MODERN FABLES, Helpful, Ch. 15, Snow Business

  

CHAPTER 15: SNOW BUSINESS

Tess Williams lived with her family on Highland Avenue, on the edge of a small town about 70 miles north of New York City. When it snowed, she and her brothers, Rick and Tim, would go from house to house offering to shovel walks and driveways for money—not a lot of cash, but enough to make it worthwhile.

That February, an especially heavy late-winter snowstorm hit, so heavy that some trees were knocked over by the wind and the weight of snow on their branches. Overnight, the entire neighborhood lost power when fallen trees brought down power lines.

For Tess and her family, it was a bit of an adventure. None of their electric clock alarms went off, so four of them got up late—not a problem for Rick, Tess, Tim, or their mom, since school was cancelled. Mr. Williams, though, was awakened by a call on his cell phone and left for the fire department before everyone else was up. A fire had started in a home a few miles away, caused by a kerosene heater being used during the power outage. He'd be gone all day.

Breakfast was blah, all cold. How long would the electricity be off? The longest outage the kids could remember was 95 hours a few years earlier, but usually the power company restored service within a day or so.

"Let's make some dough shoveling snow," Rick rhymed.

"I think money is sweeter than honey," Tess rhymed back.

"I'll help, too," Tim chimed in, not up to rhyming this early in the morning, if ever.

They spent much of the day walking along Highland Avenue, knocking on doors and ringing doorbells, getting many neighbors to pay them to shovel walks and driveways. They didn't stop at the house at the end of the street, though. Mr. Taylor, elderly and sometimes grumpy, usually shoveled his own walk and driveway. He seemed proud of it—or maybe he just wanted to save money as a retiree.

Evening came. The Williams kids split the money they'd made shoveling snow. The family had sandwiches for dinner by candlelight, as the power was still off—no TV, no radio, a bit boring. Flashlights let them read, awkwardly. They went to sleep early, without worrying about getting up the next day since it was Saturday.

The following morning, there was still no power. The adventure was getting to be a drag. The Williams kids decided to go sledding, and all three bundled up and headed up Highland Avenue to their hill.

"Tess, you and Tim go on. I'm going to check on the Taylors. Their walk and driveway still aren't shoveled."

"Okay, Rick, see you there later."

Rick rang the Taylors' doorbell. No answer. He knocked. No answer. Knocked again. This time, the door opened, and Mr. Taylor invited him in, putting his finger to his lips to indicate Rick should be quiet.

When they reached the kitchen, Mr. Taylor said, "Sorry to shush you, but my wife is sleeping. She's not well. You're the eldest Williams boy, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm Rick Williams. We noticed your walk and driveway weren't shoveled and wondered why. Usually, you do it yourself."

"Thank you for your concern, Rick. My wife's health is very fragile. Our power's been out for over a day, and I don't want to leave her. Our telephone is out, too."

"We have the same problem, Mr. Taylor, but we can use our cell phones until they run out of power. Don't you have one?"

"No. We try to watch our expenses and don't want to pay extra for a cell phone. I think we were mistaken, though. I want to be able to call a doctor or the hospital if my wife's condition gets worse."

"Is that why your walk and driveway aren't shoveled?"

"Partly. My back is sore lately. Also, I didn't want to leave my wife alone. If we have to get to the hospital in my car, it'll be difficult. I could call 911 if necessary, but what they consider an emergency might not be what I would. They might not want to come."

"Mr. Taylor, I'm glad I came. I'm going to do two things. First, I'm lending you my cell phone right now. Second, I'm going to shovel your walk and driveway so you and your wife can get out if you need to."

"I couldn't accept all that."

"I insist." And so it was.

Late that afternoon, power returned to Highland Avenue. Not long after, the phone rang at the Williams home.

"Hello."

"Hello, this is Geoffrey Taylor. Who is this?"

"Tess Williams."

"Are you Rick's sister?"

"Yes."

"Please tell Rick my wife and I greatly appreciated his help this morning. She's feeling better, and we didn't have to go to the hospital after all. Tell Rick I'll be down to return his cell phone within the hour, and please tell your parents they have a son to be very proud of."

"Thank you, Mr. Taylor. I'll come to your house right now and get Rick's phone and save you the trouble."

"Very nice of you, Tess. I see the Williams family has two very good children. I'll be waiting at the door."

When Tess met Mr. Taylor, he tried to pay her for Rick's work. She refused his offer, with thanks.

Sometimes, Tess thought, it's better to give than to get. We made enough money shoveling…it's a nice little business. In fact, there's no business like snow business!

  

 

Moral: Good help makes good neighbors. 

MODERN FABLES, Friendly, Ch. 14 Cell Mates

 CHAPTER 14: CELL MATES

 

In the springtime, a young man’s thoughts often turn to baseball, while a young girl is more likely to be thinking of romance.

 

Eduardo [“Eddie”] Gomez strolled down Highland Avenue with his baseball glove, bat, and ball, thinking about the game his team had almost won. More honestly, they had lost, but just barely, 4-3. He had played well at shortstop, got three hits, but they lost, anyway, to another team made up of eighth-graders like him.

 

Tess Williams marched up Highland Avenue on this beautiful afternoon, with a few things bothering her normally cheerful self: she did not have a boyfriend, her cell phone was out of power, and two guys in a convertible had just driven by and made some wisecracks about her. Would they move on or come back and cause her more grief?

 

As Eddie and Tess approached each other, they smiled. They were not friends yet, but were only a grade apart and knew each other as schoolmates, not classmates.

 

The guys in the convertible came back and shouted something rude at Tess. Eddie was already about ten yards past her. He frowned and turned around.

 

“Shall I walk you home?” he asked her.

 

“Yes, I’d like that.”

 

“Are they bothering you?”

 

“A bit.”

 

“Do you have your cell phone with you, in case you need it?”

 

“Yes, but the battery is dead.”

 

“Not good. Not good. I’ve got mine, if we need it.”

 

The convertible came by a third time, but the two guys were silent. Perhaps they thought a boy with a baseball bat wasn't one to be messed with.

 

“I don’t like this,” Eddie said, “I’m going to call my father.”

 

“Why? What can he do?”

 

“He’s on the police force here. He’ll tell us.”

 

Eddie called his dad and described the situation. Eddie had noticed the kids were drinking something from cans partly hidden in paper bags, and they sounded drunk. His father said not to hang up the phone until he finished walking the girl back to her home.

 

Just before Tess and Eddie arrived at her house, a police car came up Highland Avenue. The couple did not see where it went.

 

“This is where I live, Eddie.”

 

“Nice house. Do you have brothers and sisters?”

 

“An older brother, Rick, and a younger brother, Tim. How about you?”

 

“I’m the oldest of three, with two younger sisters.”

 

“Would you like to come in for something to drink?”

 

“Not this time. I’m expected home soon. Why don’t you give me your cell phone number, and I’ll give you mine?”

 

“Good idea.” They exchanged phone numbers and said goodbye.

 

That evening, Tess excitedly told her parents about Eddie and the kids in the convertible.

 

Mr. Williams added, “I know Eddie’s father. Good man. I just saw him an hour ago. I wondered why a cop car with its flashing lights and a convertible were pulled over on Highland Avenue when I came home. I saw Sergeant Gomez talking to two guys in the car. Now I get it.”

 

“Eddie walked me home. Very nice. I like his looks.”

 

“Handsome is as handsome does,” her mother said. “You’re welcome to invite him here sometime, if you want to.”

 

“Maybe he’ll ask me on a date.”

 

“Take your time, young lady. ‘Slow but steady wins the race.’ ‘What will be, will be.’” Her father was in no rush for Tess to start dating.

 

That night, Tess entered a few sentences about Eddie into her diary. She noted that she and he were more than just schoolmates; they had exchanged cell phone numbers and were  now “cell mates.” (Mr. W. would not have liked that term.) 

 

Tess hoped for more. Eddie did, too.

 Moral: A friend when you are in need is a friend in deed, indeed.

 

MODERN FABLES, Helpful, Ch. 13, Work Is Love Made Real

Father’s Day was coming. Mother’s Day at the Williams’s house had been sweet. What to do for Dad? The kids conspired.

 

“I’ll give him breakfast in bed,” said Tess.

 

“I’ll wash his car, “ said Rick.

 

“What can I do?” asked Tim.

 

“You could buy him a present,” Tess suggested.

 

“What does he want?” asked Tim. Neither Tess nor Rick had an answer to Tim’s question.

 

Rick said, “You’ll sign your name to the card we bought.”

 

Tim thought, That’s good, but not enough. I want to do something special for Dad.

 

Mr. W. was out, working. Tim asked his mother. She suggested Tim mow the lawn for Dad. It would save his father the trouble of mowing on that weekend. He would enjoy taking a nap while Tim did the job his father usually handled.

 

“Will that be enough?”

 

“Yes, dear. Quite enough. It will show him you care and appreciate him. He spends long hours away from the family, works odd hours as an Emergency Medical Services specialist with the Fire Department, and works hard for our family and the people he helps. I wish he did not have to work so hard, but I thank him for it, and so do the people he helps. I know he loves his family, and he loves his job, so I fully understood him when he told me, ‘Work is love made real.’”

 

Dad received breakfast in bed, a touching card, a car cleaned, a lawn mowed, and a restful nap on a happy Father’s Day he would never forget.

Moral: Work is love made real.