Addie’s.”
Rebecca looked crestfallen. “Of course, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“Wal, maybe we could work out some kind of temporary loan,” suggested Wendell.
Rebecca brightened. “That would be lovely!” She slowly and carefully leafed through the yellowed pages of the cookbook “Look at these wonderful, inspirational newspaper clippings that she collected!”
“Wal, you know, Grammie Addie liked down-home, cheerful kinds of things,” Wendell explained. “The newspapers was full of it in those days; not like nowadays when all there is in the paper and on T.V. is BAD news and sex,” he added. “Grammie used to go around sort of half singin’ stuff. Like this,” he continued, breaking into a full-throated, deep baritone:
‘When all the world is dark and gray, keep on hoping!
When bad things sometimes come your way, no sense moping!’
… I forget all the words exactly,” he continued, in his normal voice; “but ‘twas something like thet.”
Lila was so startled by his singing that she stared blankly at Wendell like a child woken up from a deep slumber.
“Your grandmother sounds like a lovely woman!” Rebecca interjected, quickly. “I never knew either one of my grandmothers. I’m very envious.”
“Omigod, I just had a GREAT idea!” cried Lila. “We should use Grammie Addie in the marketing of our egg business! We could be The Egg Ladies of Sovereign, Maine – and she could be our avatar!” She turned to Wendell excitedly. “Do you mind? Do you have a picture of your grandmother that we could use?”
Wendell didn’t have the least notion what an ‘avatar’ was, but he liked Lila’s enthusiasm. “I don’t know why I should mind. So long’s the photograph is one of Grammie Addie in her good dress; course, she’d probably want thet. In fact, I think I got a black ‘n white of her ‘n Euna Crockett in the bedroom.”
“Both of them together? That would be perfect!”
“Thet’s what I thought. Lemme git it.” Wendell hauled himself up out of the chair and exited the kitchen to retrieve the old photograph.
Lila looked meaningfully at her friend. “Well, Becca?” she demanded, in a lowered voice so that the chicken farmer wouldn’t overhear. “What do you think?”
Rebecca gave a little laugh. “I’m sold!”
“I knew you would be!” Lila exclaimed, triumphantly. “I just knew you wouldn’t be able to resist!”
“I wouldn’t have believed it possible when we left Massachusetts, but now I can’t imagine any other course of action than moving to Sovereign!”
“You won’t regret it, I promise!”
“No, I don’t think I will,” Rebecca affirmed.
Wendell returned with a 5X7 black and white framed photo of Grammie Addie and her best friend, Euna Crockett. The two women were standing side by side on the shed step of the old Russell homestead. Grammie Addie was holding a woven basket the size of a watermelon, filled with eggs.
“This is too much!” said Lila, taking the photograph from his outstretched hand. “It’s perfect for our avatar.”
Wendell reclaimed his seat. “Ayuh,” he said. “Thought ‘twas what you was lookin’ for.”
“You’re sure you don’t mind?”
Rebecca coughed politely, securing Lila’s attention. “Isn’t there something we need to do before we start marketing a company we don’t have yet?” She looked pointedly at her young friend.
Lila stared blankly. Her nimble young mind had already leaped ahead to future possibilities. “What?” she said.
“Some, uh, financial business we need to take care of with Wendell, before we appropriate his house, his grandmother and everything?”
“Omigod,” said Lila, laughing. “I totally forgot! I thought it was a done deal.”
Wendell grinned. “Wal, you know, I think ‘tis pretty much a done deal,” he said.
And the major discovery of the day was how easy it was to do business in Sovereign, Maine!
Chapter Ten
Settling In
The next
Rebecca looked crestfallen. “Of course, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“Wal, maybe we could work out some kind of temporary loan,” suggested Wendell.
Rebecca brightened. “That would be lovely!” She slowly and carefully leafed through the yellowed pages of the cookbook “Look at these wonderful, inspirational newspaper clippings that she collected!”
“Wal, you know, Grammie Addie liked down-home, cheerful kinds of things,” Wendell explained. “The newspapers was full of it in those days; not like nowadays when all there is in the paper and on T.V. is BAD news and sex,” he added. “Grammie used to go around sort of half singin’ stuff. Like this,” he continued, breaking into a full-throated, deep baritone:
‘When all the world is dark and gray, keep on hoping!
When bad things sometimes come your way, no sense moping!’
… I forget all the words exactly,” he continued, in his normal voice; “but ‘twas something like thet.”
Lila was so startled by his singing that she stared blankly at Wendell like a child woken up from a deep slumber.
“Your grandmother sounds like a lovely woman!” Rebecca interjected, quickly. “I never knew either one of my grandmothers. I’m very envious.”
“Omigod, I just had a GREAT idea!” cried Lila. “We should use Grammie Addie in the marketing of our egg business! We could be The Egg Ladies of Sovereign, Maine – and she could be our avatar!” She turned to Wendell excitedly. “Do you mind? Do you have a picture of your grandmother that we could use?”
Wendell didn’t have the least notion what an ‘avatar’ was, but he liked Lila’s enthusiasm. “I don’t know why I should mind. So long’s the photograph is one of Grammie Addie in her good dress; course, she’d probably want thet. In fact, I think I got a black ‘n white of her ‘n Euna Crockett in the bedroom.”
“Both of them together? That would be perfect!”
“Thet’s what I thought. Lemme git it.” Wendell hauled himself up out of the chair and exited the kitchen to retrieve the old photograph.
Lila looked meaningfully at her friend. “Well, Becca?” she demanded, in a lowered voice so that the chicken farmer wouldn’t overhear. “What do you think?”
Rebecca gave a little laugh. “I’m sold!”
“I knew you would be!” Lila exclaimed, triumphantly. “I just knew you wouldn’t be able to resist!”
“I wouldn’t have believed it possible when we left Massachusetts, but now I can’t imagine any other course of action than moving to Sovereign!”
“You won’t regret it, I promise!”
“No, I don’t think I will,” Rebecca affirmed.
Wendell returned with a 5X7 black and white framed photo of Grammie Addie and her best friend, Euna Crockett. The two women were standing side by side on the shed step of the old Russell homestead. Grammie Addie was holding a woven basket the size of a watermelon, filled with eggs.
“This is too much!” said Lila, taking the photograph from his outstretched hand. “It’s perfect for our avatar.”
Wendell reclaimed his seat. “Ayuh,” he said. “Thought ‘twas what you was lookin’ for.”
“You’re sure you don’t mind?”
Rebecca coughed politely, securing Lila’s attention. “Isn’t there something we need to do before we start marketing a company we don’t have yet?” She looked pointedly at her young friend.
Lila stared blankly. Her nimble young mind had already leaped ahead to future possibilities. “What?” she said.
“Some, uh, financial business we need to take care of with Wendell, before we appropriate his house, his grandmother and everything?”
“Omigod,” said Lila, laughing. “I totally forgot! I thought it was a done deal.”
Wendell grinned. “Wal, you know, I think ‘tis pretty much a done deal,” he said.
And the major discovery of the day was how easy it was to do business in Sovereign, Maine!
Chapter Ten
Settling In
The next
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