Crazy Old Man

One day, he decided to check out a few parcels of land, which were for sale and within walking distance of his cabin. It was a cool, clear October morning when Henry set out to find the property he wanted to see. A chill wind blew down from Storm Mountain. There had been a wild storm a few days earlier; lightning and thunder filled the night as the sky unleashed a steady downpour of rain. The ground remained damp, but the underbrush dried out. As he passed through the trees, every now and then he would catch a glimpse of the lake glimmering in the early morning sun.

Henry told me how he was relying on an old map of the area. A realtor had marked off the various properties that were for sale; however, the map was old, and Henry wondered if how accurate the markings on it actually were. He found and checked out several places as he walked along, including the area where the cabin I was staying in would someday be built. After awhile, he came upon a narrow road that wound through the trees toward the lake. According to the map, there was some property for sale at the end of the road. He followed the road until it suddenly came out on a clearing overlooking the lake. Much to his surprise a small house sat in the center of the clearing; moreover, smoke was rising from the chimney of the house.

His map had given no indication that the property had a house, and the realtor had made no mention about someone living in the area. He was not too surprised by the inaccuracy of the map it had been wrong before, and it probably contained other errors. Henry walked up to the door of the house and knocked. After a short delay, the door was opened by a young, attractive, red haired woman.

The woman looked at Henry. "Yes?"

"I think I've probably come to the wrong place, and I wonder if you might be able to set me straight. I'm thinking about buying some property in this area, and according to this map, this place is for sale."

The woman glanced at the map and then back at Henry. "I'm afraid you have come to the wrong place. I own this property, and it is definitely not for sale. I don't know where you got your map but it is wrong."

Henry nodded and smiled at her. "Yeah, I sort of figured that out when I saw your house. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if you knew there was anywhere else around here that might be for sale."

She shook her head and returned Henry's smile with one of her own. "I haven't heard of anything. We're a bit out of the way in these parts."

"Yes, I know. I just bought a place a mile or so from here. I love this valley. So, I guess that makes us neighbors. My name is Henry Addison."

"Henry, it is good to meet you. My name is Mrs. Etna Dodd. Welcome to the Lake of the Sky, and I hope you continue to enjoy the area. I really wish I could be of more help, but I'm afraid that I don't hear much news about what is happening in the valley. Good luck on locating the place you're trying to find."

"Maybe, you could ask your husband if he has knows of any place for sale around here. I'd be grateful if you did. I can come back later and talk to him."

"I'm a widow, and now, if you will excuse me, I've got something in the oven that I've got to check on. It was very nice meeting you. Perhaps, you can drop by another time."

He nodded his head and turned away. There was something about the woman which fascinated him. He found the woman to be extremely attractive, and at the same time, there was something odd about her. Her red hair, the freckles on her small nose, her green eyes and bow like lips had made his heart leap. However, her dress was something, which his mother might have worn when she was young. Henry realized that some people in rural areas were very conservative, and they often were reluctant to give up the manners of the parents; however, he could not help feeling that the long dress, with its high neck, was doing a disservice to the girl, who was hidden beneath it. As he walked back toward his cabin he became more and more convinced that he had found the best scenery in the valley.

For the next few days, Henry busied himself with checking out property around the lake, but he could not get Etna Dodd out of his mind. He could not explain why she exerted such a forceful attraction upon him, he only knew that he had never met anyone, who so captivated his thoughts. Finally, he decided that he had to go back and pay her a formal visit.

When he had talked to her, she had seemed uneasy with his presence, and he hoped that it was only because she was not used to having someone come knocking at her door. Henry realized he would have to do something, which would reassure her that he did not present a danger to her welfare.

As Henry approached the house, he felt more and more uncertain about what he would say to the woman. He suspected, that if he came out and asked her if she needed any help, or if he could pick up something for her at the store, she would tell him no. Any woman living alone, in this fairly remote area, would have to be very independent and self-reliant. If he said things the wrong way, she might become offended, and he would end up doing his cause more harm than good. Still and all, he knew he had to try something to get to know the woman better.

When he approached the place, he noticed that at one side of the house, was a pile of log rounds, cut to various lengths, a block for chopping firewood, and two piles of stacked chopped wood. One of the piles had pieces of wood, from ten to twelve inches long, and the other pile had pieces, from eighteen to twenty four inches long. He went over to the where the rounds lay and saw that a splitting mall, an axe, and several splitting wedges were neatly stored in a sheltered area, which had been built on the side of the house. He decided that actions would speak better than words. So, he took off his jacket, grabbed the splitting mall and started to work on the smaller length rounds.

He had only finished splitting two rounds, when Etna Dodd came around the side of the house. "What are you doing?"

Henry smiled at her and hoped he was doing the right thing. "I sort of hope I'm helping you out. I saw these rounds lying here just crying out to be split up and this being such a nice day, I couldn't resist grabbing the mall. I really enjoy splitting wood. Why, sometimes that is just about all I do, all day long, at my own place."

She looked at him like he was crazy and his heart sank. Then, she figured out that he was kidding her and she grinned. "You love splitting wood, do you?"

"One of my all time favorite things to do; it is a lot of fun."

She nodded her head as she rubbed her hands on the apron she was wearing over her long dress. "So, I'd actually be making you happy if I let you keep on splitting?"

"Absolutely!"

Etna laughed. "Well, wouldn't want to disappoint you, knowing how your heart is set on splitting up this wood. So, you can be my guest and split away to your hearts content. I've always thought splitting wood was a lot of work, but there is no telling what makes some people happy. Don't let me stop your fun. You can get back to splitting; I've got work to do in the house. I'll check on you after a bit, just to make sure you haven't collapsed with joy."

She turned and went around the corner of the house, leaving Henry to congratulate himself that his actions hadn't gotten him kicked off her property. In fact, it appeared that Etna had a good sense of humor. He picked up the mall and returned to his attack upon the wood.

An hour and a half later, he had added two rows of split short wood and one row of split long wood to the wood stacks; however, he was beginning to feel that splitting wood seemed a lot like work. At last, the final log round was spit and stacked. He leaned against the firewood to catch his breath.

"Looks like you're about ready to fall down from being so happy. Well, come in the house before you do, I've some pie and cider for you."

Henry turned around at the sound of Etna's voice and saw her beckoning to him. She led him into the house, and she worked the water pump while he washed. Then, she had him sit at the table and sat a glass of cider before him and a small plate, which had a slice of apple pie on it. After fixing herself some pie and cider, the woman sat down opposite Henry.

"Thank you for helping me out with the firewood. Unlike you, I hate splitting and it really needed to be done before the weather worsens."

Swallowing a bit of pie, Henry raised his glass to her. "And thank you for the pie and cider. They are well worth splitting a little bit of wood to get."

"Ha, it is nothing at all. In fact, it is the very least I could do in return for your help. There aren't many people that stop here, and I've come to depend upon myself for just about everything. Mr. and Mrs. Winslow bring me things from the store. They brought me those log rounds. The wood is supposed to be dry enough for burning, but I hope it wasn't too dry for easy splitting. I'm afraid that I should have split them up a long time ago, but I'm terribly lazy."

Laughing, Henry motioned toward her, as he finished the last of his pie. "Somehow I doubt that. I don't think you know how to be lazy. Everything about your place here tells me that you keep very busy. Is there anything else that I can help you with?"

"Oh no, that would be asking way too much of you. I'm sure that everything is fine."

"I really don't mind helping. I hope you won't mind if I drop by again and if you can think of anything that need attending to, you can let me know about it the next time I see you."

Etna hesitated a few moments before she spoke. "I appreciate your efforts, but I'm fairly sure I don't have anything, which needs to be done that I cannot do. However, I will think it over and let you know."

Henry finished the last of his cider and stood up. "I had better be going. I've had so much fun splitting wood today that I can't wait to go home and collapse. I'm only half joking, I really didn't mind helping with the wood and I certainly enjoyed the pie and cider. Being a bachelor, I don't get much in the way of home made pie."

The sun was rapidly sinking toward the western mountains as Henry walked back toward his cabin. He was tired from the day's exertions but contented that he had managed to get to know Etna Dodd a little bit better. At least she hadn't told him straight out not to show up again, and he thought that had to have been a good sign.

It seemed incredible to him, that a lovely woman like Etna could be found living alone, almost like a hermit. Her mode of dress and the contents of her house seemed imply that she was a person who wanted to live in the past. Why she had turned her back upon both civilization and the modern world was a mystery. However, he felt that the death of her husband must factor into the matter somewhere. Still and all, she was a fascinating woman; one he was determined to get to know even better.

Two days later, he found himself knocking once again upon Etna's door. He gave her a big smile when she opened the door. "Say, lady do you have any work for a poor guy down on his luck? I'll be glad to work for something to eat."

Laughing she shook her head. "I can't think of anything. Wait, I know something, but maybe you won't want to do it when you find out what it is."

"Lady, I'm mighty hungry. I'll do just about anything."

"Well, Mr. Addison, you may sing another tune when you see what the job is, but follow me and I'll show you."

She led him out of the house and around the back, to where a small wooden shed stood. She opened the door and pointed in to some brushes and cans of paint. "I was going to paint the trim around the windows, but to tell you the truth, I just hate painting. Well, it isn't the painting that I hate; it is the clean up afterward that bothers me. I always end up covered in paint."

"Say no more, as you wish, so shall it be. I'll get started on this right away and should have it done before to long. Trim is the easy part of painting if a person is careful. I like it a lot better than painting an entire house."

She laughed again and backed away from the door to the shed. "Then have at it. The painting of the house won't be required until next week."

She left him to his work. He began by opening one of the cans and stirring its contents until they were well mixed. Then, he grabbed one of the small brushes; a couple of rags, the can of paint, and a small can of turpentine, and went out to begin painting. He moved with great care, making sure that he didn't get any paint on the glass of the windows; yet even so, he managed to get the job finished by earlier afternoon.

Etna came up to the storage shed just as he was putting the paint back. "It looks like you're done and from what I've seen, you have done a good job. I know it is a messy job, thank you for doing it. Come up to the house when you have everything put away."

Ten minutes later Henry was knocking on the front door. After a moment, the door opened and Etna motioned him in to the house. He watched her as she moved across the room to the area that served as a kitchen. She lifted up a wooden box and turned toward him. "Here is some cake that I baked. Consider it as a partial reward for your work. If you want the rest of the reward you'll have to show up here tomorrow at 5:00 pm. I will have dinner ready for you."

Henry took the box from her. "I'll be here at 5:00 pm sharp. Is there anything that I can bring?"

"No, you don't have to bring anything except an appetite. I hope you like ham."

He assured her that ham would be fine for dinner. She showed him out of the house and he made his way back to his cabin. That evening, as he ate the cake, his thoughts were about the remarkable woman, who chose to live an isolated existence by the shore of Lake of the Sky.

The next day, Henry went to the store and bought a bottle of wine for the coming dinner. As he checked out he spoke to the store clerk. "I got an invitation to dinner, and I want to bring a little something to show my appreciation."

"Wine's a good choice. You can't go wrong with wine; unless of course, the host has taken the pledge."

Henry looked at the clerk and then down at the bottle. "Gee, I hadn't thought of that. What if she doesn't drink? I don't want to offend her."

The clerk laughed and shook his head. "Don't let me worry you. There aren't many people around here that don't drink and believe me, I'm the one that would know."

"Well, then maybe you'd know if Etna Dodd likes wine or not?"

Putting the bottle of wine into a paper bag the clerk looked up at Henry. "Etna Dodd? Etna Dodd? I can't say that I've heard that name before; I don't think that I can say that I remember her coming in here. I know just about everyone in the valley, but I don't know Etna Dodd."

"She lives by herself about a mile from my place. She has a house in a clearing overlooking the lake. I don't think she goes many places. She doesn't have a car; although, I remember that she did say something about a man and his wife who would do her shopping."

A big smile crossed the clerk's face. "Oh, well that explains it. There are several folks that never come in here. They either have someone else do their shopping, or they go into the city for their supplies. Heck, they don't even get their mail here. Do you remember the name of the couple that does her shopping?"

Shaking his head, Henry had to admit that he had forgotten the name of the man and his wife. Paying his money he picked up his wine and left the store. As the afternoon progressed he started getting ready for the dinner. When it came time for him to leave he decided to walk rather than drive. Picking up the bottle of wine and a corkscrew he set out through the woods. Minutes before he reached Etna's house, he could smell the savory aroma of her cooking carried upon the gentle late afternoon breeze. Inspired by the wonderful scent of the food his appetite was raging by the time he reached the house.

The door opened in response to his knock, and Etna stood before him. She was radiant; clothed in a bright blue dress; a cameo around her neck and her hair done up. For a moment Henry could only stand looking at her, as if he had fallen under some sort of magical spell. Suddenly, he realized how foolish he looked, standing wide eyed in the doorway, and he went into the house. She had him sit down on the sofa in front of the fireplace.

He gave her the bottle of wine. "You certainly look very attractive. I like the dress and the way you have your hair. I hope that you like wine. I brought a corkscrew in case you didn't have one."

"Yes, I love wine, but don't drink it very often. I've always thought that wine was something for special occasions, and I haven't had any occasion, which could be called special in a long, long time. I think I'll have you use your corkscrew."

Standing up, he went over to where she had placed the wine next to the sink and quickly opened the bottle. Returning to his seat on the sofa, he watched her busily moving around the kitchen area. "I certainly consider being asked out to dinner a special occasion. I could smell the cooking as I was coming through the woods; it smelled wonderful. I just hope I don't disgrace myself by being a pig and gulping everything down at once."

"Well, I will correct you if your eating habits prove to be an abomination. Now, if you will get up to the table I'll start bringing dinner."

When he moved over to the table he noticed that it was set with fine china, crystal glasses and silverware; it was evident that Etna had gone out of her way to make everything perfect. "If I can help with anything, let me know; you know how I love to help."

"I think that I have everything, more or less, under control. If it is too warm in here, say something and I'll open the window a bit. I know it can get awfully hot in here with that wood stove going. I've been cooking with it all day long. We have ham, rolls, beans that I put up this last summer, potatoes, gravy, and a cherry pie for dessert."

He watched as she put the food on the table. "You know this is a real feast. At least let me cut the ham, and I'll fetch the wine."

Her eyes went wide as she slid back from the table. "My goodness, I absolutely forgot about the wine. Yes, by all means, carve, and while you do that I'll get the wine. Not too big a slice for me, but help yourself to whatever you can hold."

Henry found the dinner to be delicious and Etna to be a delightful and witty dinner companion. She had an infectious laugh and Henry found himself having more fun than he had experienced in years. All too soon, the dinner came to a close and while Henry offered to help with the dinner dishes, Etna would not hear of it.

"Etna, that was the best dinner I think I have ever had, and that is no exaggeration. The meal was done perfectly, and you were an ideal hostess. I only wish that I could return the hospitality and have you come to my place for dinner, but the fact is I'm a terrible cook. Oh, I do good enough to survive, but I wouldn't dare attempt a fine meal such as you prepared today."

She smiled at him and her eyes lit up at his compliments. "Thank you, I'm very glad that you enjoyed yourself. It was the least I could do to pay you back a bit for all the help that you have been."

He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Gee, I am happy to have something to take up my spare time. Why if it wasn't for you, I might run wild and get into all sorts of trouble."

"Sure, as if there is any trouble to get into around here. You can run, as wild as you want out through the woods, and no one will be the wiser."

Henry's face became serious and he motioned toward the window. "It is too bad that it isn't warmer weather, we could have a picnic. I think that I could fix us up something eatable for a picnic."