Welcome back to the Whittlers’ Bench.
Things are getting tense for Sally Sue. The economy is beginning to work on her business. Join the community and see what happens.
“Leon, I gotta have that credit. I am desperate. I don’t know how my business is going to stay afloat unless I have some capital to tide me over until I get that stimulus check!”
Sally Sue confronted Leon in the hallway at church on Sunday morning. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Her loud voice reverberated down the hallway and into the worship center. Stares indicated they were not the only ones involved in the conversation.
“Sally Sue, I am struggling, too. People have cut back on their grocery buying, and now that you had that big sale, people took money they needed for groceries and bought dresses. I can’t extend credit because I don’t have any extra myself, and my wife said I needed to keep my head above water.”
“I want you to know that you aren’t the only grocery store around. People may have to drive fifteen miles to shop at Mountain Springs, but I’m tellin’ all my ladies that you aren’t interested in helpin’ our community, so they might take their business somewhere else.”
“Sally Sue, that is downright mean.”
Monday dawned bright and beautiful. Nine o’clock found Claudel and Burl on the Whittlers’ Bench enjoying an early spring day and engaging in a serious conversation about the growing conflict in town.
“I don’t know, Burl. We seen a lot of controversy in this town, but I don’t know I ever seen it where all the men are on one side and women are on the other. As soon as everyone heard we were gettin’ five thousand dollars apiece, all the men wanted to buy bass boats, and the women wanted to buy dresses. It’s like they lost all sensibilities.”
“I reckon I know what you mean. One time I got in the middle of a dog fight. Them dogs were all playin’ around with one another. You’d a thought they were all best buds. Then all of a sudden one of ‘em didn’t like something,’ and they launched into one of the biggest fights I ever seen in my life. I stepped right into the middle of it and tried to break it up. I learned somethin’ that day. You better be careful pickin’ the fights you’re gonna be involved in, or you’ll get your hand bit off.”
Wade had a handkerchief in each hand. He wiped his forehead with one and then wiped his neck with the other. Through the years the Whittler’s Bench had many different men sit down on it, but never had anyone plopped down as hard as Wade Freeman did that day.
“Wade, you look like you been out balin’ hay in 100 degree weather. What’s goin’ on?”
“It’s my wife. Ever since she come home from church Sunday she has been a living nightmare. She said I never give her any money to spend. She says my newspaper means more to me than she does. I don’t know what happened. All of a sudden money has become the main topic of conversation around our house and she says she wants her fair share.”
Claudel rested his hand on Wade’s shoulder. “I think our wives must be plottin’ with one another. That sounds just like the conversation around our house.”
Burl stared at far off at distant Blow Out Mountain. “Men, if somethin’ smells fishy, then it means someone is puttin’ out some bait, caught somethin’, then walked off, and left it to stink. I think we need to get to the bottom of this.”
Wade reached into his pocket and pulled out a fresh handkerchief. “I’m not believin’ my eyes.”
“What is it?”
“Look down 4th Street comin’ this way.”
Marching in syncopated stride as though a drummer were keeping time, four women marched together, their eyes fixed on the Whittlers’ Bench.
“We’re here to deliver an ultimatum. One of our sisters is hurtin’ and we want something done about it.”
“What are you women talkin’ about?”
“It’s Sally Sue. She’s about to lose her business, and unless we all pitch in, and lend her some money she’s gonna go under.”
Wade stared at the four women, of which one was his wife, and blurted, “What makes you think we ought to give Sally Sue one penny? I can’t remember a time she ever helped one of us. As a matter-of-fact, I can’t remember a time Sally Sue ever helped anybody but herself.”
Mary Jane huffed and puffed. Throwing her nose into the air, she blubbered, “How can you talk that way about one of my best friends? She helps us all by keepin’ us in the latest fashions. Those women over in Mountain View don’t have nothin’ on us.”
Claudel stared at the ground for the longest. Lifting his eyes he Leonmly said, “Now let me get this straight. This woman who does nothin’ to help nobody wants somebody to help her. She went out and spent a bunch of money she didn’t have, made promises she couldn’t keep, and now she wants us to pay for her mistakes?”
“Well, it’s the neighborly thing to do!”
Tensions were getting hotter and hotter. Burl interrupted, “My pappy had a neighbor one time who was always gettin’ in trouble. He over-fertilized his crops, so they burned up. He didn’t tie his mule, so he ran off. Everthing that man did got him into trouble. His family was always without food, so pappy always gave him some of ours. One day my pappy had enough. It waddn’t doin’ that man any good for my pappy to always be balin’ him out. He went over to his neighbor and told him, he was goin’ to help him with his crops. He took that whole year and taught that man how to be a farmer. That was all that man needed. He just didn’t know how to be a farmer.”
“I don’t think we ought to bale Sally Sue out. I think we ought to teach her how to get out herself.”
(Continued next time)
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