When I had changed clothes, Randy followed me down to the lower level.  I took him to the den and handed him the package of what had been in the safe deposit box, “Look at these, and see what you can make of everything.  While you’re reading, I’ll go check on the guys.”

I was walking to the barn when I saw Witt in the shed.  He was putting the license plates on his car.  I looked at them and started to laugh, “Witt, you won’t have any problem remembering your license plate number.”

Witt came out of the shed, “What are you talking about?  When I saw them, I was thinking that I’d never remember the number.  I know it starts with a U and ends with a 3.”

“Witt, listen. UCE 123.”

“Okay, so I can remember the 123 but how am I going to remember the UCE?”

“Just think of you standing with your zipper undone and a part of your body hanging out and the license maker forgetting to put an M between the C and the E.”

Witt doubled over, “Dad, your mind is absolutely evil.”

Our conversation was interrupted by an old clunker coming into the driveway, sounding like a Sherman tank.  A very handsome young man stepped out, “Is this rundown shanty the home of Hank Adler?”

Witt bristled, “No, but this is the home of Henry Adler and his family.  What is it that we can do for you?”

“I was told that there might be lodging for a poor college student in desperate need of a place to sleep for the night.”

Witt looked at me with his devilish gleam, “I suppose we can find room for you in the stable.  But before we show you to your stall, we need your name and social security number, to check to make sure we can trust you not to steal us blind.  Let’s start with your name.”

The guy knew he had been had but wasn’t about to give up without a fight.  “The name is Timothy A. Wallace, King of Falls City and regions beyond.”

“Sir, we don’t cotton to monarchies around here.  So forget the King bit.  Would the A stand for Abner or Abercrombie?”

“Neither, it stands for Allan.”

I went and shook hands with the young man, “I’m Hank Adler.  Where are Jake and Sarah? I expected you all before now.  By the way the jester is our oldest, Witt Latham.”

“So that’s the notorious Witt that my bro was talking about?”

Witt shook hands, “I hope it was good.”

“I thought Jake and Sarah would have been here before me, since they knew where they were going.  I sure wasn’t breaking any speed limits with my jalopy.”

I looked at the two guys, “Witt, why don’t you help Tim put his things in the trailer.  I need to go check on the guys.  I feel as if I’ve been neglecting them.”

When I walked into the stable, Walt looked at me, “Dad, I heard someone arrive.  Why don’t you help Billy finish with the milking while I go check on dinner?”

Billy and I were cleaning the equipment when Wylie came into the milkhouse, “Daddy, the Wallaces are here.  Wade and Witt are helping them unload the car.  Everyone else is ready for dinner.  We’re pretty hungry.”

“Wylie, go tell everyone that we’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Billy looked at me and grinned, “Dad, the three youngest Latham boys think you walk on water.  Wylie, especially, would be devastated if they don’t get to stay here.”

As Billy and I were walking to the house we saw Witt, Wade, and Tim were coming out of the trailer.”

Billy looked up at me, “That new person is pretty isn’t he?”

Bobby yelled from the porch, “Walt says if you want to eat, you’d better come now.”

When I walked into the house, Randy accosted me, “Hank, how could you do that to me?”

“Randy, Witt has not even read the entire letter.  He got to a point and just couldn’t go on.  We certainly have a lot to keep us busy for the rest of the summer. Mr. Latham certainly didn’t simplify our lives.”

During dinner, Tim was the focal point of discussion.  Randy started it, “Tim, Jake and Sarah said you were going to school.  Where do you go to school?”

“I’ll be a senior at UNO this fall.  I’m taking two courses this summer so my schedule during football season will be lighter.”

Walt asked, “Why would you want your schedule to be lighter during football season?”

Tim laughed, “Because I play football.”

Wade flipped back, “So how hard is to be the water boy for the football team?”

Tim didn’t realize Wade's tendency to say something smart whenever possible.  “For your information, smarty pants, I’m scheduled to be the starting quarterback, this fall.”

Wade grasped his throat, “Oh no, we have a dumb jock on the farm.”

Tim was beginning to realize that Wade was trying to get under his skin. “Look, kid, I don’t mind being called a jock, but I do resent being called dumb.  I've been on the dean’s list every semester, so I can keep my scholarship.”

Wade apologized, “Tim, I was just teasing.”

I decided to change the direction of the conversation.  “Tim, what do you plan to do when you get out of school?”

“I really would like to be an architect, but that would require some additional school.  I’ve been working for a contractor on my days off.  I don’t suppose you know where I might find work?  I should have more time now until football practices begin, since I won’t have to spend three hours driving back and forth to school three days a week.”

Witt spoke up, “Speaking of driving.  Both of your cars are badly in need of tune ups.  We’ll have to take care of that, tomorrow.  Come guys, we need to clean the mess that Chef Walt made.”

Tim chuckled, “Guys, we need to do something about all of these W names.  There is no way I’ll be able to remember who is who.  We’ll change your names to those of the seven dwarfs.  I’ll be Doc since I’m the boss.  Wade you can be Grumpy.  Walt you can be Bashful.

Witt you can be Sneezy.  Wally, you’re Happy.  Willy, you look Sleepy.

Wylie, I guess you have to be Dopey.”

Wylie took offense, “Daddy, I don’t wanna be Dopey.  How come Billy and Bobby didn’t get new names?”

Tim answered.  “Billy and Bobby can be the Bobbsey twins.”

Billy took exception, “Wait a minute, Mr. Tim, one of the Bobbsey twins was a girl.  You must need glasses.  Dad, when you give Mr. Tim his haircut, make sure he’s bald, so everyone will know he’s from Outer Space.”

Tim stood, “I surrender.  Let’s get these dishes done.”

The young guys were in the kitchen and Sarah and Jake stood and

Sarah remarked, “Hank and Randy, I don’t think it’s ever going to be boring around here.  We need to go get settled.  We’ll see you in the morning.”

Jake asked, “Does the cable connection work in the trailer.”

“Yep.  Do you need anymore things for breakfast.”

Sarah shook head no, “We still have enough bacon and eggs from last night.”

Randy and I were going into the living room when Witt appeared, “The guys told me to disappear because I was a grouch.  Dads, we never did get the peep house ready.”

I motioned to the mail, “Witt, we’ll worry about that, tomorrow.  We need to go through your mail and ours, to see what we have to take care of.  When we get the young guys settled, we need to sit down with Walt and Wade and explain what we found out today.  In the meantime, I’m going to make some calls.”

Walt came in from the kitchen, “Dad, here are the messages that I took while you and Witt were gone.”

I quickly looked through the messages and there were some things that I needed to take care of.  I was just about to pick up the phone when it started to ring, “This is Hank Adler.”

“Honest, Henry, do you and you sons have to go around embarrassing us poor people.”

“Mom, what are you talking about?”

“You mean you weren’t watching the news.  You and Witt are plastered all over it.  Not only do you have the state officials upset with you, now you have the county officials out to get you.  Your taxes will probably be doubled.  You aren’t satisfied with taking on the little guys, but Witt put Mr. David West, the county treasurer in his place, but good.”

“Mom, we never told the reporter what our names were.”

“He got them somehow, because the reporter mentioned both of you by name.  I’m surprised that you haven’t had some irate phone calls.”

“Mom, lighten up.  How did your psychiatrist visit go.  Did you figure out where you went wrong, rearing me?  Speaking of psychiatrist, does the name Doctor Michael L Gordon ring a bell?”

“I don’t recognize the name.  Let me put your father on.”

“This is Leon?”

“Dad, we ran across Mr. Latham’s medications and they sound like psychotic drugs to me.  They were prescribed by a Doctor Michael L. Gordon.”

“That name is familiar.  If I’m not mistaken, he’s associated with the V.A. hospital in Omaha.  Where were the prescriptions filled?” 

“Dad, I didn’t even look to see.  You’re not going to believe what Witt and I found out today.   I’m going to be so busy taking care of the six boys, that I’ll have to turn running the farm over to Randy.  I need to call Uncle Mark.  We’re going to need his help, big time.”

“Hold on, Mark and Peggy are sitting here.  They had dinner with us. … We’ll be there within the half hour.”

I looked at Witt and Randy.  “Guys, when it rains, it pours.  Blake called and we have three appointments, tomorrow, three on Friday and the other four are next Monday.  The meat packing plant will be bringing the meat on Thursday.  That’s the same day the peeps are going to be delivered.  The Coroner’s office called and they want us to pick up Mr. Latham’s personal things.  How are we going to be able to get everything taken care of that we need to do?”

“Dad, that’s just the beginning.  Here’s the formal appraisal of our farm that you were looking for.  It was sent to my farm.  I guess I never thought that we would be receiving mail.  Dad always insisted that he get the mail, because he was afraid we’d drop something.  Dad Randy and I have sorted the mail, but we haven’t opened any yet.  I’m almost afraid to open them because they’ll probably be bills.

I pointed to another pile that was off to the side, “What are those?”

Witt picked up one, “These are the letters that came addressed to me at your house.”

“Open one of them, and see what it says.   Make sure that you keep the return address in tact. Let me get you a letter opener.”

I handed the letter opener to Witt, “Who’s it from.”

Witt read, “Dr. and Mrs. George Goodrich.  I haven’t a clue who that might me.”

Witt opened in it and it was a sympathy card.  When he opened it a check fell out. Randy, picked up the check, “It’s a check for eighty dollars, and it is designated for the Latham Children’s College Funds.”

That was more than Witt could handle.  He disappeared up the steps.  Randy looked at me, “Hank, go take care of Witt.  I’ll make sure the other guys are okay.”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes: Things don't seem to be settling down any too fast, do they?  Paper work can really get intense, and then there are all the other chores that need to be done to get everything sorted out.

I am confident that Hank and Randy will make sure that the kids get every opportunity to succeed.  However, it seems that life, and death, have a way of fouling up plans.  Let's hope that things will work out well for everyone concerned.

I am ready for the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 10/29/10