All Aboard Andi's Dream Ch. 08

"We need you at the cabin," she said finally.

"Why?" asked Paul. He was getting suspicious.

"We are having a church board meeting, and we need you."

"I'll be there shortly," groaned Paul. This was one thing he couldn't blame on John. Paul went to John's church out of loyalty to his brother, then slowly he realized he had found a home at the Springville Congregational Church. His buddy Gus talked him into running for trustee on the board of directors and really enjoyed the responsibilities that the job brought now that the new building was completed and open.

He turned onto his driveway and slowly approached the cabin. As he came round the low hill that provides some privacy, he saw all the cars, the crowd of people, the barbecue grills, the picnic tables and Macy's chickens strolling about. He and Wonka got out of his truck and walked up to the crowd. He was recently talking business with an interested dealership owner, so he was wearing a coat and tie while everyone else was dressed comfortably. It was a large group, the board of directors and the woman's ministry. The church constitution didn't allow John and Macy to serve on either body, but they were always welcome at the meetings and their input was always appreciated. From what Paul could see as he and Wonka approached the group, John was cooking burgers and dogs, and Macy was moving about the folks getting them drinks.

"PAUL!" the crowd shouted as Paul and Wonka approached and they all surrounded Paul and congratulated him.

Across Trevett Road, Josh Gravely had finished setting a log in place and was planning to take a break. A year ago, Josh bought the property across the street from Paul and John's property, and he was rebuilding some of the old cabins that used to be populated with scouts on the weekends. The cabins were vandalized, and Josh was rebuilding them one by one. The standing cabins had some fire damage from vandals. He ground the charred area down and painted over it with Kilz Primer. He fixed roofs and replaced floors where damaged roofs led to water leaks. It was a lot of work, but it was fun, and he hoped he could turn the property into a campground for weekend campers. Other than his cabin at the edge of the woods next to the pond, he has three cabins brought back to usable. One was across the pond from his cabin.

"Break time," he said to himself as he finished the last of a warm beer. Then he heard the cheer from across the road. It sounded like a party to the southern boy. "That ain't no party," said Josh as he headed back to his cabin. "It ain't a party until ol' Josh gets there." He walked back to his cabin and washed up, changed his shirt, and headed across the street to introduce himself.

He strolled up Paul's driveway and approached the crowd, and it was apparent that they all knew each other closely. Josh was going to stick out in this crowd, but Josh tries to ensure that he sticks out in every crowd. He was approached by a tall black woman with wavy shoulder length hair and a slim runner's body. "Bienvenue!" (welcome) she said as he approached. She gave him a million megawatt smile and said, "I am Macy Jarecki, and this is my husband John Jarecki he is pastor at Springville Congregational Church." Her French accent was delightful and surprising to Josh. She pulled a short white man to her side and Josh got the vibe of 'newlywed' from them.

"It's quite a party you have here."

"This is the board of directors," said John as they shook hands. "They are celebrating the fact that they railroaded my brother into serving as chairman of the board."

Josh laughed and said, "Now y'all sound like a right buncha Southern Baptists! Least wise the kind I grew up with."

Macy laughed at his accent and whispered to John, who laughed. Before Josh asked, John said, "She says with your accent you sound more alien than she does."

"Ain't that raht," said Josh. Macy led him through the crowd and introduced him to all. When she got to Paul, she said, "Here is the owner of this property, John's brother Paul."

"Can I get you something to drink Ephraim?" asked Paul as he raised his Pepsi.

"Ah don't drink coke, it's bad for ya. Got any beer or water?"

"We don't drink, as a group. But when the crowd's not around you can come over for a beer," said Paul as he handed Josh an ice cold bottle of spring water.

"How do you know my name?" asked Josh.

"Ephriam Joshua Gravely, we saw each other at the VA hospital a few months ago, I was training some newly branded doctors, and they did a work-up on you. What brings you to Western New York?" asked Paul as he and Josh slowly walked back to the pond.

"Work, what else?"

Paul started laughing. "You moved to Western New York for a job? Erie county is where jobs go to die."

"Yeah, that's what they told me. But there's a few places with the guts it takes to make it. A place called Andalon hired me, the boss is a great guy, I can't wait to start. Nice pond!"

"It's spring fed," said Paul as he pointed out the source spring. "I put this beach in last month. It took about seven loads of sand."

"Why?"

"It's a gift for my brother John and his wife Macy, they like the beach but they like privacy. When they go for a walk in the woods I should put a flag up or something, warning hikers."

"Ah have a sister," said Josh. "If ah were drowning she'd throw me a bucket of water."

"John and I were really close but somehow we got to that point. It was so bad that his wife Macy locked us in an empty building to work it out and he begged me to hit him."

"What did you do?"

"I hit him," said Paul as he looked sadly at the pond. "I hit him until he won. He got all the hate and anger out of me and now we're closer than ever and I feel like shit because that's what it took to pull my head out of my ass."

"That may be why he's pastor and you're not," said Josh.

They walked around the pond and headed back to the party and found that they were like souls, Air Force Veterans, damaged in heart and mind and just looking for someone who can lead them to peace.

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It was a cold, dreary December day, gray, damp, slightly foggy, one of those days where it seems like everyone and everything is dreading an upcoming funeral. Dr. Jarecki looked up from the document he was reading on his laptop. The scent of smoke from his pipe and bacon from the morning breakfast filled the air. It was a manly cabin filled with mementos of hunts and fishing expeditions, photographs of Paul Jarecki and friends, usually John or Macy or Josh holding up fish, or ducks, or deer. On one side of the cabin, a wood stove warmed the cabin with a snap and crackle. The flames seen through the glass door moved in slow motion from the controlled intake of oxygen. A covered iron pot on top of the stove was slowly coming up to heat. There would be beef stew for dinner tonight.

He didn't expect snow and just to show him who was in charge, snow started falling from the dark, dreary sky. "Let's go outside boy, before it gets bad," and Wonka, his companion, got up as Paul pulled his coat on and they went outside. The snowfall was beautiful, big swirling flakes coming down from the sky. As Wonka finished peeing on the woodpile, Paul realized this snowfall could get bad. He slid open the barn door and inside was his baby, his 1950 Ford 8N tractor. The boys at Jarecki Motors laughed when he towed it in there on a trailer. Paul Jarecki, owner of seven (at the time) Ford dealerships just bought a Tractor? The gang rebuilt the engine, transmission, and differential, found new tires, and the gang in the body shop painted it up like new. They thought it was going to be a display, but since that day, the little tractor has been working harder than ever.

He spread out the tire chains in front of the big rear wheels, then fired his baby up and pulled forward three feet. Now the fun part. He took the big set of chains and looped it over the top of the wheel, then raised the chain behind the wheel and connected them, making a loop of chain around the tire. Elastic straps pulled the chains tight around the wheel and when he was done, he backed the tractor in the barn. He's going to have to plow the drive tomorrow, that's for sure.

Paul and Wonka returned to the cabin and put on some classical music. In the soft light and the dry warmth of the cabin, Paul sat down on the couch to watch the fire and Wonka put his head on Paul's lap and snorted contentedly. Paul even turned on the Christmas lights.

This wouldn't be a bad way to go, he thought. Alone in the warm cabin, he gazed at the fire and grew gloomy. He's got nobody to leave his wealth to. His will said John and Macy will receive it all, but he had no children, none at all, so why not go? He dreamed soft, sullen dreams of how freeing it would be to die alone, and he was becoming jealous of Melony.

Enough with this miserable emotional masturbation. He turned on the reading lamp and began reviewing records from the VA Hospital that he was asked to comment on and had several pages filled on his legal pad (to Wonka's annoyance) when his phone rang and the Caller ID showed Town of Concord Police. "Doctor Jarecki," was his terse but professional greeting.

"Doctor Jarecki, this is Sergeant Montgomery from the Town of Concord Police Department."

"Hey Stan, how are you doing?" Officer Montgomery was a member of John's church.

"Doing good. We need you Doc, Trisha at Erie County 911 has a family on the line, it looks like they went off the road on Trevett near Gerry and Irma Hirsh's farm. Gerry and Irma are not answering and John said you were out at your cabin. Is there any chance you can get on your sled and go look?"

"I'd be glad to. If it's a family, my sled may not be big enough. I got the chains on my tractor; I'll hook up a hay wagon and go look. That'll haul any size family."

"Thanks Doc. Give me a call before you head out, and I'll buzz you if Gerry or Irma calls back."

"Will do." Paul dressed up in his winter finest, Carhart coverall, heavy insulated jacket, Buffalo Bills scarf, hat and gloves (this could be the year!) and USAF issued, but never returned, mukluks. "You stay here and keep an eye on the fire Wonka. I'll be back soon." He stepped out into the storm and realized that this was a matter of life or death, he could barely see, and now he wished he had his desert goggles. They did a great job of keeping the sand out of your eyes. They'd probably work well on snow too.

He fired up the Ford tractor and drove around the back of the barn. There was an earthen ramp that led up to the upper loft. He pulled into the loft and coupled up to a large hay wagon. He made sure there were enough bales of hay to snuggle in and stay warm and he headed out after insuring that the barn was closed up tight.

"Hey Stan, I'm heading out now, I'll be at Gerry and Irma's farm in ten minutes."

"Thanks Doc, I'll have Trisha pass that on."

Paul realized ten minutes was an optimistic estimate. Trevett road was getting hard to see. At this end of Trevette Road, the ditches were deep and narrow and overgrown with weeds. The weeds caught the snow, making the ditches look like flat ground. He slowed down as he neared the wide, sweeping 90° curve, and that is where he found the car in the ditch.

Paul stopped the tractor and hopped down, then leaned under the hood to inspect the car. It was bogged down good and over centered on the edge of the ditch. It is going to take some work to get it out. Maybe he could lift it with the Kubota. He walked up to the car door and leaned over and the window came open. "You're in that ditch good, ma'am."

A very cute woman looked up at him and said, "Can you get us out?"

"Not with this tractor, I'd be afraid of ripping off your bumper or something like that. I have another one that works a whole lot smoother. And if I did pull you out, where would you go? Route 39 is impassable. All roads south of Orchard Park are closed. But you're more than welcome to wait this storm out in my cabin. It's warm and dry and supper's on."

Then from the back of the car he heard two children sing out, "Supper!" They were probably starving. Suddenly the thought of poor, tiny John crying because he was so hungry came to mind.

"I don't know..." She looked back at her children and said, "I don't know you, I can't... I can't risk the safety of my girls."

"That's something I truly understand, ma'am. The safety of the ones you love is of prime importance, there's nothing worse than seeing a loved one come to harm" Thoughts of John whimpering "Hungry" in the freezing rain came to mind. He had to do something. "Ma'am, this is a killer storm. Your car will be buried, you will run out of gas, when that happens you will freeze to death, when the snowplow comes it won't see you and it will crush you. I utterly understand your fear, but your babies back there, I can't... I don't want to see them die."

"I'm sure there will be someone as soon as the snow stops."

"No ma'am, they will not, this is a Lake Effect blizzard; it's expected to last until Saturday." He tried to explain how Trevett Road is a "tertiary" road and is last on the priority list when it comes to plowing. Their chances of surviving are nil, but she wouldn't have any of it. "Look. If you won't let me help you, I have some MRE's on the wagon - military rations and they're sealed. They'll hold you over."

"That will be fine," she snapped, which hurt Paul for some reason.

"I'm going to turn this rig around first." Paul hopped back on the tractor, drove it and the wagon past her car to US 39, where there was room to turn around. He pulled up next to her car again and realized he couldn't leave. Paul could not go back to his cabin while they slowly died out here. He set the brake, then grabbed an MRE and held it up so the lady could see it. But she wouldn't open the window. He could hear children screaming, but the woman was paralyzed with fear.

Paul had to fight her, and the only way he could win was to fight the way John taught him. He slowly sagged to his knees and crossed his arms over his chest and prayed that she would realize that they could die and let him help her. At worst, maybe the plow that comes in three or four days sees his tractor and stops in time to avoid crushing the woman and her children.

As he waited and prayed, he heard a familiar voice. "Doctor Jarecki? Do you know Doctor Jarecki?"

"That would be me."

"Just checking."

A moment later, the trunk lid popped open. Paul was so relieved that he felt like he was going to cry. He got up and transferred her luggage to the hay wagon. Then the driver's door popped, but she couldn't get it to open. Paul held it wide open and held his hand out to her to help her out of the car and she shunned his hand. Paul felt a sting when she did that, like she slapped him.

The woman struggled out of the car and fell into the foot deep snow. Then she got up and looked around. "What is that sound I hear?"

Paul patted the tractor. "Plugs are fouled a bit, won't take much to clean them..."

"No, that hissing noise, it seems to be coming from everywhere."

"That's the sound that heavy snow makes when it lands. I take it you're not from around here." Just then, a tiny blond girl peeked out of the open car door. Paul lifted a giggling girl from the stranded car and held her over his head as he carried her to the hay wagon. She held her arms straight out, simulating an airplane or maybe an angel, and she touched down gently in the soft hay.

"Denver actually," she said.

"The snow is drier and lighter up there," Paul said as he 'flew' another little girl into the hay wagon. Twins? He went on talking about snow. It was easier than trying to figure out who this woman was. "Down here by the lakes it's pretty heavy, wet stuff. It's so heavy that it makes a noise when it lands, and in a heavy fall like this we hear it as a hiss." He helped the small woman up into the hay wagon, where the little girls already made a nest in the hay. "That's the idea, you three cuddle up close and cover yourselves with hay, that'll keep you warm." Once they were all settled, Paul climbed up onto the tractor seat, cracked open the throttle, and they started moving.

The ching-ching-ching-ching sound of the tire chains and the swirling snowflakes must have gotten the little girls in a festive mood, and they began singing 'Jingle Bells' at the top of their lungs. Eventually they sang "Over the River and Through the Woods," as he turned off the road. He turned around and shouted out, "This is my driveway."

Paul stopped the tractor at the patio, set the brake and hopped off, then helped Andi and the twins and their luggage from the trailer and ushered them through the Dutch door into the small barn. "Go warm up by the fire but don't touch, that stove gets pretty warm. And don't worry none about Wonka, he won't bite."

The tiny woman brought up all the force her four-foot nine-inch frame could manage. "Doctor Jarecki, if you actually are Doctor Jarecki, I am going to protect these girls with everything I have, because they're all I have..."

He took off his glasses and said, "Ma'am, I fully understand, just let me get your bags off the hay wagon and I'll be out of your hair. Here's my cell number if you have any questions, and he handed her his business card, which he pulled from his wallet. Just be nice to my cabin, it's not all I have, but I like it very much." And with that he set down her bags inside the cabin door, then got on the tractor and putted off into the storm.

Paul put the trailer away in the upper hay loft, then pulled the tractor into its parking spot. Then he closed up the barn, checked on the chickens. They're supposed to be Macy's chickens, but the only part of raising chickens she likes is eating Paul's omelets and buying baby chicks at the Tractor Supply every spring. The hen house would be a nice warm place to sleep, but the smell! He went downstairs and found that the kerosene heater was out of kerosene. He found an old blanket and wrapped up in straw and tried to stay warm. Then his phone rang, and he saw a Denver phone was calling him.

"Doctor Jarecki, we... I may have acted hastily, I should be thankful, but when it comes to my girls..."

"I wish I understood, but I have no children of my own, my wife died young."

"Please come here, maybe we could talk about what we are going to do over dinner."

The walk back to the cabin took what seemed like ages. The wind was blasting, and if he hadn't plugged in the Christmas lights, he may never have found the cabin. He stepped into the dark, dim cabin and removed his jacket. "Doctor Jarecki? I'm Doctor Adrianna Roberts." In the dark cabin, he saw her and saw the fear on her face, and he also saw two tiny faces peering out from behind her.

Paul reached behind a jacket that was hanging by the door and flicked on the interior lights. Apparently, she couldn't find the switch. When the lights came on, he realized it was her. "We've met," he said softly.

"This is so cool!" squealed the twins in unison as they looked around the cabin. They suddenly stopped short as they drew near the wood stove. A large brown object laying near the stove slowly came to life. With a whine, it unfolded, stretched, and rose from the floor.

"That's my buddy Wonka, he's the worst guard dog on earth."

"Wonka?" asked the girls as the chocolate lab, bleary-eyed from his nap, sniffed them, made a quick decision of approval, and wagged his tail. The twins never had a dog in their lives, but they got over any trepidation in a microsecond and began petting and hugging the dog, whose tail wagged faster with every coo and hug. Dr. Jarecki introduced his dog as "Not only the world's worst watch dog, but the sweetest friend a man could have. He's... uh... my service dog."