Sugar And Spice. Shirley Jump
Everyone who comes out here to buy a tree gets to fill out an entry form, and Sam or Gus will pick the winner at noon on Christmas Eve. We’re not actually going to put the donations in the stocking, but we will have a scroll next to the stocking so people can see which store donated what item. I think this is a biggie, Mom. It’s going to draw people like crazy. The radio and television stations will be announcing who gave what. Free advertising for the donors. Win–win!”
Tillie looked at her daughter in amazement. “Oh, Amy, that’s wonderful. In a million years I never could have come up with an idea like that. I am so proud of you. You’re right, it’s a biggie.” Impulsively, she reached out and hugged her daughter.
Amy grew light-headed. This was the closest her mother had ever come to showing any kind of affection toward her. She hugged her back, and suddenly her world was right side up. Feeling shy at this show of affection, she waved her arms about. “I think we make a good team. We’re going to make so much money for your Seniors they might be able to add that new wing to the building you were talking about.”
“Well, my dear, Sam and I can’t take credit for anything. It was you and Gus who brought all this together. Sam, me, the Seniors are just the elves. You two are Mr. and Mrs. Santa. I think he really likes you, Amy,” Tillie whispered.
“How…how can you tell?”
“Silly girl. Open your eyes. Good luck, honey. I’ll see you when I see you. Lunch is at noon if you make it back in time.”
Honey. Her mother had called her honey. Another first. She said Gus really liked her. Mothers never lied to their children. She wondered if that was a myth made up by some disgruntled mother who had lied to her child and then tried to salvage the lie. She discounted the thought immediately.
As Amy made her way to her car she knew, just knew, it was going to be a dynamite day.
Sam Moss was thinking the same thing as he chugged his way over the frozen fields in his battered pickup truck. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this alive, this good. He looked down at the cell phone on the seat next to him. A gift from Gus, who had said, “You need to get with it, Dad. I’ll program it for you, and you just hit the button. It’s a new world out there, and you need to join it.” Sam snorted when he remembered Tillie telling him her daughter ran her cell phone under the faucet because it was growing out of her ear. Well, if his son said he needed a cell phone, then he needed a cell phone. He stopped the truck as he diddled and fiddled with the gadget in his hands. Finally, he simply called Information for the number to the butcher shop in town.
“Elroy, Sam Moss. I want you to come out here and fill my three freezers. A whole side should see us through the holidays. On second thought, maybe a side and a hindquarter. And I want to order six fresh turkeys for Thanksgiving. Big turkeys, twenty-five pounds each. Go on that fancy computer of yours and send everything else times ten that Sara used to order.”
Sam listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. “Well, hells bells, Elroy, I want it now, like today. Why else do you think I called you? Be sure you come out here for your tree now. They go on sale the day after Thanksgiving. I just might throw it in for free if I don’t get voted down. I’m not really in charge anymore. My son, Gus, is issuing the orders these days.”
Sam listened again. “You’re right, Elroy, it’s the best feeling in the world.”
Sam pressed the Off button. He wished there was someone else to call, but he didn’t have many friends these days. Then again, he didn’t want the darn thing to grow out of his ear. He guffawed at the thought.
Sam blew the horn on the old truck, and waited. It took the golden streak two and a half minutes to arrive and hop into the truck. Cyrus barked happily as he tried to nuzzle Sam’s neck. Sam laughed all the way out to the Norway spruce field.
Life was suddenly so good he was scared.
Gus was waiting for him, the chain saw that he never seemed to be without in his hands. “Dad, I’ve been waiting for you.” He pointed to the narrow row of trees. “I think these particular trees can use another year of growth. What do you think? I don’t want to tag and cut them if they won’t sell. I say we tag them, let the buyers choose the ones they want, then cut them. Two hundred bucks for one of these beauties. By the way, I just got a call on my cell from someone at Super Giant. The supermarket chain wants to order a thousand Christmas wreathes and five hundred grave blankets for their different stores. Ten minutes ago a call came in from a Boy Scout troop asking to buy two hundred trees to sell for a fund-rasier. I said we’d donate them. You okay with that, Dad?”
His son wanted his opinion. Sam wondered if it was a test of some kind. “That’s pretty pricey for a tree, don’t you think? I don’t have a problem with the Scouts or the supermarkets. I just hope we can handle it.”
Sam rubbed the whiskers on his chin as he pondered the situation. “The only people willing to pay that kind of money are the Beltway’s politicos. I say we sock it to them good. Mark them at $250, and they’ll kill themselves trying to get one so they can brag about how much they paid for their Christmas trees. Good thinking, son.”
Gus looked at his father and burst out laughing. “Okay, Dad, you’re the boss.”
Sam thought he was going to black out at the kind words. He had to get past the moment and think about all this later. He could hardly wait to talk to Tillie and tell her. He had to think about that later, too. “You sweet on that little gal, Amy?”
A smart-ass retort rose to Gus’s lips, but he stifled it. “She’s okay, Dad. She’s got a good work ethic.”
“Well, that sure as hell doesn’t sound very romantic, son. Do I need to take you into the woodshed and explain the facts of life? I asked you if you were sweet on her. I’m kind of sweet on her Momma. You wanna run with that one, son?”
Son of a gun! “Yeah, Dad, I am kind of sweet on that little gal. You want to run with that one?”
Sam threw his arm around his son. Father and son started to laugh like two lunatics as they slapped each other on the back.
“I’m going over to the balsam fir field. Is it okay if Cyrus goes with me?” Sam gasped as he wiped at his wet cheeks.
Gus nodded. Banner days like this were something he’d only dreamed of.
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