Ethan Templeton and the All-Seeing Eye: The Book of the Present

By Julie Joe B.

Sometimes life goes by too fast, and we forget the beauty that lives in it! Sometimes it is good to just stop and find the love and magic that it holds for us. Let it become our compass again. There is truly a magic in this book, the magic that is within each of us. Sometimes we forget its there, so its up to us to find it again and embrace it for all that is around us to see. The gift of the present is given every day. Lets all take it and help it grow and see where this world really can go!

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Mar 25, 2016
• ISBN: 9781489706768

Julie Joe B.

I am very thankful for the gift of this book. It has given me a new perspective on life. It has truly been a great adventure in writing it. Upon writing this book, I felt like it took on its own life, become more and more exciting in every chapter that was written. Sometimes not knowing is the greatest journey, and that is what this book did to me. I have enjoyed every minute of writing it. It became part of me in its great journey. I cried, I laughed, and even became angry at the story as it was written.

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Copyright © 2016 Julie Joe B.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-0678-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-0677-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-0676-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016904049

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 03/25/2016

CONTENTS

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1

I t had been a long week. Scott and Willa quickly loaded up their SUV, picked up young Ethan and headed out of town for their weekend in the country.

Scott Templeton is in his early thirties, a tall, slender built man, with dark hair. His wife Willa of eight years is in her late twenties with flaming red curly long hair, thinly built.

Their son Ethan is seven almost eight years old. He has red hair just like his mom. Willa kept his hair a little long, so it was wavy at the ends. She loved Ethan’s hair it was perfect with his brilliant green eyes that made his face look shy but cute.

It was finally here, the County Fair, the event they waited for all year. It was in a little town called Aurora, just a three- hour drive east of the city.

The little town of Aurora was so special to them! They had never experienced people that were so friendly. Everyone is like a family here. It felt like home to them. The atmosphere seemed magical. Scott and Willa had been going there for years. The town fair was always filled with so many events, competitions, games, rides, the best food in the county, and lots of farm animals, also evening events, music, singing and dancing to enjoy.

They always stayed in a little Bed & Breakfast in the middle of town called Pipe’s Creek Farm Bed & Breakfast ran by Phil and Myra Pipe.

Willa still remembers the first time they came there. It was their first anniversary. Willa was expecting Ethan. She was a little scared and nervous to come, but Phil and Myra took them in and made them feel at home; such good people. Scott and Willa didn’t have any family, and this was the closest thing they ever had to it. It was like taking a step back in time, something they couldn’t wait to get to, so they had been coming back every year since.

Phil Pipe was an older man; he seemed very tall, and he had beautiful dark skin with dark eyes. When he smiled, he could light up a room. His mustache made him look very distinguished. Myra Pipe was an older woman with a very strong look for a woman. She had short dark curly hair with deep blue eyes. She was medium build, mid height, but somehow she seemed like she was 10 feet tall.

Phil and Myra Pipe had lived in Aurora all their married life. They never had children of their own, so the Inn became their family, making it feel like home to everyone that comes to stay. They purchased it five years into their marriage. They’ve been running it for over 30 years now and still love running it to this day.

The Templeton’s got to the Inn about Eleven O’clock that morning. The SUV stopped! Out jumped Ethan and up the stairs to the porch he flew. He opened the door and ran into the foyer yelling, Uncle Phil – Auntie Myra we’re here, we’re here! Willa tries to catch up with him quickly.

Out from behind the desk comes Phil smiling and laughing. Boy! Ethan, you have gotten so big! Patting him on the head, picking him up and hugging him now.

Willa apologized for Ethan’s abruptness.

Phil shakes his head and says, I wouldn’t have it any other way, laughing.

Out from the kitchen comes Myra with her arms out to hug Ethan. Myra says, Come here, Ethan. Come see Auntie, bending down to hug him.

Soon Scott comes bailing in with the luggage. Phil says, Oh Scott let me help you get that.

Scott smiles and says, Thanks.

Phil grabs the key, hands it to Ethan and says Run on up and open your door, you know which one it is.

Myra and Willa headed toward the stairs I got you all set up in your usual room you can go on up and get settled in, said Myra.

They stopped in front of the stairs, Willa resting her hand on the stair rail, taking a step up on the first step then turns to look at Myra. It’s been a long week for Ethan, sighing, she said, Oh thank you, Myra, we just couldn’t wait to get here. She then stepped back down to give Myra a hug then turned around and climbed the stairs to their room with Scott and Phil right behind her with the luggage.

After they got all the luggage up to the room, Phil told Ethan Let’s go down and ask Auntie for a snack while your parents get settled in.

Ethan looks at Scott and Willa excitedly; they smile at each other, then Willa says, You can go, but be polite! So off they went to find Myra.

Soon Scott and Willa were all unpacked and settled in. They started down the stairs and headed in the direction of the kitchen to find Ethan. Opening the kitchen door, they find him eating a homemade chocolate chip cookie with chocolate all over his face.

Hi mom, do you want one? They’re delicious, said Ethan.

Oh my, it looks like it. Drink your milk so we can go please, said Willa.

Myra got a wash cloth out of the drawer, getting it wet, then started washing Ethan’s face. There, you’re all ready for your big adventure today, said Myra touching his little nose with her finger and smiling.

Ethan jumped down and grabbed his mom’s hand and says, Adventure is out there, and starts pulling her to the door.

Willa gasps out, Well I guess we’re going, we’ll see you later tonight. Scott gets up and shakes his head and starts toward the door. Then out they went to find the first event for the day.

The pie eating contest was the first stop on Scott’s list. The homemade pies were the best in the county. He couldn’t wait to get started at this event.

Ethan had other plans. Seeing the sign for the gunny sack race, he pulled Willa all the way there.

Ok, ok let’s get you into your sack, said Willa. Helping him into his bag then getting him to the starting line.

Ethan says, You too mommy, please.

Let me go get a sack, said Willa. She turned around and walked back to get a sack. Getting into her sack just in time, as the gun goes off and down the field, they go as they all start jumping.

Ethan jumps and jumps, so fast that he is passing everyone. He was so determined to win, the faster he goes.

Willa fell two different times before getting to the finish line. She didn’t even see that Ethan had won.

Look! Mommy, I won! I won! Ethan was holding a blue ribbon in his hand.

Ethan, WOW! That’s great! She grabs him up and hugs him, kissing him on the cheek she says, I’m glad that no one was filming this race, it was challenging for mommy, laughing. Taking Ethan in her arms she says, Let’s go show daddy what you won ok. Ethan shakes his head and off they went to find Scott.

By the time they had found Scott back at the pie eating contest, Scott had eaten four pies still working on his fifth one and the timer just went off. The contest was done, and Scott only had four and a half pies eaten. He didn’t even come in third place. Cleaning up his face, he saw Ethan and Willa coming toward him.

Ethan starts running toward him yelling, Daddy! Daddy! I won! I won! See my ribbon!

Scott picks Ethan up and swings him around in the air, then put him on his hip. Let me take a look at that ribbon, said Scott. WOW! That’s a pretty ribbon Ethan I’m so proud of you.

Willa says, I think he deserves some lunch for that ribbon. What do you think Daddy?

To the food court, said Scott.

Then Ethan says, To the food court! Scott and Ethan put their arms in the air, pointing in the direction they needed to go. Then Scott puts Ethan down and heads off in the direction of the food court to eat.

Ethan’s eyes were filled with so many things to choose from, but his first choice though is the Elephant ears, which were his favorite, Willa’s was corn on the cob that you had to eat-off a stick and Scott, he was a corn dog kind of guy. After they finished up eating Scott started chanting, Churro, churro, churro.

Ethan started chanting it too!

I know! I know you’re not going to stop till we get you one, said Willa grabbing their hands and heading to the booth that sells them.

Next on their list; the farm animals! Ethan loved them all, but he seemed to like the hog’s the best. He just loved the way they squeal; it would make him giggle. Ethan could stay there all day just playing with them.

Finally, Scott says, Hey let’s go get some cotton candy, to get him away from the hogs.

Yes cotton candy, said Ethan making a fist and throwing his arm into the air. Off they went to find some cotton candy.

Standing in line at the cotton candy booth Scott spots the bumper cars. He waits until they all have their cotton candy, then says, Look, Ethan, and points at the bumper cars.

Ethan’s favorite ride, Daddy lets go, grabbing his hand and running that way.

Scott chased Ethan all around the course. Bumping into each other back and forth as fast as they could go, laughing and having fun as they drove. Wow that was so fun daddy can we do it again? asked Ethan.

Well maybe mommy would like to try, said Scott.

Willa says, That sounds fun, but there are caramel apples somewhere waiting for me, smiling.

Ethan looks down and kind of kicks the ground with his shoe then looks up and says, Ok, let’s go get one then. in a disappointing voice.

On their way to finding the caramel apples Scott spotted a booth with a game called; DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES! Scott turns to Willa and says, My lady I will win you a prize, and bows.

Willa fans her face with her hand and giggles saying, Why certainly my good man you should try.

Scott takes the ball. Points it at the bottles then lets it go, down the strip. Then it goes right into the gutter. What, a gutter ball! yelled Scott. No way! I have to try this again. He tries it again, but this time Scott only knocks down four of the ten bottles. Really! What’s up with this? He asks in disbelief.

Willa is trying not to laugh, I think you are making it look too hard! Maybe you should let Ethan have a turn.

Ethan laughing says, Yep, my turn daddy! I can do it.

Scott hands Ethan the ball and says, "Well then let’s see if you can do it better!

Ethan takes the ball, aims it at the bottles, and it rolls down and knocks all of the bottles down. Ethan starts jumping up & down yelling, I did it! I won! I won!

Scott shook his head in disbelief.

Willa grabs him up and starts hugging and kissing him. You did it! You won! said Willa.

Well mommy what would you like? Ethan asks, The sky is the limit for you!

Willa looks at all the prizes and points to the big blue dog and says, I think I want that big blue dog right there.

Ethan looks at the man in the booth and says, OK! Mr. we want that big blue dog up there, like he was so grown up. Willa smiles at Scott and says, Let’s go find those caramel apples now.

Scott agreed. The caramel apple booth was just ahead. They smelled so good but tasted even better.

The apples are picked fresh from the farm down the road. The caramel is the best, with such good flavor. It was Willa’s favorite thing to get at the fair.

Evening was falling, time to find their way to the Center Square. It was in the middle of town, where everyone gathered together to listen to all the local bands. Real foot stomping, hand clapping and dance your feet off music!

They had left a big opening in the center of the square for dancing. There were bleachers outlining the dance floor. There was a big stage for the bands to play at the front of the square.

Sometimes they would have two bands play at the same time. They called it the war of the bands, this was when teams would come and grab the people from the audience and line them up and have a dance off between two different groups. Somehow Willa was always picked, but she loved it.

Then out came the square dancers, to take over the floor. The dancers were so festive and alive, never missing a step in the rhythm of their music. This year there were three groups of dancers. There were eight in each group. This event had grown bigger over the years.

They danced, sang and clapped all night to all the bands that played. Ethan had fallen asleep from exhaustion. Scott picks him up and packed him up over his shoulder telling Willa I think it’s time to get him back to the Inn. They had done so many things that day poor little Ethan was just done-in.

Heading back to the Inn they were still humming the songs that they had just heard from the bands, filled with happy thoughts and the feeling of being home’ like they always did when they would come.

Climbing the stairs to the porch and opening the door Scott was feeling very tired himself. He barely managed to get to the room. He laid Ethan down on the rollaway bed they had put out for him, taking his shoes off of him and covering him up. Scott stroked Ethan’s hair and said, Good night Ethan.

Willa kissed him on the forehead saying, Good night Ethan. Love you, see you in the morning, and off to bed they went.

The next morning, they got up early to get to the Big Red Barn Breakfast event. It was just down the road from the Inn. It was a buffet breakfast. It was a tradition the town folks started to help bring tourists in for their yearly event. The Big Red Barn was set up the same way every year, with tables everywhere and two long lines of buffet carts filled with delicious food and plates that you could grab on each end. The buffet had everything you could think of to eat for breakfast, biscuits and gravy, ham, sausage, bacon and every kind of egg you might like. Scrambled eggs, over easy, sunny-side-up, they even had a hot grill waiting to make any omelet the way you would like.

There was a table laid out just for their beverages, having orange juice, apple juice, grape juice and fresh milk straight from the cow. There was always coffee and hot tea to drink too. They filled their plates and found a place to sit down to eat. Getting all settled in Willa says, Oh I forgot to get us drinks.

That’s ok mommy I will go get them, said Ethan. What do you guys want to drink? Ethan asks.

Scott says, Coffee for me, please!

Willa says, Orange juice will be good for me, please! Ethan gets out of his seat and heads to the juice table. Getting all the drinks ready, he starts putting them on a platter to carry them to their table. He starts to pick up the platter and it gets a little wobbly. Just then a big cowboy came up and asked if he needed some help. Ethan puts down the platter, turns to see who is talking to him. The man looks down at him, puts out his hand and says, I’m Bobby, Bobby McClain! Hey, little man what’s your name? asking Ethan.

Ethan grabs his hand and shakes it saying, Ethan!

Well Ethan can I give you a hand getting that back to your table? asks Bobby.

Well, it is kind of heavy, said Ethan.

Bobby McClain was tall, he looked very strong with a rugged look about him, but his eyes were soft, they almost sparkled when you looked into them.

Bobby picked the platter up saying, Now which way to your table. Ethan points in the direction it was, and off the two of them went.

Getting back to the table, Ethan says, Mommy! Daddy, this is Bobby McClain. He helped me get our drinks.

Scott gets to his feet and puts his hand out to shake Bobby’s hand and says, Scott Templeton and this is my wife, Willa.

You folks here for our yearly festival? asked Bobby.

Yep! said Ethan. We come every year! We stay with Uncle Phil and Auntie Myra in their great big Inn!

Well, Ethan I have some horses in the horse stall just across the field, pointing in the direction of where they were. Would you like to see them? Maybe even take a ride on one of them? Bobby asks.

Ethan shakes his head with excitement. He starts begging, Please! Please! Please!

Smiling, Willa says, WOW! That’s so nice of you; we would love to.

Bobby says, Well then I’ll leave you folks to your breakfast. When you folks are all done just walk on over to the stalls, and I’ll get you all setup. Giving you the rundown of the place.

That sounds mighty fine! Scott said not realizing he was talking just like Bobby now.

They finally were all done. They cleaned up their table; then they started across the field to the stalls. They found Bobby standing at a stall with a