The Puzzle

What’ll it be today Doris, the edges or the insides? 

I think I’ll do the edges if that’s alright. 

Sure. 

So, what did you have for breakfast this morning? 

Oatmeal again. The cook is still out with the flu and I don’t like the eggs that the new guy makes. Too mushy. 

Cook’s been out sick for nearly two weeks now ain’t he? 

Yeah. And you should see his country fried steak. Horrible! So tough you can’t hardly eat it. He don’t know how to beat it and make it tender. Ain’t got the good sense God gave a goose. 

Well not everyone can cook a steak like you, Doris. 

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not all high and mighty about my cooking, but when I was his age, I knew how to fry a steak. 

And how long ago was that? 

Oh, well, I don’t know. You know better than me David. 

James. 

What? 

It’s James. I’m James, not David. 

Oh, that’s right. Sorry, I just got confused for a minute. 

Nevermind, it’s ok. You’re 87 Doris. 

Yes, 87. That’s right. 

Here’s some edge pieces for you. 

Thank you dear. 

Heard y’all had someone come and play the piano last week. Some kind of Christmas concert. Is that right?

Christmas concert? 

That’s right. I heard a man came to The Hills last Tuesday and put on a real nice show for y’all. Said so in the newsletter. 

Oh. Yeah, maybe I remember something like that. 

I used to play the piano too, you know. 

You did?

Yep. My mother set me up with lessons when I was just a little feller. Owe it all to her that I can play so well. 

Sounds like you’ve got one exceptional mother. 

I do. Though I did put up a big fuss in the beginning. Didn’t want to learn how to play no piano. Boys didn’t play pianos. Boys were outside learning how to fish or getting dirty jumping in mud puddles. No boys I knew played the piano. But Momma said, son, I can’t give you much. Can’t take you to the theater in town or some fancy art museums, but by God, you’re gonna have some kind of culture in your life. 

That’s what she said, huh?

That’s what she said. See we didn’t have much money growing up. Momma grew up on a farm. She only went to school until about the fifth grade until she had to drop out and work in the fields. 

Here’s some sky pieces.

Thanks. But Momma always made sure I had what I needed. Might not of had the newest clothes or shoes, but I always had what I needed. She made sure of that. 

Hmm. So you grew up on a farm?

Well, no. Daddy took her off the farm. His family owned a service station, little Maw and Pop kind of place. So Momma and Daddy took over the business. She helped him in the store when she could, when she wasn’t at home doing everything else, raising us kids. 

How many kids?

There’s six of us altogether. Got three brothers and two sisters. We was hellraisers too, probably gave Momma a lot of hell growing up. 

James!

Sorry, we was naughty. Is that better?

Yes, that’s better. 

James, would you get me a glass of water dear? I’m thirsty. 

Sure. 

—-----

What’s this?

Glass of water. You said you was thirsty.

I did? Ok, well thank you. 

Now look a there! You’re almost done with the outside. 

Excuse me, but who are you?

I’m James.  

Well, I, I don’t know. Who are you? Where’s David? Where’s my husband? 

You know me, Doris. I’m James. We were just talking about me growing up, remember? Six naughty kids, remember Doris?

No, I don’t know you. I want David. Where’s my husband, David?

Doris, it’s alright. He’s just gone to work but he’ll be back. Let’s finish this puzzle. You and me. We’ll work on this puzzle until he gets back, ok?

I don’t know. 

You’re almost finished with the edges. Would be a shame not to finish.

Well, I guess that’ll be alright. 

That’s good. Let’s keep working on this puzzle. I’ve almost got the barn finished. Then I’ll work on the stream beside the barn. Could use your help on the horses when you’re finished with the edges. 

Ok, I’ll try. 

That’s the spirit. Say, did I ever tell you about the first time I rode a horse? 

No, I don’t think so. 

Well I must have been about six or seven years old. Just a little thing. And one day I was watching some old western movies, classic cowboy and Indian stuff. And somehow I got it in my head that I needed to learn to ride a horse. I guess I wanted to be a cowboy. Me, a John Wayne! Ha! Can’t hardly picture any of that now. But anyway, I just had to learn to ride a horse. I begged and begged Momma. Please, take me horseback riding. They had six kids to feed and clothe. Wasn’t any money for extravagant stuff like horseback riding lessons. She was barely able to pay for me to play the piano. Finally, she said if I could scrape up the money for the lessons, she reckoned she knew someone who’d teach me for $3.00 a lesson. 

Sounds pretty steep to me. 

Oh back then, it was! And me, just six years old. How was I gonna make $3.00? 

Well, I’ll say. So what did you do?

Well, I wasn’t in school just yet. They held me back a year. I was the baby in the family you see, so I guess Momma wasn’t quite ready to see her last youngun off to school. So every day that Momma went to the store to help Daddy, I went with her. I started sweeping the floors, restocking the cans. On the lower shelves of course. When it all started, I was really just looking for spare change and sometimes I might find a nickel or a penny someone had dropped. But Momma saw that I was old enough to help her out around the store and she started paying me $0.20 a week for my “work”. It wasn’t much, but I learned the value of a dollar at an early age. 

That’s important. To know the value of a dollar. 

Right? So I started saving up. And after about 3 months, which seemed like forever as a child, I finally had the money for the first lesson. I was so proud of myself. So Momma took me to her friend Frannie, a nurse, who owned some horses and gave riding lessons when she wasn’t working double shifts at the hospital. 

Do you still ride?

Oh, that’s the funny thing. The danged horse bucked me off the minute I got on! Dislocated my shoulder and had to wear a sling for a month. 

Poor thing! Bless your heart.  

And, I have to laugh about it now, but would you believe that Momma was mad at me because I couldn’t practice piano! Ha!

My goodness. Well, it wasn’t your fault. 

No, it wasn’t. And she was only disappointed, not real mad. It was funny looking back on it. I’ll never forget that feeling. Looking forward to something as much as I did. Thinking about getting up on that horse for the first time and picturing how it was gonna be. Imagining myself in a cowboy hat and boots. The build up of it all, and then, bam! Knocked right on my ass. 

James! 

Sorry, knocked on my butt. That’s what they call irony. 

Yes, I suppose it is. Look, last edge piece. Give me some of your pieces and I’ll help you with that horse. I can’t help but laugh at that too! 

Ha! That’s a good one. 

Oh, hey James. When did you get here?

Not too long ago. 

Everyone’s been talking about your performance at the Christmas concert last week. Darlene loved it. Said that was the best piano playing she’d ever heard. And I said, Darlene, don’t just be saying that on account of that being my son. And she said, no, I’m telling you the truth. That man knows how to play the piano. 

Oh, Momma. You’re back! 

Back? I ain’t been gone nowheres. 

Oh, Momma, I love you Momma. 

It was beautiful James. I’m so proud of you son. 

Thank you Momma. Thank you. 

Hey, let’s finish this puzzle later. Come to my room and I’ll show you the Christmas wreath your sister Nancy made for me.