Pumpkin Pie and Other Stories

By Shirley E. Watson

The story "Pumpkin Pie" is about a young man's attempt to fulfill a long-standing promise to a sister. Plus fifteen other stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shirley E. Watson
• Release date: Jul 22, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476494203

Shirley E. Watson

Born in Northern Ireland, I lived in New York and now in New Jersey for many years. Frequent visitor to Cape Cod and North Florida.

Book preview

Pumpkin Pie and Other Stories

by Shirley E. Watson

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Shirley E. Watson

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Table of Contents

Pumpkin Pie Pumpkinpie

A Tale of Two Sisters Twosisters

A Tree Falls Treefalls

A Job For Christmas JobforChristmas

Nice Kitty Nicekitty

A Dangerous Species Dangerousspecies

Snowfall Snowfall

The Deer King Deerking

The Old Woman Oldwoman

Christmas Eve Christmaseve

Blackout Blackout

The End of Summer Endofsummer

Inspiration Inspiration

A Winter's Night Wintersnight

The Flame Theflame

The Road Home Roadhome

Pumpkin Pie

Cassie could hear the phone ringing from the back yard. She sprinted for the house, in the back door, up the steps and into the house and just got it on the last ring. Hello?

What, did you just run the marathon, Sis?

Cassie, gasping for breath, squealed, Arnie! Where are you? She hoped he was nearby, maybe on a bus heading out of New York, headed for home. Her hopes were dashed when he said, I'm still at the base. I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Tomorrow I may be on duty.

Cassie was disappointed but she knew he was more disappointed. You may be? Does that mean there's a chance you'll get home?

You got it, Sis. If I do, I'll bring the pumpkin pie.

This was a long standing joke between them. Arnie had never yet brought a pie to Thanksgiving, although he had promised it a few times. Somehow, he was always called away and so Cassie always made a pie anyway, just in case.

You do that, brother. Give me a call tomorrow if you can't be here.

OK, but leave room for the pie.

Cassie hung up, a lump in her throat. She was so hoping that Arnie would be able to make it. It was just the two of them, now. Their parents had died in a car accident ten years ago. There was an aunt and an uncle but they lived far away. So Cassie usually invited Mrs. Martin from down the street and Joe Vedamonte from the restaurant. Both were elderly and had relatives who lived at a distance. Cassie had told her boyfriend, Bruce, to spend the time with his own parents. So on her day off, she was cooking - at least it made a change from waitressing. But, if Arnie could come, it would be perfect.

Arnie was talking to his duty officer, and found out that he could go home, but of course, if something came up, he would have to report back again. The following morning, he left the Coast Guard base, excited and hurrying. He managed to catch a bus heading into the city where he would transfer to the bus going home. Home these days was where Cassie lived.

The bus groaned and wheezed into the Port Authority bus terminal. Arnie went to the ticket window and learned he had an hour to kill until his bus left, so he strolled through the terminal, looking into windows. A small coffee shop attracted him and he sat down at a Formica counter where several others were drinking coffee and eating snacks. He ordered a Pepsi and sat sipping it, glancing from time to time at the other customers. He noticed that the man nearest to him was eating a slice of pie. Pumpkin pie! Arnie made a resolution that moment to break with the past and actually bring a pumpkin pie home for Thanksgiving. And when Arnie made up his mind, that was it. Whatever it was happened.

He turned and said, Excuse me, sir, is that pumpkin pie you are eating? The man eyed him warily. Yeah, it is. Something wrong with that?

Arnie said hastily, Oh, no, of course not. I was thinking of having it myself. Is it good?

The man grunted what might have been a yes and went back to eating. Arnie called the waitress over. She was an older woman with gray hair pulled back into a kind of twist.

What can I get you, Hon?

That pumpkin pie, ma'am.

Oh, sorry. That's the last piece of it. It's popular today. Since he looked disappointed, she said, I can give you lemon meringue but if you really got to have pumpkin, there's a shop on the next level that sells fruit baskets. But today, they're selling pumpkin pies to take home, too.

Arnie was delighted. That was exactly what he wanted. He drank down his coffee and left the waitress a good tip. He checked the time and then took the down escalator. This level was lined with the same kind of stores, most of them open even though it was Thanksgiving. When he got to the fruit basket store, he noticed a sign in the window. Sorry! We're out of baskets due to a large demand. We have decided to close early. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. He rattled the door even though he knew it was hopeless. It was dark inside.

He turned and walked away. Looked like he would not be bringing a pumpkin pie this time, either. Maybe it was really just a joke, anyway. He looked around, noticing people roaming the terminal aimlessly, shuffling slowly. It was obvious they would not be catching a train or a bus. The homeless had scruffy bags or carts with them. He hoped they would go to a mission for a hot meal, at least.

He checked his watch. It was not too soon to go to the gate. His bus was there with the door open and he climbed aboard and settled near the back, gratefully leaning back in the seat and closing his eyes. The holidays were usually rush, rush rush, but it was worth it, just to go home. He was thinking of the crisp skin of a turkey leg, when he heard someone settle into the seat across from him. He opened his eyes and saw an elderly woman, round and wheezing slightly as she arranged her bulk and possessions around her. She turned towards him and nodded politely.

Good to get here early to get the seat you want, isn't that right, young man?

He nodded, not wanting to get into too much of a conversation.

The woman looked at him as he closed his eyes again. She thought he was a good looking boy with those dark Irish looks - black hair and clear complexion. She thought his eyes were blue, too. She assumed he was going home and she wondered where.

Slowly, the bus filled and the driver finally climbed aboard. He closed the doors and the bus moved towards the exit ramp. People were settling in their seats and opening newspapers, shifting parcels, soothing children. Arnie looked out the window, watching the walls of the terminal slide by and the bus emerge onto the street, where it crawled its way towards the Holland Tunnel that led to New Jersey. There was steady traffic but it was moving. They reached the New Jersey Turnpike and turned South. Arnie looked at a landscape of industrial properties. They went over bridges and rivers that fed into New York Bay and still the landscape remained the same. Arnie dozed and woke again. The elderly woman had taken out a ball of yarn and was knitting.

Arnie became aware of a shaking and grinding and came awake to see the bus driver wrestling with the wheel. He pulled the bus over to the side of the road and turned to the passengers.

Sorry, folks, looks like we might have a tire going flat. I’ll call to see if another bus can pick you up but it might be a while.

There were groans and cries of distress. It was Thanksgiving and most were going home to a family dinner. They were now stranded somewhere on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Arnie looked at the elderly lady. She shrugged and went on knitting. She said, without looking at him, I just hope I get there in time for dessert. She chuckled as though she was used to the breaking down of buses and this incident did not concern her greatly. Then he became aware of moaning coming from somewhere ahead. He hoped somebody was not getting sick. Suddenly a male passenger stood up, white-faced, looking around wildly.

The woman beside me – I think she’s going into labor. She’s having a baby! His voice rose and broke on the last word. There was total silence in the bus for a millisecond and then everyone began talking at once.

Give her room! Where can we put her? Does anybody know anything about delivering babies?? Where’s her husband, for goodness sake?

Arnie stood up. He’d had first aid training. He came forward.

Just stay calm, folks. There’s room at the back where she can go, if necessary.

It seemed to be very necessary as the young woman gave a shriek. He leaned over her and said, We’ll help you to the back, ma’am. There’s more room there.

He and a redheaded young woman took the pregnant woman’s arms and slowly brought her to the back seat of the bus where she lay down, her face covered in sweat and looking frightened.

The redhead, who identified herself as Ruth, reassured the patient that everything would be all right. Ruth said she was a nurse at New York hospital and was going home to her parents for dinner. She smoothed the hair back from the woman’s face and said, What’s your name, honey? The young woman gasped that her name was Christina and she had been traveling from Boston to get to her parents home. Her husband was in the army, deployed overseas.

Ruth told her they would take good care of her and then she turned to Arnie. I think this baby is coming now – will you be able to give me a hand?

Arnie assisted Ruth