Sunshine Valley

Caravan

    Next Saturday morning a low rumbling noise startled Rebecca. She jumped out of bed. “What the?” She struggled to bring the clock into focus. “6:00 am,” she hissed, running toward the door, sliding to a stop on the porch. “Oh my heavenly father.”

   Simon handed her a robe as he was putting one on. The road was lined with vehicles. In the lead was Mr. Rice pullin’ a bush hog, followed by a dump truck and what looked like half the town.

   “Bradley said with the chickens.” Simon chuckled. The light of day was just starting to push away the night.

   By the time they had their first cup of coffee and were dressed, Mr. Rice had bush hogged around the house. The dump truck was in place off the front porch, two port-a-potties were standing next to the house and people were busy doing jobs.

    “They need to change that saying from a New York minute to a Kentucky minute.” Simon snorted.

   The inside of the house echoed with the pounding of hammers.

    “Hello child,” Widow Blake came toward Rebecca with open arms. “I’m so glad ya finally joined us.” Widow Blake was the cutest little woman Rebecca had ever seen. And she told her about it ever chance she got. It always made the elderly lady blush. Her baggy coveralls flapping against her tiny body just added to her cuteness.

    “What ja want me to do?” Rebecca asked.

    “Right now we’re strippin’ the 60 some years worth of wallpaper.” She laughed. “Have ya ever been in this house?”

   “No ma’am.”

   “Then let me show ya. This little room here is the livin’ room.” The room was indeed small. However the fireplace against the far wall was so charming.

    “A fireplace?” Rebecca asked.

    “Did you see a chimney?” Patty giggled from behind her. Her arms filled with old wallpaper.

   “Come to think of it, no.” Rebecca replied.

    “It’s fake.” Widow Blake laughed.

    There were two more doors leading out of the living room; one in the back of the room was to a…? “What’s this suppose to be?” Rebecca walked into the room.

    “The kitchen,” Widow Blake reported.

    Patty came back into the living room dusting herself off. Patty Coots was a magnificent woman. Rebecca wondered why she hadn’t been a model or had a career in show business? She definitely had the body for it. “Gabby, are you gonna be all day?” She grinned.

    “I’m givin’ Becky the grand tour. She’s never been in here. And why didn’t you shake yourself off outside? You’re just creatin’ more work for us later.”

    Patty laughed, “grand tour.” Completely ignoring the dusting off comment.

    Patty had married Deputy Bradley. Rebecca often wondered what power a man like Barney Fife had to attract a woman like Patty?

    They walked out of the kitchen, through the living room and into the tiny hall. Three doors led off the hall. All three rooms had women in them busily stripping wallpaper. Two of the rooms were bedrooms and Rebecca could only guess the other was a bathroom. This room and the kitchen just had naked plumbing in them.

    “Widow Blake?” A male voice called.

    “In here.” She chimed.

    Danny Simms stepped into view from the living room. “Mr. Rice wants the carpet ripped up to.”

   “Oh,” she exclaimed, clapping her hands. “I prayed he would. There is the most wonderful hardwood flooring under there.” She turned her attention to Rebecca. “You can start there.” She pointed toward the bathroom.

    “Sure thing.” Sarah had just finished removing the last of the wallpaper. The bathroom was a tiny little room. It may have been 5 feet by 5 feet. Rebecca busied herself with the carpet. Widow Blake was right; the hardwood floor under the carpet was breath taking. With a little wax, the wood would shine like new money.

Sunshine Valley