My Dearest Naomi (39 page)

Three of his boys are refusing to go along to the
Englisha
church, but I think the rest of the family has gone with him. The strange thing is that the new church he’s going to told him the doctrine he holds on the election of the saints isn’t correct. I guess he took correction from them when he wouldn’t listen to our ministers. It’s a strange and sad world when things like this happen.

When we were done talking, I went upstairs to get much-needed sleep, but what did I do? I started thinking about your homecoming. I got so excited that sleep fled far away. It must have been an hour later before I finally dropped off.

I think I’m still walking on air, gliding around from room to room. Mom says I have a dreamy look, but the real problem is that I’m half asleep. Somehow the two states of affairs go together very well.

I love you!

Naomi

April 20

Each day brings me closer to seeing you again.

You will likely get this letter on Monday. By then there will no longer be a weekend between us, but only one straight week. I can hardly believe it. If you can’t think of me without losing sleep, perhaps you had better stop until I arrive. I can’t have you all sleepy when we need to talk for hours.

I’m very surprised that James Yoder has turned out the way he has. I’ve always liked the guy. I guess you never can tell when someone will go bad, and it’s hard to believe Millie is also excommunicated. She always said she wouldn’t go with him.

We had a ruckus in the house this evening. Actually, it started last night when the drain in my tub upstairs finally stopped up. I mean completely, so I suggested at the breakfast table that my dad always used some sort of drain opener for such emergencies. Tonight I came home to find Luella almost in tears. Lonnie had purchased drain opener and poured it down the drain. It proceeded to foam back up, eating into the enamel on the tub. It must have been powerful stuff. Lonnie got it out before it ate a hole in the tub, but now the bottom is rough, and Luella hates rough tub bottoms.

The drain is now unplugged. We ran a wire down through the trap, and punched the gunk to open the pipe. Water now rushes down. So much for magic drain opener.

Most of Saul’s family came to visit school this forenoon. It made me a little nervous, but I survived. They had nice things to say afterward, which I hope were sincere. I can’t imagine Janie not letting her tongue fly if she didn’t like something I did.

There is a redbird singing outside the house, and I’ve cracked open my window to hear him better. He swells out his chest and sings his loudest. I think he wants to sing to me a pretty farewell song and wish me well on the trip home.

The weather has been awesome, which stirs my blood with desire to be out of the schoolhouse and somewhere outdoors. I hope things stay nice until Tuesday, when the treasure hunt is planned.

I walked home in my shirt sleeves last night, a very first for this year. It felt so good, so refreshing, so liberating from the cold of winter. Now for
the hot sun on the skin, feeling the kisses of summer breezes, seeing the light in your eyes, and this old boy will be happy indeed.

I love you,

Eugene

April 22

I received your card today, and it was wonderful. You make beautiful things. It surprised me though, as I wasn’t expecting a card this late in my stay here. Thanks. I just sat there looking at it, thinking that soon I will see you again. It can’t be that long now. Surely we will be able to speak to each other after four months. I’ve had fears, I must admit, that there will be icebreaking necessary. And I might get a little nervous, but it will be okay. Don’t worry about it. We’ll still be the same people we always were. If we survived our first date, we can survive my homecoming.

I’ve been looking forward to this for so long it’s hard to believe that the time has finally arrived. But somehow it has, and the end is almost in sight.

With all my heart,

Eugene

April 23

This finds me rather in a rush, as usual. I want to clean my room and water my parched plants before 11:30, as I have to stay the rest of the day with John Bach.

Last night I babysat for our neighbors’ grandchildren across the road. I didn’t arrive home until 11:00. There was a gathering for the young folks at Paul Miller’s place, but I missed it, which is okay. Sarah can fill me in on Sunday if anything exciting happened. She knows the date coming up next week, and I’m sure she’ll tell me there was no news that will compare with that occasion.

There was the usual volleyball game on Wednesday night. The weather was cold, so the game wasn’t really much fun. I think your homecoming is casting a long shadow over everything else. I do wish you would hurry.

Your Chicago trip sure sounded interesting. Made me a bit envious.

Enos and Nancy’s wedding is this week. I wish you could be here for that, as I will be left high and dry again for the hymn singing. I hope you don’t mind if some boy takes me to the supper table. It would be out of pity, I can assure you. Hopefully there will be enough girls to go around. I will inform the matchmakers to place me at the bottom of the list, and I’m sure they’ll understand.
Yah,
fat chance!

We want you here, along with Lonnie and Luella, for supper on the Saturday night you arrive, so please pass on the invitation.

I’m in a rush again, trying to get this very last letter off to you. I will send it on its way with a kiss for you. It’s hard to believe you’ll be here soon. Please tell Lonnie to drive carefully.

There is wash to do, and my fingers will freeze with the cold weather outside. Yesterday we were at Harvey’s house for church, and a bunch of us young folks stayed for the afternoon. It wasn’t a very spectacular day in my opinion, as I was bored and restless.

The reason for this being the last letter is that I don’t want you receiving any after you have left Iowa. That would be terrible. I also don’t think there will be any news that needs to be shared before I see you again. Yippee. After that we can talk and not write for a long, long time.

I didn’t mind the writing until these last few weeks. It’s been rush, rush, and when I write I like to take my time. Well, it’s rush, rush again.

Lots and lots of love,

Naomi

April 25

I hope this letter finds you well and still grounded to the earth because I want to see you when I get home.

Tonight I have the treasure hunt for the children, and it looks as if the weather will stay nice until at least tomorrow. Maybe it will stay nice until Friday, the last day of school.

The
Passion Play
in Chicago on Sunday afternoon was awesome. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Crowds of actors played out the life of Christ, starting from the birth of John the Baptist and ending with Jesus’ ascension into heaven. The whole thing lasted more than four hours. There was never a dull moment. It all looked so real.

I now have something going every night until I leave, except for Wednesday. There’s the final supper with the school board members, the ball game, the school program, and then seeing you on Saturday. I have enclosed two of the best essays the children wrote. Lonnie and Luella will be reading all of the essays on Friday night. There is also a goodbye poem. One of the school board members’ wives wrote it, I’m sure, but they are keeping it a secret. And I’ve written a poem for the children to be read too.

Anyway, I’m in a daze of delight, if that’s possible. My head is as light as the breeze blowing down the road. I walked home from school tonight drinking it all in. This will soon be the last walk home for the school year, and this will also be my last letter, so I’m taking a deep breath and writing really slowly. Who would have thought this day would arrive? But is not all well that ends well?

With much love as always,

Eugene

Velma, 7th grade

There are so many things I like and enjoy about school that it’s really hard for me to pick out which ones to write about.

First thing, it’s always fun arriving early in the morning and talking to all my friends before the bell rings. Of course, it’s very exciting right at the start of a new year when you get nice new books to work in. It’s such a difference from when at the end of the year they get to looking pretty tattered and worn.

I like the story hour every morning when the teacher reads stories to us. And the time we spend in singing and learning new songs.

I like most of the studies that we have, but there are some I would rather leave behind. It isn’t long till recess time, and they are always fun. I enjoy playing lots of games, especially when teacher helps us. And, of course, it’s always fun to learn new ones people come up with.

On art day, it is always interesting to try drawing and doing different things that the teacher has us do. When it’s dinnertime, we have almost an hour to play. After dinner, it’s again fun to listen to the afternoon story hour, when the teacher reads to us.

I always enjoy the little surprises teacher comes up with now and then, like going on field trips, touring some kind of factory, or maybe a free period.

It’s always fun when the Christmas program comes around, and we learn new poems and songs. After that comes Christmas vacation and a break from all the studies. And once the program is here, you know the year is half over with.

After all my school years are past, I’m sure I will think back on all the good times I’ve had and realize how lucky I was to be able to go to a private school out in the country where there is peace.

Jared, 7th grade…

Teacher told me to write my feelings on the worst
things about school. Now that is a hard decision to make, isn’t it? Should it be the studies, or the kind of grades I sometimes get, or the rules, or the girls, or writing stories?

At one time or another, all these things seemed to be the worst. But now I think the worst thing about school is being chained to this desk and not caring to work. I watch all those John Deere and International tractors and combines come out in the spring or in the fall. It seems as though everyone is free and can enjoy it but me.

I will show you an arithmetic problem I do not like.

“Miss Day wanted to buy a coat at a sale that was reduced from $25.00 to $20.00. How would you find the percent the coat was reduced?”

Another I don’t like is, “Mary’s father had been paying $576.00 a year on a house he rented. This year the rent was reduced to $420.00 per month. How would you find the percent of decrease in the yearly rent?”

Now I don’t have to worry about this for another four months and six days. Hurray!

Of all these children, I’ll try to tell

The things they do, so good and well.

Brandon is a boy that gets things done,

When he’s working at school or on the run.

If you want to see a boy who digs in and tries,

Then you should meet Mark with a sparkle in his eyes.

Laverne’s a sweet boy, though he often needs Doc,

To Iowa City, his family races the clock.

Anthony is quick as a spider in a shoe.

For the size that he has, amazing things he can do.

Dawn is cheery, each morning, each day,

Just like most little girls that I know anyway.

Brandon is handsome and a sound head has he.

Who would dare guess what that combination will be?

When the problem is difficult, Larry ponders hard,

But what a smile on his face, when he finds the right card.

Like a robin that preens its feathers just so,

That would be Lacie, the girl that I know.

Not many things out of Lester you’ll hear,

Unless some exciting event draws near.

Sharon takes off to Florida each fall,

For the sun and the beach, she leaves us all.

Dakota is quiet as the cloud that glides,

And you never would know the spunk she hides.

If you’re reading a book, and it can’t be found,

I’d advise you check if Dora was around.

She’s another who’s gone, to Florida they fly.

Lydia’s off for the South, and I still wonder why.

He’s a boy who tries, his cheeks all grim.

Did you say Dennis? Yes, that would be him.

Jackie’s the fun of the party and of any giggling bunch.

I’d have her over any day for popcorn and punch.

Velma might be the kindest heart you have seen,

Oft she holds her brother’s hand against a world so mean.