A Redbird Christmas (17 page)

Elizabeth, who had been asleep, looked out the window and said, “Betty, there’s no snow over here. What redbirds?”

In the meantime, the Creoles had heard the screaming all the way across the river and wondered what was happening. When they came out and looked, they saw that it was snowing on the other side. As they all stood on the docks, the Creole children who had never seen snow were having a fit to go see it up close. And finally even the adults could not resist, and they did something they had not done in nineteen years. The snow was still falling as one by one, they all got in their boats and started rowing across the river to join the people on the other side. Pretty soon the entire street was filled with Creole men, women, and children who had joined their neighbors laughing and dancing in the snow. In less than an hour, word had spread by phone and the entire place was packed with people who had come from all around to see the snow and the redbirds. For most of the children who came, this was the first snow they had ever seen, and for the adults, it was certainly the first time they had ever seen snow in Lost River. But nobody there that morning, child or adult, had ever seen that many redbirds.

Frances and Sybil and Dottie went down and opened up the community hall and made coffee and hot chocolate for everyone, and when they switched on the interior lights the Christmas tree outside suddenly lit up. It was almost like Christmas Day all over again. Even though it was Sunday, Roy opened the store in honor of the snow and gave away candy to the kids and free beer to the adults. He was busy opening a can for Mildred, who had joined the party, when he looked up and saw Julian LaPonde standing outside looking in. As soon as the others saw him, a hush came over the store. They all held their breaths, wondering what was going to happen next. The two men looked at each other, neither moving. Then Roy walked over and held the door open and said, “Come on in, Julian, let me buy you a beer.” He knew how proud a man Julian was and how hard it must have been for him to come that far. To the astonishment of everyone, Julian walked in and took the beer.

Later, Oswald walked down to the river and watched the pelicans and the ducks and the egrets try and figure out what all the white stuff on the river was. Three pelicans skidded off the top of a piling and fell into the water and were mad about it and Oswald had a good laugh.

As the morning went on and the sun came out, the snow began to melt, but not before three people who had no idea how to drive in it slid into one another. A lot of strange and unusual things happened that day. Oswald in his excitement had forgotten about his condition and against the doctor’s orders was out in the snow all morning. But he did not catch pneumonia and die; he didn’t even catch a cold. But the best thing by far was that Patsy got her wish. She had seen her friend Jack again.

Naturally, after that day there were many questions. Why had it snowed in just that area? Why had so many redbirds come? Why had that one bird blinked at Patsy? Of course no one person could be 100 percent sure what had really happened that morning, but Mildred had a theory. She went over to her sister’s house, stood in the middle of the living room with her hand on her hip, and declared with defiance, “Frances, I believe her. I believe she
did
see Jack.”

“But Mildred, how could she? We both know he’s been dead for months.”

“I don’t care,” Mildred said, “I think she saw him, I don’t know how or why, but she did.” Then Mildred looked her sister right in the eye as serious as a heart attack and said, “Frances, I think it was a miracle of some kind.”

Frances thought about it. “Well, I don’t know what it was, if she really saw Jack or if she just thinks she did. But I’m not going to question it. She’s eating again, and that’s all I care about.”

Of course, if the exact same event had taken place on Christmas morning instead of the day after, many more people might have believed a miracle had occurred. Still, everyone had his or her own personal explanation as to why it had happened. As far as Patsy was concerned, it was Santa Claus who caused it; he had just been a day late. And according to all the meteorologists, there was a perfectly good scientific reason for the sudden snow. A cold snap from the East swept down from Canada and dipped all the way down to northern Florida, causing the temperature to drop to 38 degrees, and the moisture of the river may have caused snow to fall only in and around the river area. The bird experts who appeared explained it away saying that the Northern Cardinal has been known to flock together in large numbers in cold weather; and not being a migratory bird, they most probably had been in the area all along, hidden among the thick foliage. However, Roy and Butch believed it was the fifty pounds of sunflower seeds they had spread all around in the dead of night on Christmas Eve trying to attract a redbird for Patsy that caused them to come. Roy had said if there was a redbird out there within a hundred miles that liked sunflower seeds as much as Jack, they might have a chance. But as to
why
that particular redbird had landed on Patsy’s windowsill and blinked at her was a question for which nobody really had an answer.

As time passed, even more strange and unusual things started to happen. The night after Roy had rowed across the river to Julian LaPonde’s house with Jack, he had found out that Marie was divorced from her husband. And after being apart for so long, Marie and Roy were finally able to get back together again. With her two children, the confirmed bachelor of Lost River was soon going to become a family man.

But romance did not stop there. A few months after the redbird event, Frances Cleverdon made a surprise decision. One morning she marched over to Betty’s house and said to Oswald, “Listen. I never thought I’d want a new husband, but I’ll have you, if you’ll have me. Patsy needs a daddy. She likes you, and so do I.”

Oswald was stunned. But after she left he thought about it and realized that he absolutely adored everything about the woman, from her gravy boat collection right down to her pink kitchen. He had just been too dumb to see it before. The truth was, he would love to be married to her and be Patsy’s daddy. But before he gave Frances his answer, Oswald decided he’d better go back to Chicago and see his doctor. It was only fair that she know what she was getting for a husband and for how long.

When he arrived in Chicago and called, he found out his doctor had died. However his son, Dr. Mark Obecheck III, had all Oswald’s charts and agreed to see him the next day. After he examined him and came back in with the results, he looked at Oswald. “Well, Mr. Campbell, I’ve got good news and bad news. What do you want to hear first?”

Oswald’s heart sank. He had hoped against hope that it would all be good news. “Let me have the bad news first, I guess,” he said.

“The bad news is you are no long eligible to receive your disability check.”

“What?”

“The good news is that those lungs of yours have cleared up quite a bit since your last checkup. You are doing great, Mr. Campbell. Keep up the good work.”

“Really? How long do I have?”

“How long do you want?” asked the doctor with a smile.

“Forever.”

“Well, Mr. Campbell, I can’t promise that, but you can try.”

“Thanks, Doc. I’ll do my best.”

Before he left, he called his ex-wife, Helen, and told her all the great news, and she was very happy for him.

On his way home to Frances and Patsy, Oswald felt like he was the luckiest man alive. And he owed it all to old Horace P. Dunlap and that faded old brochure. He was no longer an “accidental visitor” in Lost River. He was now a permanent resident. And if that wasn’t enough wonderful news, one day right after Oswald came back from Chicago, Miss Alma, Betty’s mother, came downstairs and out of a clear blue sky announced, “I think I’ll do some baking today,” and started up again. Everyone was so thrilled with her fancy cakes and petits fours that eventually Betty Kitchen started her own bed and breakfast and bakery.

Patsy, content that Jack was alive and well, returned to the hospital and finished her therapy. Within a year she was walking without even a hint of a limp. However, Butch Mannich continued to drive to Atlanta every weekend, even after Patsy finished her therapy, and within six months two new dishes of tamales and enchiladas were permanently added to the community potluck dinner by his new bride, Amelia Martinez.

The most unexpected development involved Mildred. On that morning after Christmas when Julian LaPonde had walked in the store, she thought he was the best-looking man she had ever seen. And when Julian, a widower, had spotted Mildred he had asked Roy, “Who is that?”

After a whirlwind courtship, Mildred, now a platinum blonde, had run off with Julian, and they were now living in New Orleans, having a wonderful time.

Dottie Nivens remarked, “That’s what comes from reading all those racy books,” and sat down and started writing one of her own, which won a first novel award from the Romance Writers of America. At last she was a real Woman of Letters both professionally and at the post office.

Five years later, right before another Christmas, Oswald T. Campbell came in from a meeting at the county courthouse and informed Frances with a chuckle, “Well, honey, it looks like we are not lost anymore. We’ve been found!”

On Christmas Eve a new sign was to be unveiled in front of the community hall that said:

WELCOME TO REDBIRD, ALABAMA
A Bird Sanctuary
Population 108

That night, when Butch switched on the Christmas tree lights and the new sign lit up, Oswald squeezed Frances’s hand, and they both smiled and waved at Patsy, who was standing over with all the other children.

Then Oswald leaned over and whispered to Frances, “Isn’t it amazing how one little bird changed so many lives?” And it was.

Epilogue

A
LTHOUGH OSWALD LOST
his medical pension, thanks to the wealthy clientele that patronized the art shop at the Grand Hotel his work was soon discovered and much to his surprise he became quite a well-known artist. But as successful as he became, everyone agrees that his best work hangs in the Redbird community hall, and people come from miles around just to see the portrait of Jack and Patsy on their birthday.

And as for Patsy, she is a now a veterinarian who specializes in the treatment of birds and has grown into a lovely young woman with children of her own. Sometimes when she walks down the street, especially around Christmastime, a redbird will fly by . . . and it always makes her smile.

RECIPES

Frances Cleverdon’s
 (How to Get a Man)
 Scuppernong Jelly

5 cups scuppernong juice*

1 box Sure-Jell

1 teaspoon cooking oil

7 cups sugar

Stir 1 box Sure-Jell (or other powdered pectin) into scuppernong juice and oil mixture. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (one that does not stop when stirred). Boil 2 minutes. Add sugar quickly to juice and bring again to full rolling boil. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour immediately into sterilized half-pint jars, leaving
¹
⁄
₈
inch space at the top, and seal.

MAKES
1½
PINTS

*1 lb. grapes = 1 cup juice

Claude Underwood’s Fried Mullet

6 medium mullet, cleaned and dressed

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

hot sauce
(
optional
)

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup self-rising cornmeal

¼ cup bacon drippings or shortening

Sprinkle mullet on both sides with salt and pepper; if desired, douse with hot sauce. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Combine flour and cornmeal and dredge mullet in mixture. Fry in hot bacon drippings 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown on both sides.

YIELD:
6
SERVINGS

Mildred’s Heavenly Hash

1 can fruit cocktail

1 can crushed pineapple

1½ cups chopped pecans

1 small container sour cream

shredded coconut

maraschino cherries

Drain fruit cocktail and crushed pineapple. Mix together fruit cocktail, crushed pineapple, pecans, and sour cream. Sprinkle coconut on top, then place cherries arranged on top. Refrigerate.

Amelia Martinez’s Beef Nachos

1 pound ground chuck

1 large onion, chopped

1 package taco seasoning mix plus water

1 package deli nacho chips

1 package shredded cheddar cheese

1 package shredded mozzarella cheese

1 jar sliced jalapeño peppers

1 jar salsa sauce
(
thick and chunky
)

Brown ground chuck and onion until done. Drain off excess grease. Add taco seasoning mix and water. Cook slowly for 10 to 15 minutes. Place nacho chips on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Place ground beef mixture by spoonfuls on top of each nacho; alternate cheeses on top of beef and add a slice of jalapeño pepper. Place in 350° oven for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Warm salsa sauce and serve with nachos as a side dish.

Potluck Vegetable Casserole

1 can french-cut green beans, drained

1 can whole-kernel corn, drained

½ cup diced bell peppers

½ cup diced onion

½ cup diced celery

½ cup sour cream

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

1 package slivered almonds

dash of salt and pepper

1 cup cracker crumbs

Mix all ingredients in buttered casserole dish. Top with cracker crumbs. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes.

Mildred’s Key Lime Pie

4 eggs, separated

1⁄3
cup fresh key lime juice

1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk

1 9-inch graham cracker crust

Mix egg yolks and lime juice together. Add condensed milk. Beat 1 egg white stiff and fold into the egg-and-lime-juice mixture. Beat 3 remaining egg whites and gradually add sugar and cream of tartar. Pour in graham cracker crust and bake at 350° until egg whites are golden brown.

Betty Kitchen’s Christmas Ambrosia

12 large seedless oranges, peeled and sectioned

1 pound frozen sweetened coconut, thawed

½ cup sugar

Cut orange sections in half; combine with coconut and sugar in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

YIELD:
10–12
SERVINGS

Polka Dots’ Secret-Weapon Tomato Aspic

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 46-ounce can tomato juice

2 tablespoons grated onion

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup finely minced celery

1 cup finely minced green pepper
(
optional
)

lettuce leaves and mayonnaise

Sprinkle gelatin over 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups tomato juice. Let stand 1 minute; then cook mixture over medium heat until gelatin dissolves, stirring frequently. Stir in onion, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and remaining tomato juice. Chill until consistency of unbeaten egg white. Fold in celery, and green pepper if desired; spoon into oiled 6-cup ring mold. Cover and chill until firm. Serve on lettuce leaves, topped with mayonnaise.

YIELD:
10–12
SERVINGS

Happy New Year Black-eyed Peas

2 cups dried black-eyed peas

6 cups boiling water

1½ ounces salt pork, a small ham hock, or 4–5 slices bacon

water

1 teaspoon salt

Place peas in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand 2 hours. Rinse salt pork; cut an X in top of cube, cutting to, but not through, rind. Combine salt pork, fresh water, and salt in a Dutch oven. Drain peas and add. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 to 2 hours or until tender, adding more water if necessary to keep beans barely covered.

YIELD:
4–6
SERVINGS

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 to 4 cooked sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon allspice

dash of nutmeg

2 eggs

¾ cup evaporated milk

¼ cup water

½ package marshmallows

Topping:

¾ stick butter, melted

1 cup crushed cornflakes

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup pecans

Combine potatoes, sugar, salt, spices, eggs, milk, and water; beat in electric mixer until smooth. Pour into greased casserole dish and bake at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes. Top with marshmallows and brown.

Topping:

Combine cornflakes and butter just until blended. Add brown sugar. Then add pecans. Continue to mix until large crumbs have formed. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Cook 10 minutes longer. This dish can be made up to two days before using it. Refrigerate before baking.

This recipe may also be used for Sweet Potato Pie. Pour into unbaked 9-inch pie shell and bake at 375° for about 25 minutes, or until brown.

Corn Casserole

1 large can cream-style corn

1 can white niblet corn

2 eggs beaten

1 stick butter

1 8½-ounce box Jiffy corn muffin mix

8 ounces sour cream

Mix all ingredients together well. Put in 9×13-inch buttered dish and bake at 350° for about 45 minutes, or until firm in the middle.

Frances’s Macaroni and Cheese

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons margarine, melted

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

3 eggs, beaten

5 cups cooked elbow macaroni

2½ cups
(
10 ounces
)
shredded cheddar cheese

¾ cup fresh bread crumbs
(
or cracker crumbs
)

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine first six ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth, using a wire whisk. Layer half the cooked macaroni in the bottom of a greased 9-inch-square baking dish; sprinkle with 1
²
⁄
₃
cups cheese and layer remaining macaroni on top. Pour milk mixture over macaroni; sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake covered, for 50 minutes; sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue baking 5 minutes longer or until set.

YIELD:
6–8
SERVINGS

Gingerbread
 (Patsy’s favorite)

2¾ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1½ teaspoons ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2⁄3
cup water

1⁄3
cup shortening, melted

1 cup molasses

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. Combine water, shortening, molasses, and egg. Mix well, and stir into flour mixture. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch-square pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350º, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with Lemon Sauce (see page 224).

YIELD:
6
SERVINGS

Lemon Sauce

½ cup sugar

1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup water

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces and softened

Combine sugar and flour in a small saucepan; mix well. Stir in water, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar melts. Reduce heat and boil gently 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve warm or at room temperature.

YIELD:
1
CUP

Dottie Nivens’s Kentucky Bourbon Pie

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

½ cup butter or margarine

4 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup bourbon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup pecan pieces

1 unbaked pastry shell fitted into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate

Preheat oven to 325º. Combine first three ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool slightly. Beat eggs, bourbon, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl; gradually add sugar mixture, beating well with a wire whisk. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans; pour into pastry shell. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until set. Serve warm or chilled.

Floating Island

2 eggs, separated

2 cups scalded milk

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 tablespoons powdered sugar

Add well-beaten egg yolks to hot milk and mix well. Place in top part of double boiler and cook until liquid coats a spoon. Cook quickly and add salt and granulated sugar. Set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

Add 4 tablespoons powdered sugar to egg whites, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Pour custard into dessert dishes and top each with egg whites.

Southern-Style Pecan Pie

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten well

6 tablespoons butter

¼ cup milk

1 cup pecans

½ cup raisins
(
optional
)

1 unbaked deep-dish pastry shell

Beat well sugar, eggs, butter, and milk. Add pecans and raisins. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool before serving.

Betty Kitchen’s Banana Pudding

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cornstarch

3 cups sugar

6 eggs, separated, plus 2 egg yolks

7 cups milk

¼ cup margarine

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 16-ounce box vanilla wafers
(
or 1½ 12-ounce boxes
)

10 to 12 medium bananas, peeled and sliced

Thoroughly mix flour, cornstarch, and 2
¹
⁄
₂
cups of the sugar in a large heavy saucepan. Lightly beat the 8 egg yolks; combine milk and egg yolks and whisk into sugar mixture. Add margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Cool. Preheat oven to 425º.

Line bottom of a 13×9×2-inch baking dish with one-third of vanilla wafers; layer one-third of the bananas and one-third of the custard mixture on top. Repeat layers twice. Beat egg whites until foamy; gradually add remaining
¹
⁄
₂
cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in remaining teaspoon of vanilla. Spread over custard, sealing to edges. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Chill overnight before serving.

YIELD:
12
SERVINGS

Squash Casserole

3 pounds yellow summer squash

½ cup cracker meal, bread crumbs, or Pepperidge Farm dressing

2 eggs

1 stick butter
(
or less
)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

teaspoon pepper

½ cup chopped onions

Wash, cut up, and boil squash about 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Add all ingredients, except half the butter and the crumbs, to the squash. Melt remaining butter. Pour mixture into greased casserole dish. Spread melted butter on top and then sprinkle with the cracker or bread crumbs. Bake at 375° for about 1 hour, or until brown on top.