Hamm smiled. "Yeah, well, they thought I had a funny accent and I laid it on a bit, you know, played the hayseed for them. So anyhow, I go home with him and we pull up to this big, huge three-story deal where he lives. I never saw anything like that in my life, the whole damn backyard is a lake."
"What lake was it?"
"It was their lake. I'm telling you, these people were rich, and the kid tells me it's their summerhouse. I said, Where do you live in the winter, Buckingham damn Palace? Anyhow, I never felt so out of place in my life. That family of his was nothing but a bunch of cold fish. I don't even think they liked each other and they treated me like I was something that just dropped out of a tree. And I'll tell you something: after that weekend, I'd take any one of those farmers over them any day of the week. I don't want a thing they have. They can keep all their big houses, the servants, the cars, I don't need them." Then his voice trailed off. He looked down at the little stream with a faraway look in his eyes and said quietly, "But they did have this boat. One day his old man took us all out on the lake in it and oh, man alive, that was the prettiest thing you ever saw… all white, with shiny wood inside." He shook his head. "To tell you the truth, sport, I'd cut off my right arm for a boat like that."
Rodney suddenly felt sorry for him. He tried to cheer him up. "You know what you need, Hambo? You need to come up to St. Louis with me, play a little poker, we've got some good games up there, and fool around a little. Have some fun for a change, what do you say?"
"Wish I could but I just don't have the time to spare," Hamm said, getting up to leave.
"Well, you know what I always say… if you can't get anywhere in this world, you might as well have fun while you aren't getting there."
After Aunt Elner lost her husband, Will, she had wanted to stay on the farm but Norma was worried about her living out in the country all by herself and insisted she move to town. She wanted her close so she could keep an eye on her and she was not going to rest until she did.
So Aunt Elner sold the farm and Norma and Macky found her a house a couple of blocks from them. It was a small house, with a bedroom, kitchen, living room, and a nice front porch; but the thing Aunt Elner liked right away was the big fig tree in the backyard. She brought a few of her favorite chickens and her cat Sonny and moved in, but Norma still checked on her day and night. Aunt Elner said, "You'd think two blocks was twenty miles the way you carry on. I might as well have stayed out on the farm."
"Yes, but at least I know we can get to you in a few minutes if anything happens."
"Honey, if I die here or out on the farm, getting to me faster is not going to make much difference."
"Maybe not to you but I'll feel better knowing you're not lying around in the yard dead, with the chickens pecking at you."
Aunt Elner laughed. "It would not bother me. I've eaten enough of them in my day." Aunt Elner liked to tease her but promised her she would take good care of herself Even though Elner said and meant it, she was still capable of upsetting Norma from time to time. Just this morning there had been a incident, and Norma was still going on and on about it. "You shouldn't even be climbing stairs at your age, much less a ten-foot ladder. I have never been so close to fainting in my life. I came out into the yard and looked up and there you were just hanging in the top of the tree."
"I wasn't hanging, I was sitting."
"Well, sitting or hanging, what if I had not come over? You've got to be more careful. What if I'd found you dead on the ground?"
"Oh, Norma, I've picked fruit all my life and I'm not dead yet. Besides, it's that Griggs dog's fault. He's the one that knocked the ladder down chasing after poor Sonny. Go fuss at him."
"I don't care whose fault it was, promise me you will not get on that ladder again. Let Macky do it or call next door and get Merle."
"All right."
"You are not as young as you used to be, you know."
Later that night, Aunt Elner called. "Norma, let me ask you this."
"What?"
"Who is younger than they used to be? I don't know anybody; even those that get face-lifts are still just as old as they were. Even if you went into a different time zone you'd still be the same age, wouldn't you?"
Norma had to admit she was right but added, "That's not the point; the point is you need to be more careful."
"The point is that Griggs dog ought to stay out of my yard and quit chasing my cat."
"Aunt Elner."
"I know, a promise is a promise."
But a new day is a new day. The next morning around ten, when Linda was at school, the phone rang. Norma picked up.
"Norma? I have a question for you," said Aunt Elner.
"Hold on, let me turn off my beans."
"What kind of beans are you making?"
"String beans. I just threw in a handful so Macky would have something green with his lunch. Why?"
"I just wondered… What's he getting?"
"Salmon croquettes, sliced tomatoes, corn, and string beans."
"What kind of bread?"
"Cornbread. I had a few slices left over. Why?"
"Just wondered."
"Did you have a question for me?"
"Yes, I did."
"What was it?"
"Wait a minute… let me think."
"What was it about?"
"I know. Norma, do I have any insurance?"
"What kind of insurance?"
"Any kind."
"Uncle Will had his Mason's policy, I think. Why?"
"Well, some lady came to the door and wanted to know and I didn't know what to tell her so I told her she'd have to ask you."
"What woman?"
"Some woman. I don't know who she was… she left her card. Do you want me to go and get it?"
"Yes."
There was a loud clack when Aunt Elner put the phone down on the table. A few minutes later she came back on the line.