Strawberry Hill, Chapter 5

Recommended for Ages 8 & UP. Raleia Pendle wishes she was from an earlier more gentile time when everything had a reason and a place, then she meets Ian Rutherford a recluse who hasn't left his house for decades, and gets a glimpse of how different things really were back then. Can she bridge the gap to understanding this unusual old man? At the same time, what can she do from making sure the neighborhood kids don't do anything really dangerous like starting a fire to draw the old man out?

Transcript

Hello,

This is Eilufe of Sylvanosity with a chapter from Strawberry Hill by Eilufe.

Before we read this chapter,

Let's talk about what it takes to do the right thing,

Even though the right thing takes a lot of guts.

Sometimes we feel the push to do the right thing,

But we know that doing the right thing means facing off with someone else,

And we're not sure if we can do it.

You know what they say about courage.

It's not the absence of fear,

But it's doing the right thing in the presence of fear,

Which means we have the confidence in ourselves that we can do it.

And if each of us makes that choice,

Then the world becomes a better,

Safer,

More just place.

Sometimes doing the right thing is not just one choice,

But making multiple choices.

Let's look at the choices Relia makes in this chapter.

Chapter 5 of Strawberry Hill.

Relia woke up in her own bed.

Startled,

She sat up.

Ticton was lying lengthwise across the bed,

Hugging Petey,

His stuffed snake.

Tic,

She said,

Nudging him with her foot.

Tic!

Huh?

Tic squinted at her.

What's going on?

How'd we get in here?

I walked,

Tic said,

Sitting up,

His hair sticking up like it had been rubbed with a balloon.

Why?

I had a bad dream.

How'd I get here?

Tic shrugged.

I brought you in,

Max said,

Bowing to come into the room.

He closed the door behind him.

Is Tiny okay?

Rael asked.

I think so.

Max sat down on the edge of the bed.

She's in the shower now,

Belting out Break on Through.

He put one hand on Relia's knee and the other on Tic's.

Are you two okay?

Relia shrugged.

Tic said,

I dreamed the baby was born with a dog's head.

Max rubbed Tic's knee.

That won't happen,

Tic.

I know.

Tic turned away.

How about you,

Rael?

You okay?

Max patted her leg.

I'm just glad she didn't lose it like last time.

Me too.

Max nodded.

Well,

I have to get to work.

The students arrive tomorrow,

And I have a whole lab to set up.

He stood up,

Just missing the support pin.

Max wishied his head as he walked out.

A lot of support he was.

The creep.

Relia met Tiny as she came out of the bathroom.

They put their heads together forehead to forehead.

It's all right,

Relia asked.

It's all right,

Tiny answered.

They laughed.

Tiny headed downstairs.

Relia went to the bathroom,

Hoping she'd seen the last time.

Tiny got lost in her own emotions.

Tiny was making Mickey Mouse pancakes as Relia came into the kitchen.

How many for you,

Kiddo?

Just two.

Tic was at the table,

A stack of four on his plate and a thick layer of peanut butter on top of each pancake.

He started to cut a banana.

Must you?

Relia asked,

Knowing the whole affair would take a century,

And discussed her before he was through.

Her only hope was finishing before he hit the bad part.

He shoved a banana slice between two pancakes.

Pulling his fingers out covered with peanut butter,

He said,

It's good.

Right.

She closed her eyes to imagine a proper breakfast table.

The cloth would be lace.

The dishes would have tiny tea roses around the edges.

They'd have sectioned grapefruit in flared bowls.

Soft boiled eggs.

Imporcelain egg cups.

Toast served in a holder.

Most modern idiots would mistake as a place for napkins.

The orange juice would be in a crystal glass.

The napkins stiff with starch and held in pewter rings.

She'd wear a white dress with a wide pink satin ribbon at the waist and a large puffy one in her hair.

Her father would wear a lawn suit,

Linen coat,

Pants,

Cotton shirt,

Cufflinks and all.

He'd read the newspaper as they ate and speak with klesis and thank yous to the maid.

He would wear a light blue maternity dress with a bow resting on her stomach and a cascade of satiny fabric flowing over the baby like a curtain.

Tick would have his hair neatly combed back.

He'd still fidget in his seat,

But there'd be no peanut butter banana pancake sandwiches to be eaten at their table.

No sir.

Tick's peanut butter muffled shout brought her back.

Pot the milk!

His cheeks were smeared with peanut butter.

He'd left his peanut butter prints all over his glass,

The knife and the table.

His sandwich was a squished mess on his plate.

Rellia poured him some milk,

But she couldn't bear to watch him chug it down,

Knowing she'd end up seeing banana bits floating around in the glass.

Her brother was the most disgusting creature on Earth.

Tiny had given Rellia her pancakes already,

So she grabbed the syrup,

Her plate and a towel and her silverware to go eat in the yard.

There was a stump next to the birdbath.

She dumped the water out of the birdbath to use it as a table,

Then put the towel down on the stump and took a seat.

Tiny made the best pancakes.

They were ever so slightly spongy and a tad moist in the middle.

Taking her first bite,

Rellia picked out a roof she imagined to be Mr.

Rutherford's.

She couldn't help wondering what he was having for breakfast.

He seemed like a toast and preserves kind of fellow to her.

Maybe poached eggs.

Huh,

I don't care about that crabby old geezer,

Rellia told herself.

Rellia Pendle,

Some boy shouted from the front yard.

Probably one of those goofs from the general store.

She ignored him.

He yelled again.

Tiny called out from the kitchen.

Who is that?

A kid I met the other day,

Rellia answered.

And why is he still screaming?

I don't want to see him.

I swear,

Girl,

Tiny shook her head.

Sometimes you make the wicked witch of the west look friendly.

Tiny left the window.

Rellia assumed she wanted to tell the creep he could come into the yard.

As she expected,

Chocolate came running up to her and a paisley shirt that made Rellia think of the slop bucket on Grandpa Hollister's farm.

Panting,

He said,

I didn't know if this was your house.

I've been calling your name up and down the block.

What for?

Grabbing his knees,

He struggled to catch his breath.

Zoe wanted me to find you.

The guys are planning to set fire to the grass by Rutherford's barn to draw him out.

What?

Rellia stood up.

They went up there a while ago.

She scanned the hill,

Hoping she wouldn't see any smoke.

Nothing yet.

She ran for her bike.

No stupid hill was going to stop her this time.

And those creeps were not going to torch Mr.

Rutherford's place.

Old crab or no old crab.

He didn't deserve to have his home destroyed.

Halfway up the hill,

Her legs felt like her muscles had turned to knives.

Dropping her bike into the grass,

She ran the rest of the way up the hill.

As Rellia reached the gate,

Zoe ran up the drive,

Her bright pink bell bottoms flapping like tongues.

You take one more step and I'll pour wet cement down your pants,

Zoe warned the kid crouched on the edge of the drive with a box of matches in his hand.

Rellia knew it was Bandana from the spiky hair and the jeans jacket.

Shut up,

Zoe,

Tooth yelled back from his hiding place in the bushes.

Rellia didn't feel like a shouting match.

She charged up the driveway as Bandana stood up to go for the barn.

Tooth warned him,

Hey,

That Pendle girl's coming after you.

Bandana checked over his shoulder for Rellia,

Then started to run.

Get him,

Rellia,

Zoe cheered.

Rellia tackled him before he got halfway to the barn.

They went to the ground with a loud thud and sent up a cloud of dust.

Bandana coughed and yelled as he kicked to get away from her.

Rellia got a foot in the cheek and a kick to the ear,

But she held fast with one arm and snatched the matches with the other.

Matches in hand,

Rellia stood up,

Her ear ringing.

What were you going to do with these?

She rattled them.

What do you care?

Bandana demanded.

He scrambled to his feet.

You start that fire and this whole place could burn to the ground.

Who were you,

Miss?

He went silent.

His mouth hung open.

Rellia turned.

Mr.

Rutherford was standing in his front door,

His hands at his side,

His face blank.

He just stood there watching.

Rellia gave Bandana a push.

Get out of here.

He staggered backward,

Then ran for the gate.

He disappeared behind the trees as he took the bend in the driveway.

Rellia faced Mr.

Rutherford.

She didn't want to apologize.

What did she do?

Besides,

He owed her an apology,

Running her off like he did.

He said nothing.

He just stared.

The wrinkles in his long,

Narrow face reminded her of the creases the spring runoff made in the dirt banks of the river behind her house.

Waiting for him to speak only made Rellia madder.

What was with this guy?

Was he loony?

You tackled him,

He said with a tone of awe.

He was going to start a fire,

Rellia shook the matches in the air.

She must have startled Mr.

Rutherford.

He actually jumped.

Maybe he was a little touched.

He shook his head.

I've never seen a girl do such a thing.

Never?

How long had this guy been cooped up in his house?

I suppose I owe you my thanks.

Suppose?

There was no guessing about it.

He should have thanked her.

Do I shake your hand?

Rellia felt like she'd suddenly turned into a foreign ambassador to some country she'd never heard of.

What did he think he was supposed to do?

Kiss her hand?

They weren't at some gala affair or anything.

She just saved his barn from being reduced to ashes.

The least he could do was say thank you.

She loved the refinements of his time,

The dinner parties and gentle manners,

But when it came to a pyromaniac heading for somebody's barn,

Modern people knew a girl could tackle the idiot just as well as any boy.

In her mind,

That should have been true back then as well as now.

But she was in no mood to act as the United States ambassador to modern customs.

She took a few steps forward and offered her hand.

He shook her hand.

His was rough to the touch.

He laughed as he let go.

Huh.

It's been a while.

Since what?

He blushed.

Nothing.

Rellia guessed that he'd been stuck,

Struck by some bizarre disease,

Maybe a strain of malaria in World War I that left him quarantined in his old house for decades.

She was the first person he touched in all that time.

She took a step back.

He grinned.

It made his skin smooth out over his cheeks.

Thank you then,

Miss Pindle,

Rellia whispered.

Rellia Pindle.

Rellia,

He pronounced it correctly on the first try.

Is that a flower?

It's a made up name from a book my mother wrote as a child.

He nodded.

Interesting.

Leaning he looked around her.

Your shall we say companions are still down there.

Why don't we give them a real coup to talk about?

I'll invite you in.

Okay.

He opened the door and swung his arm in an after you motion.

She stepped into the paneled entry hall.

He came in after her,

Then turned to face the door.

How long do you think we should wait?

Rellia didn't have an answer.

She was running her hand over the wood.

It was smooth to the touch,

A bit oily in fact.

He kept it well polished.

He watched her for a moment.

He had blue-gray eyes that made her nervous.

She started to look around the room,

At the built-in wardrobe,

The Deacon's bench,

The darkened doorway of the parlor,

The long hallway flooded with sunlight,

And the archway leading to the short hall with all the pictures.

The details of the house consumed her thoughts.

She didn't hear him say,

You really did come up here to see the house.

Excuse me?

Rellia snapped out of her architectural trance.

The house?

You came with those boys to see the house.

He whispered as he took a seat on the Deacon's bench.

Rellia stared at her shoes.

Her left shoelace was untied.

Well,

Is that the case?

Yes,

Sir,

She whispered.

He laughed.

You certainly are an odd girl,

He said on the Deacon's bench.

So when did young lady start wearing such short dresses?

He raised his eyebrows.

Short?

She thought back to the miniskirts Tiny used to wear.

They were barely long enough to cover her backside.

It's not that short,

He nodded.

Seemed so risque.

Risque?

She laughed.

She always thought that that word sounded like the noise a squirrel would make.

This whole problem with short dresses made some sense.

After all,

People used to think there was something wrong with a man seeing a woman's ankle.

Rellia thought it was a little loony.

Lots of women wear shorter dresses these days.

Crossing his legs,

He said.

When I moved here,

Proper young ladies never so much as displayed their ankles except at the beach.

Rellia had made the historical find of the century.

The odd old man had been hiding out in his house for decades.

He came from a time when little girls wore dresses past their knees,

Crinolines,

Pantaloons,

And tights topped off with high button shoes,

Hair bows,

And gloves.

He'd faint if he saw half the girls at her school with their halter tops,

Hip hugger shorts,

And open-toed shoes.

No wonder he sent her away.

Not the self-respecting young lady from the gits and go era would show up in her rumpled old clothes to offer an apology to one of her elders.

A strange man,

No less.

She laughed.

He lowered his eyebrows,

Looking positively across.

You laugh at the strangest times.

What have I said that's amusing?

Rellia fluttered her way through an apology.

Regaining her voice,

She said,

I didn't mean to laugh.

I will.

Have.

You haven't been into town for a long time,

Have you?

I don't see that that's any business of yours,

He stood up.

I'm sorry.

She was instantly tense.

Her thighs felt as if they were filled with tiny nails.

She'd always dreamed of meeting someone from the past,

But she never imagined on being such a social clod.

I'm sorry,

Mr.

Brotherford.

I'm not familiar with your customs.

My customs?

You're an American,

Aren't you?

Yes,

But I think a lot of things have changed.

Indeed.

He looked away.

He fell silent for a moment.

Then he took a giant step to go to the door.

Perhaps you should go now,

He opened it.

Your friends have probably departed.

They may try to come back.

I'm sure you'll tell them enough about me to keep their little minds occupied for a while.

So that was it.

He had invited her in just to give her enough information to feed to those creeps.

He wanted his privacy.

She had half a mind to let him keep it.

He sure was cold,

But was that his fault or hers?

Stepping outside,

She said,

Thank you for inviting me in,

Mr.

Brotherford.

He nodded,

A quick,

Almost military jerk of the head.

Have a nice day.

The same to you,

Miss Pendle.

She walked down the driveway in a daze.

Was that old man stuck in a time warp?

As she passed through the gate,

Bandana tooth and chocolate started jumping and yelling and begging her for the news about old man Brotherford.

Had she just come from the early 1900s into the 1970s in the space of a short driveway?

She had no idea,

But she had to find out.

This concludes chapter five of Strawberry Hill by Elifay.

In this chapter,

Rellia Pendle doesn't hesitate to stop those boys from setting a fire to that man's yard.

Sometimes when kids are thinking about something,

They don't think it through fully.

The boys may have been right that if they set a fire,

It would have made Mr.

Brotherford come out of his house,

But Mr.

Brotherford would have been terrified.

More importantly,

Could they have controlled the fire if they had set it?

Maybe not.

His house was surrounded by trees.

He was an elderly man,

Close to 90 years old.

I doubt he did much yard work.

The fire could have spread beyond control in a matter of minutes.

It's important to note that the only way off the hill of which his house sits is the driveway.

And it's very true that the fire could have jumped the driveway and they would have been trapped on that hill quite easily.

It's important when we make decisions that we think them through.

What happens next?

We don't really know,

But we can make logical assumptions based on the situation.

But we can't do that if we don't think the situation through.

Now Relia,

On the other hand,

Marched right in to save Mr.

Brotherford and his house without thinking much about it.

Sometimes we don't think things through and they turn out all right.

For instance,

Relia didn't think about what would happen if she marched up there and the fire had already been started.

She didn't tell her parents where she was going.

And this isn't a day before cell phones,

So it's not like she could have called for help.

The fire department was down the hill.

911 wasn't even invented yet.

There are a lot of things that Relia didn't think through before going up that hill.

Sometimes it's important to think before we act.

Relia did the right thing by going to help,

But was it such a good idea to do it without telling her parents where she went?

Maybe not.

But I,

Like you,

Am wondering what happens next in the relationship between Mr.

Brotherford and Relia.

Do you have anyone in your life who seems to be from a different world,

Even though you live in the same world together?

How is it that you might get to know them better?

What might Relia be able to do?

And what will the consequences be for those young boys who made the choice to start a fire?

Hmm,

I wonder.

I hope you'll join me again soon to listen to the next chapter of Strawberry Hill.

This has been A.

Le Fay of Sylvanosity.

Thank you.

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