inside her home. In a couple of minutes, Anne emerged with a quarter sheet cake in her hands.
“My goodness, Anne. That’s enough cake for all of us.”
“Uncle Rupert,” Woody said, entering Rupert’s house. “I don’t believe you’ve met my wife, Olga. And Anne has grown up since you last saw her.”
Olga extended her hand to Rupert. “Uncle Rupert, is it okay if I call you that? It is very nice to meet you.”
“Yes, you may call me Uncle. We’re all part of the family.”
“Where is the barbecue?” Willow asked.
“It’s out in my truck. I’ll go get it.”
Moving toward the door, Mamie said, “Mr. Woody, let me help you.”
“Thank you, Mamie.”
About that time, Connor pulled up.
Mrs. Bray waved, saying, “Hello Connor. Looks like y’all are having a party.”
“It is a party of sorts. Willow brought her Daddy home for a while.”
“That’s good, Connor. I know Rupert misses being here.”
“Who knows, Willow may bring him home full-time.”
“Wonderful. It would be good to have a neighbor again. We could sit in the back yard and watch the tow boats and barges go by.”
“I’m sure he would enjoy that.”
Connor turned to Woody. “How are you today?”
“Doing just fine. How about you?”
“Just as busy as ever. May I help you with something?”
“Grab that sack. It has a carry out box full of baked beans. Be careful. I don’t know how well it is sealed.”
“No problem. Boy, they sure smell good.”
“Olga picked this up. We’re going to enjoy barbecue two days in a row.”
“That’s all right with me. I love it.”
After enjoying the meal, Connor turned to Rupert and asked him if he knew that Willow was setting up shop at the office.
Rupert reacted with a look of surprise. “No. We haven’t talked ‘shop’ any. We’ve just been remembering some of the scrapes the two of you got in.”
“Yes, I heard she reminded you of the Jeep incident.”
“No, Connor, as a matter of fact, Woody brought that bit of information up. I can still remember my words when I saw my Jeep stuck in that hole. It wouldn’t do for me to repeat those choice words in front of these ladies.”
“All I know is that I was scared to death,” Connor said. “I expected you to thrash me within an inch of my life.”
“That thought crossed my mind, but then I realized Willow probably put you up to the idea.”
“You’re right about that. She made me do it.”
“Yes, I made him do it. He was such a ‘fraidy cat’. But, let’s change the subject. Daddy, I see the picture of Connor, Woody, and me still occupies a prominent place on your den wall.”
“Yes, and you know something else?” asked Rupert, turning toward Anne. “This little girl here looks a lot like you.”
“You’re right, Daddy. She has that beautiful blonde hair and deep blue eyes. That must be a McKenzie family gene.”
“I suppose so. Blue eyes do run in our family. So, Connor, how is the towing business faring in these uncertain economic times?”
“Rupert, it is amazing. But the true fact is that large companies are doing pretty well in contrast to smaller ones. Several of our smaller competitors are struggling to stay afloat, so to speak.”
“Is it time for us to buy some of them?”
“That’s certainly something to think about. Maybe when your daughter comes to work in a couple of weeks, she should take a hard look to see if any good buys are out there.”
Willow spoke up saying, “Now hold on, Connor, I don’t know anything about buying somebody out. You’ll have to guide me in that effort.”
“Willow I know with your experience of negotiating with worldly business men in the advertising business, you would have no problem dealing with us river rats.”
“There is a world of difference between selling an ad campaign that has a predetermined shelf life, and buying tow boats and barges. Anyhow, let’s get off the shop talk. Daddy, do you want to stay here tonight?”
“I can’t
“My goodness, Anne. That’s enough cake for all of us.”
“Uncle Rupert,” Woody said, entering Rupert’s house. “I don’t believe you’ve met my wife, Olga. And Anne has grown up since you last saw her.”
Olga extended her hand to Rupert. “Uncle Rupert, is it okay if I call you that? It is very nice to meet you.”
“Yes, you may call me Uncle. We’re all part of the family.”
“Where is the barbecue?” Willow asked.
“It’s out in my truck. I’ll go get it.”
Moving toward the door, Mamie said, “Mr. Woody, let me help you.”
“Thank you, Mamie.”
About that time, Connor pulled up.
Mrs. Bray waved, saying, “Hello Connor. Looks like y’all are having a party.”
“It is a party of sorts. Willow brought her Daddy home for a while.”
“That’s good, Connor. I know Rupert misses being here.”
“Who knows, Willow may bring him home full-time.”
“Wonderful. It would be good to have a neighbor again. We could sit in the back yard and watch the tow boats and barges go by.”
“I’m sure he would enjoy that.”
Connor turned to Woody. “How are you today?”
“Doing just fine. How about you?”
“Just as busy as ever. May I help you with something?”
“Grab that sack. It has a carry out box full of baked beans. Be careful. I don’t know how well it is sealed.”
“No problem. Boy, they sure smell good.”
“Olga picked this up. We’re going to enjoy barbecue two days in a row.”
“That’s all right with me. I love it.”
After enjoying the meal, Connor turned to Rupert and asked him if he knew that Willow was setting up shop at the office.
Rupert reacted with a look of surprise. “No. We haven’t talked ‘shop’ any. We’ve just been remembering some of the scrapes the two of you got in.”
“Yes, I heard she reminded you of the Jeep incident.”
“No, Connor, as a matter of fact, Woody brought that bit of information up. I can still remember my words when I saw my Jeep stuck in that hole. It wouldn’t do for me to repeat those choice words in front of these ladies.”
“All I know is that I was scared to death,” Connor said. “I expected you to thrash me within an inch of my life.”
“That thought crossed my mind, but then I realized Willow probably put you up to the idea.”
“You’re right about that. She made me do it.”
“Yes, I made him do it. He was such a ‘fraidy cat’. But, let’s change the subject. Daddy, I see the picture of Connor, Woody, and me still occupies a prominent place on your den wall.”
“Yes, and you know something else?” asked Rupert, turning toward Anne. “This little girl here looks a lot like you.”
“You’re right, Daddy. She has that beautiful blonde hair and deep blue eyes. That must be a McKenzie family gene.”
“I suppose so. Blue eyes do run in our family. So, Connor, how is the towing business faring in these uncertain economic times?”
“Rupert, it is amazing. But the true fact is that large companies are doing pretty well in contrast to smaller ones. Several of our smaller competitors are struggling to stay afloat, so to speak.”
“Is it time for us to buy some of them?”
“That’s certainly something to think about. Maybe when your daughter comes to work in a couple of weeks, she should take a hard look to see if any good buys are out there.”
Willow spoke up saying, “Now hold on, Connor, I don’t know anything about buying somebody out. You’ll have to guide me in that effort.”
“Willow I know with your experience of negotiating with worldly business men in the advertising business, you would have no problem dealing with us river rats.”
“There is a world of difference between selling an ad campaign that has a predetermined shelf life, and buying tow boats and barges. Anyhow, let’s get off the shop talk. Daddy, do you want to stay here tonight?”
“I can’t
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