Dan Croiner took his daughter by the hand and left the building by a side door out onto the parking lot where they set out for home in his 1926 Durant. The family clamoured around Phoebe, anxious to get all the news. Brother Earl said jokingly, “I thought that you would have to spend the night in jail.”
The following forenoon Nancy Sinton dropped in to congratulate Phoebe on her success.
“This calls for a celebration Phoebe. You know, Phoebe, Dell and I were there nearly in the back row of seats. Aunt Helen was so interested that she stayed with us the rest of the week so as to be present and see how you made out. There was a few times when you scared us. We thought that Burton Syminton had you all tied up and that you were giving in to pressure.”
Dell shook his head in dismay. “But when you banged to platform with your fist, we perked up. We didn’t think that it was in you.”
“Well you know, Nancy, that envelope I handed to Hecter contained a photo of me the morning after we had that scrap. I told him that it was souvenir. I’ll bet old man Syminton laid down the law to him, telling him how lucky that that this girl didn’t pursue this further. Why she could have taken us for thousands.”
Nancy finished her cup of tea.
“I suppose, Phoebe, your next hurdle will be your final exams. Try and put all this behind you and dream of the prom and your diploma.”
Something that Nancy never mentioned to Phoebe was that Aunt Helen said that she would just love to adopt a courageous girl like Phoebe.
That spring release was in the air and Phoebe was getting lots of part time work transplanting vegetable seedlings in flats later to be delivered to contract farmers from the greenhouses for spring planting. In the meantime, Phoebe was studying seriously for her upcoming final exams. At the church on Sunday, Nancy was telling Phoebe, “You know that Aunt Helen is coming down for a couple of weeks and Dell and I want you, if you are free, to come to our place for dinner and probably for supper as well.”
Phoebe did not know it, and probably Nancy as well, that was this was a ploy by Aunt Helen to have them both for a few days and in particular to let Phoebe have a bird’s eye view of city life. The farthest Phoebe had been from Dunadry was when her father drove the Durant all the way to the east end of Kingston for a new mandrel for his buzz saw. Even then Dan Croiner got lost in Kingston. That Saturday, with his new mandrel installed in his buzz saw, Dan, Phoebe, Esther and Earl buzzed up six cords of hard maple into sixteen inch blocks of the stove wood for next winters supply.
Well, come Sunday, Phoebe thought Aunt Helen would be at Dell’s. Then what? On Sunday, Dell picked up everybody after the church service. Even Aunt Helen was there. Phoebe came down from the choir loft, enjoying Dell, Nancy, aunt Helen and the two children. And Helen congratulated Phoebe on her solo.
“We all enjoyed it. How often does the choir practice for each service?”
“We generally meet each Thursday evening. There is nothing to it. It becomes routine unless we are putting on to something for the Harvest Home or a Christmas pageant.”
After dinner, the conversation was mostly concerning Phoebe’s performance before the school board.
Aunt Helen said, “We thought several times that you were giving in to pressure from the Symintons and not being able to defend yourself.”
“Not so, Aunt Helen. When the truth was on my side, the Symintons were in a no-win situation. They were fortunate that I let them off the hook so easily. And, old man Syminton, being in the business man that he is, recognized it.”
Towards going home time for Phoebe, Aunt Helen said, “You know something, Phoebe, sometime before the spring rush starts, I’m looking forward to Nancy coming to my place for a few days breather. Now Phoebe, it would make my day if you would come up with her. Here is the deal. I want to call this a Dutch treat. I’ll supply both of you with train tickets and I’ll meet you both at Union Station. I wish that you and Nancy talk this over and let me know what your decision is. I just feel like telling you now that I won’t take no for an answer.”
Phoebe said, “Aunt Helen, I certainly appreciate your hospitality but I was never in Toronto in my life. I would feel like a fish out of water. Anyway, Nancy and I will talk it over. I’m sure that you will be in touch with her.”
Aunt Helen told Nancy later, “ This is probably the first comparison that comes to mind; Phoebe coming to the city is like getting a green colt used to traffic.”
Later on when Nancy had persuaded Phoebe to come with her to the city, Nancy had assured Phoebe that she knew very little more about the city than her.
“Why I would never venture downtown to Eton’s or Simpson’s on my own or any of them uppity plays or concerts that they put on. Anyway, we will have lots of fun. Really, Phoebe, Aunt Helen is a live wire.”
After a time, Nancy and Phoebe got together and decided to make that pilgrimage to Toronto, seeing that Phoebe and her family had their next winter’s wood buzzed up. Phoebe drew twelve dollars out of her bank account just in case she might see something interesting to bring home. Dell drove them to the station. Phoebe enjoyed the scenery as the train whizzed through the countryside.
As the train got closer to Toronto, Phoebe and Nancy were just saying that the land up here was much earlier than it was down their way as they observed the odd farmer out with the team and the seed drill sowing grain. As the train entered the suburbs, Phoebe was amused at the movement of traffic, also the variety. Phoebe looked at Nancy and told her that the movement of traffic and people down there reminded her of a swarm of flies on a dead cow’s carcass out in the back forty.
The train pulled into the Union Station around five o’clock. Aunt Helen was looking out for them. After the formalities, Aunt Helen took them to where her car was parked.
“You know, Nancy, I never drive a big car since your uncle passed away.”
They all boarded and Helen’s 1929 Whippet. Aunt Helen suggested that, as it was supper time, they had better have something to eat. She brought them to the Bristol, a plush restaurant overlooking Lake Ontario. It was a switch for Phoebe from the snack bar at Dunadry. Phoebe was impressed with Aunt Helen’s fine home in Rosedale, the immaculate lawns and expensive furnishings to match to the interior décor.
Aunt Helen brought the girls to the Royal Ontario Museum and other attractions. Phoebe enjoyed rides on the streetcars. She was impressed how the passengers could keep on their feet seeing that the cars could stop in such a short distance according to the speed they were traveling.
Aunt Helen, Nancy and Phoebe went to Aunt Helen’s church on Sunday. Phoebe was overwhelmed at the size of the place when the organ first sounded like a monster dinosaur howling its last demise.
After the service, and Helen introduced Nancy and Phoebe as her two nieces. She told the minister, pointing to Phoebe, “This girl is a magnificent soprano. She sings in the church choir in Dunadry.”
“That’s wonderful, Mrs. Forester. Do you suppose that you could arrange for her to be our choir guest one Sunday? It would be marvelous if you could.”
“Well, Your Reverence, I will have a serious discussion with Phoebe concerning your invitation.”
The minister shook hands with them all. He could see that Phoebe was a real country girl, as Phoebe was flushed from ear to ear. On the way home in the Whippet, Nancy took hold of Phoebe’s hand and told her, “Now, Phoebe, there is your opportunity to hit the big time.”
Phoebe laughed it off.
“Why I would have to have a guide dog to steer me around that complex.
Aunt Helen took them to the Galleon Hotel for dinner. She wanted to expose Phoebe to city living as much as she could while Phoebe was here. Aunt Helen wanted to feel Phoebe out on the possibility of her coming here to be a guest in her church.
“Oh, I would be so proud of you if you would.”
Phoebe could see the sincere gratitude and urgency in Aunt Helen’s voice.
“But Auntie, do you not understand that massive of organ and the acoustics.”
“Your voice is so distinctive it will be heard in every corner of the building.”
“I dread what might happen if I got part way through my rendition and folded. It is such a huge place.”
Aunt Helen put her arm around Phoebe’s shoulder and said, “I will be praying for both of you.” And then to Nancy, “Don’t you forget to go to work on Phoebe.”
Continued next episode…
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