As they drove up the short lane between two smaller buildings, there was a barrow full of squash parked. Out of the door came a good-looking lady wearing overalls and a baseball cap. She looked so surprised until Phoebe got out of the car and threw her arms around her. Phoebe introduced her to Trevor and Joanne.
“This lady and her husband were up to your church anniversary.”
Nancy said, “You people will have to forgive me. Phoebe, I am trying to get my winter vegetables into the cellar before zero shows its nose.”
“Well, Nancy, I will be home tomorrow. I’ll shoot up and give you a hand. Nancy, through these nice people and their parents, for two songs, they picked up a collection for our small church. It is still uncounted. We haven’t a clue what is in there but, Trevor and Joanne, as soon as we find out I shall let you know. “
Nancy said, “We better get up to the house and put this collection away and make a cup of tea for you people.”
Phoebe said, “No, no, Nancy. I have been bragging about mom’s pie. Sorry we haven’t time to stay.”
“Well, Phoebe, where do you think Dell is right now? He is up with your boyfriend Brian’s. He took his calving equipment with him. The vet is also there. They are trying to calve that little first calf Jersey heifer that broke into Stewart’s pasture and got bred by their Hereford bull. That’s why it is a big calf.”
Phoebe told Joanne, “We had better be off to the village.”
On the way to the village, Phoebe told Trevor and Joanne, “I want to tell both of you that you will find the society down here a lot of different down here than what you are used to. Joanne, I’m not making an apology. I just want you to bear with me.”
Trevor said, “Phoebe, please, we are pleased to be in your company whatever that may be.”
As they approach the village,Phoebe jokingly said, “Now you are on the Golden Mile.” Passing the church, the doors were wide open. They were still working in the church. A truck was parked in front. Kingston Restructuring.
“Now, Trevor, here is my home. Turn left on the road.”
Phoebe’s home wasn’t like most of the Village that was built mostly along the roadside. Her home was off the village sitting on a large lot. Trevor and Joanne drove up to this big and prosperous farmhouse. Momently, her mother appeared in the doorway. Phoebe ran over and gave her mom a big hug. Phoebe’s house was a fairly large frame home, well-maintained. To the north, there were other sheds.
“Mom said, “You kids at must be famished. We will get something to eat, then we shall have something to talk about. Now Phoebe, have you any idea what your friends would like to eat?”
“What kind of pie have you got, mom?”
“Well, Phoebe, you go down to the cooler in the cellar. I think there is pumpkin and blueberry and maybe a cherry.”
Phoebe came up and asked Trevor and Joanne what they would prefer.”
Trevor said, “I would like pumpkin.” And Joanne said she would like the same.
“Mom said, “Maybe they would like a piece of each.”
Mom said, “First of all, excuse Phoebe. She calls this Irish Mulligan. It is good beef stew. I made it yesterday. It always tastes better the following day. I have had it on the stove for sometime. It should be ready by now. Phoebe, you get some dishes on the table.”
There was a big wooden family table in the center of the big kitchen with a white linen tablecloth for the company. Joanne thought that the big kitchen was well-equipped but everything looked so large.
Mom said, “It was awfully kind of you people to bring Phoebe home. I know that gas is not cheap. I was wondering if she was able to chip in. Now if she wasn’t, I will make it right with you. We all appreciate it very much. Phoebe, what have you to say about the gas?”
Trevor jumped in fast. “Yes, Phoebe has paid her share and then some.”
Mom said, “Come up to the table and try this baby beef. It is really good. We bought half a carcass from Dell Sinton. He had the calf tied up in the barn for two months and fed it ground grain. It all depends on what you feed a young beef.”
Phoebe had the bowls set up full of mom’s stew. They were not restaurant sized bowls either. They were for ploughmen.
Phoebe said Trevor. “How about a second helping?”
“No thank you, Phoebe.”
Mom said, “Don’t be shy. A young growing man like you needs lots of nourishment. Now, Joanne and Trevor, do you prefer tea or coffee?”
“Phoebe, I prefer tea. I think that Joanne will have the same. What do you say, honey?”
Joanne gave a nod of approval. Phoebe poured cups all around and they were no delicate tableware.
Mom said. “You will notice that our cups are made to hold something.”
Joanne said, “I can see your point, Mrs. Croiner.”
Mum said, “Well I’m going to tell you something. Some of these dos you go to, especially if they are catered, paper cups on the table, why if you had a cavity in your tooth you would have mighty little to swallow. Come on son, have another piece of pie. Try the blueberry.”
“No, please, I have had lots.”
Mom lifted a blueberry pie to put a slab on Trevor’s plate. Mom held it. “Now say so if you like pumpkin.”
“Really, I shouldn’t. I will try your blueberry if you insist.”
“Good boy. That’s what I like to see. Nobody goes hungry around here. Now my dear girl, what about you?”
Oh, Mrs. Croiner, I’m so full I think that I should call it off.”
Trevor knew better. He said, “Joanne, you should try a piece of this blueberry pie. It is delicious.”
Joanne said, “Okay, I will be a hog for once in my life.”
Mom said, “I hope that you have got enough. It was a long hike back to Toronto.”
Phoebe looked out the window.
“Mom, I see your two high school students coming down the driveway.”
The both of them momently looked at the racy Duesenberg. Esther came in and threw her arms around Phoebe’s neck who was still sitting in the chair.
“Welcome home, big sister.”
Earl was still observing the racy Duesenberg. He went around it several times.”
“Gee, bullet headlights, whitewalls and airflow windshield.”
He then stood on the running board and looked at the instrument panel.
“Boy, that’s away ahead of Hector Syminton’s Austin Healy.”
He finally came indoors to see the party all seated at the table. He spanned Phoebe’s head with his two hands.
“Sis, where have you been? Did you see that woodshed? Poor Esther and I had to pack it while you were enjoying the bright lights.”
“Big brother, I was packing that woodshed when you are wet behind the ears.”
After that Earl cooled down. Phoebe said, “Earl, this is Trevor and Joanne from the bright lights.”
Trevor and Joanne shook hands with Earl. Earl couldn’t resist it any longer.
“I’ll bet that baby can chew up the roads.”
“Earl, if I had longer to stay, you and I would go for spin in it.”
Phoebe was so in command as she cleared the table. She had changed her clothes but she looked cute in her white apron. She said to Trevor and Joanne, “You come over and sit on this couch.”
There was a big couch under the kitchen window. Joanne sat taking it all in; the big eight by eight oak beam under the ceiling, the embossed steel or tin ceiling. To Joanne it was a massive kitchen.
Mum said, “Esther, you’ll make yourself and Earl a sandwich. Then you can have supper when your father comes home.”
Joanne was itching to have some conversation with Esther.
“Esther, I suppose that you do have some homework,”
“Yes, I do but it doesn’t bother me too much.”
“Tell me something, Esther, can you sing as good as your sister, Phoebe?”
In a low audible voice, “I don’t think so. I couldn’t sing solo by myself in the church like Phoebe does. Not if they were to give me all the horses and buggies tied up in the church sheds, Joanne.
Mum said, “One week from this Saturday night we have a fund raising pantomime or whatever you would like to call it. This we all hatched out at our last ladies’ meeting. We are going to have jugglers and a dumbbell exhibition. The minister’s wife, Mrs. Liddle, suggested that we have the Croiner sisters for at least two numbers. The president, Susan Johnson, asked me what did I think of the suggestion. I was taken aback. I had to be careful what I said. Well, I said, I think that Phoebe and I can talk Esther into it. If we can’t, we will let you know in time.”
Phoebe looked at Esther. “Sister, you are a hooked.”
Mom said, “Esther, don’t feel too bad, I was talking to Nancy after the meeting and she said that she will have the pair of you up to her place for a couple of practices. She said that Esther is a little shy but she will feel confident with Phoebe.”
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