Fourteen And Seven

By Harlan Guillot

Fourteen and Seven is a fictional story of two young children who were raised by their grandparents after the tragic loss of their parents. It tells how at the age of fifteen, they fell in love. They both dropped out of school and were married at sixteen years old. Al worked on a tugboat with his grandfather, and on his seven days off, he and his young wife, Martha, fished and trapped in the marshes of South Louisiana. They spent their time down the bayous at their grandfather's camps. It tells how Al came to know the Lord when he almost drowned. It tells of the wealth he acquired during his young life. How he moved up with his company and became a rich man. It tells of the lifestyle in South Louisiana from the 1920s to the present. This book is about a couple who fell hopelessly in love and how God blessed them their entire life. You won't read much tragedy in this novel. You will read about the love and life of a couple who believed in God and how He richly blessed them. It describes the waterways and bayous of South Louisiana, the Hill Country of Texas, and the mountains of Colorado. It talks about Alligator hunting and fishing along with trapping. You will get caught up in a lifestyle the author lived. You will walk into a world that once was. Enjoy Fourteen and Seven and the love of a very young couple. Watch as God walked with them every step of the way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781640284906

Book preview

Dedication

I have dedicated this book to a man who took time out of his life to invest into mine. At the young age of five, he took me on a fishing trip in his boat across Flat Lake to the tupelo and cypress trees that boarded the lake shore. I caught my first fish on that trip—a lake runner.

At the age of twelve, he took me along with a friend of his, Guy Gilmore, on a duck hunting trip in September during teal season. We went into the head of a small bayou off the river. It was an evening hunt. I remember the ducks were flying around our heads like mosquitoes. I must have killed a whole limit of ducks that evening. It set a fire burning in me that didn’t go out until duck hunting became too much work for a worn out body like mine.

He built me a fourteen feet wooden skiff when I turned fifteen. This was the start of all the adventures and memories I write about today.

Thank you, Uncle Kenny, for spending time with me. Your effort and time will never be forgotten.

I have dedicated this book to Kenny Lee Guillot, my uncle, my daddy’s little brother, who is big in heart.

Preface

Life seems to have passed so quickly. I look back and think, Wow, that was fast. I have gone back in time to recreate a life I remember. I have tried to paint a picture of a lifestyle that has long since passed. I wanted to give you, the reader, a snapshot of life back in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.

This book is about two young people who fell hopelessly in love and the major impact God had on their lives as they enjoyed the things He blessed them with.

Live their lives as you read these pages. Get lost in this story of love. Walk through it with them as they keep God in its center. Take note as He blesses them with each step they take.

Just stand in the background. Watch as you read and enjoy the ride. Maybe become a part of it as you drift away to a time long ago.

Their life was a wonderful trip. Enjoy them as I have.

Thank you for coming into their world.

Part 1

Chapter 1

The Accident

The Early 1970s

Martha, along with her mother and dad, had just spent the last week of trapping season at her grandfather’s camp. The week had finally come to an end and not too soon. Martha was ready to sleep in her own bed. She was now fourteen and had turned in to a very beautiful girl.

Her dad, Lil’ Joe, loaded the boat for their final trip home of the season. Martha and her mother, Jackie, made a final cleaning of the camp while Lil’ Joe loaded everything of value into the small skiff. He locked everything that could be locked and then made his way to the boat.

They were tired from the hard work of the long trapping season. Lil’ Joe was the first in the boat, followed by Jackie and then Martha. She untied the bowline and pushed the boat away from the wharf. The inboard engine popped off, and they were on their way home.

It was early February, and there was a chill in the air. The river was cold, and it caused the air four feet above its surface to be cool. There was a nice northeast breeze that blew Martha’s hair every which way. The jackets were a welcome warmth from the coolness of the day.

Lil’ Joe had loaded the boat with pelts, empty gasoline cans, clothes, guns—everything he felt he could not leave. He knew the small skiff was overloaded. It was a chance he took, not wanting to return anytime soon.

The skiff didn’t seem to mind the load as it slid across the river surface headed for home. The trees that bordered the river had their winter faces with no leaves and what seemed to be dead branches. It was a welcome ride that would bring the trio to a peaceful home in the small town where they lived.

Martha loved the river. It had always been part of her life. She was six months old when her mother and father first brought her to the camp. She loved the peace she always felt while sliding across the surface of this powerful body of water. The river had its own smell; its own feel. The large blue herrings flew gracefully, looking for fish to eat. The river was home, not just to Martha but to many animals and fish. Its waters gave life to many creatures and insects. The tall cypress that bordered the water’s edge seemed lonely as the boat passed by them. They all seemed to speak to her inner woman, their branches and hanging moss waving in the breeze.

A blessed life is what she felt God had given her. Her mind drifted away to the many trips she and her parents had taken to their family camp. Her life was a good life with parents who loved her. She looked up at the cypress trees standing tall and majestic with their moss-covered branches, guarding the water’s edge. The trees would soon be getting their new attire of bright green, which was a welcome change from the dead look of winter. She loved this river, its scenery, and its way of life. She knew in her heart she would never leave it. It was her life. It’s was all she knew. Martha knew the time would come to pick a husband. He would have to be a man who knew and loved the outdoors as she did.

Martha looked ahead and could see in the distance Fool’s Point. She always paid attention when the boat got to this area. It was over a hundred feet deep and one of the most dangerous spots on the river. There were large eddies and currents going in multiple directions. Their skiff would have to cross it to get home.

Lil’ Joe could now see it too and knew the skiff would be in its grip in just a few seconds. He also saw a tugboat coming in the opposite direction. It was closing on them fast and didn’t look like it was going to slow down. The tug was making huge waves. The pilot must not have seen the skiff.

Martha turned around to see fear on her dad’s face—a look she had never seen. Joe turned the skiff, heading for the sandbar and safety just two hundred yards away. He never made it.

The wave from the tug hit the overloaded skiff, covering it and Martha’s head. The skiff was gone below the surface of the water as soon as the wave hit it.

Martha struggled to stay afloat, but she was having trouble in the cold river water. She splashed wildly with her arms, and as she began to slip below the surface of the water, her hand hit an empty gasoline can that had a handle. She grabbed it and held on for her life.

The eddies spun her around and pushed her downstream. Martha had no control over where she was going. The river was so cold; all she could do was scream for her momma between her chokes of swallowed water. Suddenly, her feet began hitting something. It was the sandbar. She began crawling to safety out of the freezing river. She was able to stand up and wade through the shallows up the sandbar to dry land. She then ran up and down the water’s edge, frantically calling out for her parents.

Martha was shivering uncontrollably. She was quickly going into shock. She cried and screamed for her momma, but there was no answer. Her parents were gone, victims of the cold river water in the grip of Fool’s Point.

About five minutes after the accident, Bob and his wife, June, were coming up the river to town. They had spent the weekend at a friend’s camp. They both loved the river and spending time away from the telephone and people. The couple made it around a bend in the river headed to Fool’s Point when Bob noticed all kinds of debris floating on the surface of the river.

Bob, where are all these debris coming from? June asked.

I don’t know. Maybe a boat turned over at Fool’s Point.

Oh, Bob, I hope not.

Bob slowed down as he approached the point and then June shouted, Bob, look! It’s a young girl up on the sandbar. Bob turned the boat into the sandbar, and when the boat hit bottom, June jumped out and ran to the girl.

Child, what has happened?

All Martha could scream was, My momma and daddy didn’t come up! They didn’t come up! She shivered from her wet hair and clothes.

June took off the heavy coat she was wearing, covered Martha’s small frame, and walked her to the boat. Both Martha and June climbed in as Bob quickly backed off the sandbar.

Now knowing what had happened, Bob made a quick visual check of the area. After convincing himself there were no more survivors, he headed for the landing to get Martha to the hospital and report the accident to the authorities. He also needed to inform the next of kin.

Bob got to the landing in five minutes and tied the boat to the dock. He then helped Martha and June onto it. Then he ran for his truck. By the time June and Martha were off the dock, Bob had the trailer backed into the water. He had the heater on high as June helped Martha into the truck.

Bob ran to the dock, untied the boat, and jumped in, and in seconds, he had driven the boat onto the trailer. June got behind the steering wheel, and when Bob waved for her to take off, June pulled the boat out of the water. Bob jumped out of the boat onto the landing. June got out from behind the steering wheel, and Bob got in to take her place. June ran around the front of the truck to the passenger side and got in.

Bob drove straight to the hospital and pulled into the emergency entrance. He got out of the truck and retrieved a wheel chair. June got Martha out of the truck and sat her in the wheel chair. Bob pushed her through the emergency doors. June took her from there.

Bob moved his truck and boat so they would not block the entrance. He then ran inside to tell Jimmy, a registered nurse, to start treating Martha for hypothermia. Bob then got to a phone and called the police.

Hello, this is Dr. Bob Sims. I want to report an accident on the river around the Fool’s Point area. I think two people might have drowned.

Bob then called Martha’s grandfather and grandmother, Joe and Ivy. They arrived at the hospital not long after Bob had called them. Bob told them all he knew, and as he began to tell the details, Joe went to his knees as Ivy fell into Dr. Bob’s arms. Bob had told many families the sad news of losing a loved one, but this was different. Lil’ Joe and Jackie were their personal friends.

This was going to be very hard to get through. Most of the town knew Lil’ Joe and Jackie and thought highly of the family. It was going to be a great loss to the small river town.

Jimmy did as Dr. Bob had told him, and when Martha was stabilized, he ordered a mild sedative to help her through such a difficult time.

The townspeople were so supportive. Members from the Methodist church, where the family were members, brought food to comfort them in their loss.

Lil’ Joe and Jackie were found not far from where the boat had gone down—one hundred yards from safety. The funeral took place a few days later. Lil’ Joe and Jackie were laid to rest in the town graveyard facing the eastern sky, close to the river that claimed their lives.

The service was packed with standing room only and not a dry eye in the church. People loved and cared for each other in this small river town. The river that gave them their way of life had claimed the lives of loved ones in almost every family at one time or another. Most families had at one time felt the pain that Joe, Ivy, and Martha were feeling. They knew their hurt, how to help, and what to say.

Life can be so hard at times and you can feel like you can’t get through your trials, but you do. It can seem that you have no hope, but you do have hope. It sometimes gets hidden from your line of vision. God gives us people who help and comfort us so we can be a blessing to someone in need. The people in town were that blessing to Martha and her grandparents. They were there at every turn.

Martha had no family except her grandmother and grandfather. Her grandparents on her mother’s side had both passed away. She was very close to her dad’s parents. She had spent many days playing in her grandfather’s store. There was no question where she would live. She was very close to Ivy, her grandmother, and she spent time crying in her arms. Ivy was a rock. She held the family together in this time of crisis.

Joe had his moments and wasn’t much help to Martha or Ivy. He had days he didn’t talk much, and depression had set up in his mind. He cried a lot these days. People would come into the store and bring up the subject of Lil’ Joe, only to have Joe break down in tears.

Ivy would come in and help in the store when Joe had real bad days. Martha started showing up occasionally behind the counter of the store but had no smile or joy on her face.

The store was a large room attached to the front of the house. The store did well. Joe was a butcher by trade and sold a real good grade of beef and pork. He also had chickens, cut up or whole. He sold all kinds of cold cut meats and homemade fresh sausage. He had a great personality but was going through a difficult season in his life. People in town knew his pain and were very patient with him.

The hours turned to days and the days to weeks, and the family started to heal. Ivy had seen so much in her life. The war had hardened her, and she didn’t seem emotional at all. She kept everything inside to help Joe and Martha in their time of grief. A few months passed and Martha became settled in her new home.

Chapter 2

Reflecting on the Past

It was early April, and Martha started making it through the day without crying. Joe and Ivy were being as strong as they could, but it was tough. Then a small but hopeful breakthrough happened.

Joe was in the backyard cutting grass with his power mower. He had cut just about half the yard when Martha walked out the back door onto the covered patio. She then walked across the yard and asked Joe over the sound of the mower if she could cut a little grass. Joe was glad to let her have a turn to give him a break and let Martha get her mind on living again.

Martha was doing something she always loved—cutting the grass. Ivy looked through the kitchen window to see Martha cutting while Joe took a break, and she was pleased.

She quickly made a large pitcher of lemonade. She then made her way outside onto the patio with a tray of tall ice-filled glasses and that cold pitcher of freshly squeezed sweetened lemon juice. Martha finished with the grass cutting and washed the mower before putting it away. She walked over to Joe, sat in his lap, and put her arms around his neck. She kissed his forehead and said, I love you, Paw-Paw. She then got up and walked over to Ivy and hugged her neck and said, I love you too, Maw-Maw. I want you guys to stop worrying about me. I’ll be okay.

Joe closed his eyes as tears ran down his cheeks, and Ivy could see peace had come back into his face. Ivy poured three glasses of the sweet tart drink, and they were refreshed.

Martha sat as she remembered her dad letting her help with the grass cutting.

Daddy let me cut the grass. I remember walking behind him thinking I was pushing that big old mower, Martha said.

Joe chimed in, I did the same thing to your daddy. I let him put his hand on the handle so he would think he was helping. Your daddy was a good boy, never gave me trouble. We spent a lot of time together so much that Maw-Maw had to start coming to the camp again just to see me on my days off.

Can you bring me to the camp when you guys go?

We can do that. I thought you might have wanted to wait a while.

Well, I love it out there. That won’t ever change, but maybe we could wear life jackets while on the river. They all agreed.

Martha, you should have seen your daddy when he shot his first rabbit. He was so proud. When the remembering started, Ivy slipped off and came back with a shoe box of old pictures, and they sat for a long time remembering Lil’ Joe and Jackie.

I will never forget the day I brought your dad to the bus station when he left for basic training, then telling me he had to go to Vietnam. I was so upset with him for joining the service. He felt in his heart that I had served, and he wanted to be like me. I prayed what seemed like every minute while he was away. I still remember when we heard that Albert’s son-in-law got killed in that stupid war, leaving his daughter a pregnant widow. My sleep had left me completely. Every time the phone rang, it scared me. I can still see Lil’ Joe standing at the front gate when he came home. I dropped what I was doing and ran to him, hugging him as tight as I could. I was so happy, I couldn’t stop praising God, Joe said, reliving the past.

Ivy and Martha got up and went inside to fix supper. They left Joe to his thoughts.

It was April, and the evenings still had some coolness as Joe began reflecting on his childhood and then started feeling peace coming back into his life. Losing a son is hard for anyone. Joe was no exception. He didn’t want people to forget Lil’ Joe and Jackie, so he had something in mind to help people remember.

Joe called Albert who had lost his daughter in a car accident and his son-in-law in Vietnam. He was also raising his grandson. The phone rang, and Daisy answered.

Hello, who is it?

It’s Joe, Daisy. How are you?

I am doing just fine, Joe. How you guys doing?

We’re doing okay. We are making it. Daisy, can I talk to Albert?

Sure you can. I‘ll get him. Honey, its Joe on the phone.

Albert picked up the phone. Hey, Joe, what’s going on?

Albert, when you get some time, I would like you to come over and talk to me. I have a project to do, and I will need some help.

Okay, Joe, I can come right over.

Hey, Albert, bring Lil’ Al with you. He can keep Martha occupied. I don’t want her to know what I am doing. Thanks, man. With that, Joe hung up the phone.

Albert did not tell Lil’ Al any of the conversation he and Joe had. He just asked him to tag along. Albert finished whatever he was doing and arrived at the grocery store in about twenty minutes. The pair came in through the old screen door with the Evangeline Maid metal bread sign across its front. Joe called for Martha to come watch the store while he and Albert talked. Joe told Lil’ Al to stay with Martha when she came out, and he did what he was told. Martha came into the room as Joe and Albert went into a back room.

Hi, I am Martha.

Hi. My name is Lil’ Al.

What is your real name?

It’s Albert.

Look, you call me Martha, and I will call you Albert.

That’s okay with me.

Al was shy and didn’t talk a lot, but Martha took control. She could talk your head off, and Al was amazed at how much one person could talk. Al had never met a girl who was so beautiful. He couldn’t stop looking at her eyes. Joe was right. Lil’ Al was the diversion he needed to keep Martha in the dark.

Joe, what did you call me about? What kind of project are you working on? Albert asked his friend.

Albert, I plan to make two sixteen-foot crosses and concrete them on the sandbar at Fool’s Point. I need you to help me carry them there and dig the holes to set them in place. I figure we can use the taxi boat you built to carry them. That thing is like a tank.

I would be honored to help. I will get Lil’ Al to dig the holes with my posthole digger.

Then it’s set. I’ll make the crosses, and you and Lil’ Al can help me get them there and set them up. Don’t tell Lil’ Al anything until we are in the boat.

Agreed. Look, Joe, make the crosses in my shed. That way no one will know.

I was hoping you would say that. I’ll start tomorrow.

Joe, I have to go to work for my seven days, but when I get in, we can make the trip.

Joe ordered the treated four-by-four-by-sixteen-foot lumber he would need to build the two crosses. The lumber arrived, and Joe began to build. Each piece of the crosses he put together took him closer to the point of being at peace again.

The death of Lil’ Joe had pulled him down to the point of not wanting to exist. His life was intertwined with his son’s. His loss changed everything in his life, his dreams, and his future. The days continued to pass, and with each passing day, Martha continued making her recovery. This gave him hope. He would never be the same; neither would life. He would have his only grandchild to pour his life into. He had the responsibility to raise her as he knew best. He and Ivy would love Martha and bring her to church as her parents had. She would give them a new reason to live.

Joe was a craftsman. He could build anything with wood. He took great care putting the crosses together using stainless steel bolts to fasten the cross members to the main beams. Joe figured on putting the main beams into four feet deep holes along with two sacks of concrete for each cross to hold them in place.

The crosses would protrude twelve feet out of the sand, and the cross members would be six feet. Joe painted the wood with a special white reflective paint he got from a friend in the coast guard. In just a few days, the crosses were ready, and as soon as Albert finished his seven-day hitch, the three would go to Fool’s Point and install the landmarks.

Albert’s boat they called the taxi was in the shed where Joe had been working on the crosses. There was a chain hoist that he used to lift the crosses and load them into the boat. Everything was set; he was ready. He now was waiting on Albert and Al.

Albert was working on a tug where he was the pilot. Lil’ Al was in school, but in the summer, he would work on the boat with his grandfather. He had learned a lot about being a deckhand in the two summers he had worked.

Albert was very proud of his grandson. He knew Lil’ Al would one day follow in his footsteps. He could see his ability. It seemed almost inbred. Lil’ Al loved his grandfather and grandmother. They were the only parents he had ever known.

His dad married his mother when she was only seventeen years old; his dad was twenty. It wasn’t a planned marriage. She got pregnant, and within a few months, he was drafted. Al’s dad never knew if he was the father of a boy or a girl. He was killed early in the Vietnam War within a few months of being in that country. After giving birth to him, Lil’ Al’s mother began drinking heavily. The only boy she ever loved was gone, and now she would be raising their baby alone. It was more than she could deal with. Life as she knew it was over. She could never love anyone else.

Lil’ Al was almost a year old when she was killed by an oncoming train. It was a cold night, December 24, and she had been drinking herself into a stupor. It was almost two years since her husband had been killed. No one knew if she intentionally stopped on the track or if it truly was an accident. No one ever questioned her motive. How could they after all she had been through?

There were many young boys being killed in that senseless war, and it touched most families in town. The hurt was felt by all, and when Albert and Daisy’s daughter died in the train wreck, no one judged her one way or the other. The people in town felt the hurt that comes with losing a son or a daughter. Most were related or almost kin. Everyone was treated like family.

Lil’ Al was now fifteen years old and a great young man. He was a straight-A student as his mother had been. He was on the quiet side but was a hard worker. He was an occasional churchgoer. Christmas, Easter, and Mother’s Day were the days he attended church.

One of his main interests in life was spending his summer vacation with his grandfather, working on the tugboat. His number one interest before the tug was going to their camp. Hunting, fishing, and trapping were his life. He lived for these activities. His grandfather was responsible for Lil’ Al’s interests, and Al loved him. What young boy wouldn’t love a grandfather who invested so much time into his life?

It was three thirty in the afternoon, and school had just let out. Al was hungry and knew his grandmother would have him a snack ready when he walked through the door.

Lil’ Al opened the gate and came into the yard, making sure the gate was closed behind him so his grandmother’s rat terrier would not get out onto the street. Cosmo was his name, and he was a child to his grandmother, or so it seemed. He slept in her bed and had his own pillow. He loved Lil’ Al, but when Daisy was in the room, no one else mattered.

Lil’ Al opened the front door to Cosmo yelping and jumping, glad to see him. It was Friday evening, and his grandfather was sitting at the table. You guessed it, waiting for a pot of coffee to stop dripping. Lil’ Al went over and hugged his grandfather with the love of a son.

This love was never shared in public but behind closed doors. Albert welcomed it.

Man, I missed you, Paw. I am glad you’re home.

I missed you too. It’s good to be home. I need you to run down to Joe’s store and get two pounds of thick-sliced garlic baloney, a few pounds of bananas, a small jar of mayo, a small jar of yellow mustard, a pound of dark roast coffee, and a fresh loaf of bread. Here is five dollars, and bring my change back. You be careful, ya hear?

Al knew this meant they were going to the camp. Boy, nothing pumped him up like going to the camp.

The store was just four blocks from the house. Al made it to the store in just a few minutes, riding his old luger bike that he leaned against the store building.

Al walked in through the old screen door with its metal bread sign across its front, letting it slam behind him.

Hey, Lil’ Al, what ya need?

Mr. Joe, my Paw needs one pound of coffee, two pounds of thick-sliced garlic baloney, a couple pounds of bananas, a small jar of mayo, a small jar of yellow mustard, and fresh bread.

You got it, Al.

At that moment, Martha heard Al’s voice. She quickly brushed her hair, checked her face in the living room mirror, and entered the room.

Martha always looked so nice to Al. He had talked to her briefly a couple of times in the store. He also started seeing her at school. Martha was one of the new kids. She started coming to Al’s school when she came to live with her grandparents. Martha entered the room, and Al was caught off guard.

Hi, Al. Where ya going?

My grandfather and I are going to the camp. I love it out there.

Al never was one full of words, and when he talked to Martha, he would get a little twisted up. She had a way of pulling words out of him, and with Martha, he had to talk. She started liking Albert. She was falling for him and had never felt this way about anyone before.

Al on the hand had no idea someone so beautiful could like someone like him. He thought Martha was being nice because of their grandfathers being such good friends. Al’s grandfather and Martha’s grandfather had served in the army together. They went to Germany during World War II and were like brothers. When you saw Joe, you most likely would see Albert.

Lil’ Al, here is your stuff.

Thanks, Mr. Joe.

Al handed Martha five dollars, and she put it in the register. She bagged the groceries, patted Al on the back of his hand, and said, You be careful, ya hear?

With that, Al was gone.

Martha, you forgot to give Al his change.

Pa, he’ll be back.

That pat on the hand did it. Al was hit with an arrow through his heart. He was like a buck running across a highway after a doe deer. He was bitten. He walked to and through that old screen door as its squeaky spring caused the door to slam behind him.

His brain was not working. It was if he was in a thick fog. He was in a daze. He had no idea what was going on in his head. He was falling hopelessly for Martha. He could not get her out of his head. That beautiful girl touched his hand.

Al never remembered riding his bike home, but he must have because it was lying against the fence the next time he used it. He arrived at home, walked into the house, put the groceries on the table, and sat down.

Albert had just gotten back from gassing the boat and had it and the trailer parked out front. He had wrapped the crosses in a heavy canvas tarpaulin so the gas station attendant would not see what was in the boat. This would keep Joe’s project a secret.

Albert came into the house, saw Al sitting, and asked, What’s wrong with you? You got my change?

Paw, I forgot.

Get back over there and get my change. Tell Joe to call me and hurry up. I am ready to go.

Al was off to the store on a mission. He would get to see Martha again. This was the only thing on his mind. Al arrived at the store, letting his bike go to the ground. He then walked into the store somewhat out of breath. Al stood at the counter as Martha walked into the room.

I guess you got chewed out.

Kind of. You got my change?

Here you are, said Martha. She handed Al his change. She grabbed his hand and told him to remember what she said and be careful.

Joe came into the room, and Al gave Joe the message to call Albert. With that, Al was gone.

You could have knocked Al down with a feather. He was in love. Al made the trip home in record time. He parked his bike against the fence and made his way to the house. Seeing the tarp-covered wood in the boat made him wonder what in the world was in the boat. He opened the door to see Albert drinking a cup of coffee. He handed his grandfather the change, grabbed the groceries, and was headed out the front door when his grandmother asked, Do I get a kiss before you leave?

Al turned to let Daisy kiss him on the forehead. He then put the meat in the ice chest with the milk and the bread, mustard, and mayo in the dry well for safe keeping. Albert had loaded the posthole digger, shovel, hoe, concrete, five-gallon bucket along with a small wheelbarrow. Albert was right behind Al with Daisy trailing, telling the two to be careful. Albert got behind the steering wheel of the truck. Al jumped in the passenger seat and with the doors of the truck slamming. They were headed to the river. The truck wasn’t taking its normal route to the boat landing. It took a different way.

There it was again—the store. With a honk of the horn, Joe was out the door and headed to the truck, carrying a small water cooler, cups, and a ditch blade to cut grass. Al then realized they might not be going straight to the camp if they even made it to the camp.

Standing in the door was Martha, waving at Al, and he waved back. That girl had his heart skipping beats. Albert then realized why Lil’ Al forgot the change. Al slid over to the middle of the seat, and Joe put his things into the boat, opened the door, and slid into the truck. When the door on the old blue Dodge shut, the truck took off.

Albert, that was a smart thing you did covering the crosses with that tarp.

Albert nodded at Joe.

They arrived at the landing, and Joe and Al got out. Albert turned the truck around and began backing up the boat and trailer to the water’s edge. He stopped, and Al unhooked the boat from the trailer wench, and jumped in. Albert backed it into the water. The boat floated with its heavy load, and with a wave from Al, Albert pulled the trailer out of the water, leaving Al and the boat floating.

He then grabbed the wharf, and using the bowline, he tied the boat to a cleat on the wharf. Joe jumped in and found a place to sit as Albert parked the truck. He then made his way to the waiting boat. Albert jump in, and Al untied the bowline and gave a push into the river. With a few tries, the sixteen-horse air cooled started, and they were on their way.

Chapter 3

The Crosses at Fool’s Point

It was the end of April, and the days were starting to warm up a little. The mosquitoes had not started biting much. The boat got up to its speed of ten miles per hour as it slid with its flat bottom across the river’s surface.

The smell of spring filled the southwest breeze as the trees took on their rich spring green glow. The green was almost florescent in color. Al loved this river, as did the two men with him in the boat. The boat was approaching Fool’s Point, the place where Lil’ Joe and Jackie lost their lives. There it was. Joe gave directions to Albert where he wanted to land the boat. Albert turned the boat into the sandbar, and when the boat hit bottom, Al jumped out and held the bowline so the two men could jump out on dry land.

Al asked, Can you please tell me what is going on?

Joe then explained the big secret and how he wanted to surprise Martha the next time she came down river to the camp.

Joe showed Al where he wanted the holes dug, and he began to dig. The digging was not that difficult. Al had both four feet deep holes dug in no time. The three of them carried the crosses one by one and placed them into the holes Al had dug. Albert and Joe then took a couple of two by fours along with a few stakes to attach them to the crosses and, with a level, got the crosses plum vertically. They drove the stakes into the sand to hold the crosses until the concrete had time to set. Al took the wheelbarrow and, at the water’s edge, mixed the concrete one sack at a time, rolled the wheelbarrow to the crosses, and poured the mix into each hole. In no time, he had concrete pushing up out of the holes, overflowing onto the ground above the holes. Albert smoothed the concrete in a way that rain would run away from the wood cross. With Joe’s help, Al washed the wheelbarrow and hoe in the river. Al then got the ditch blade and began cutting the grass and weeds away from the crosses in a hundred-foot circle. He had his shirt off and was sweating a good bit.

Joe looked at Al and told Albert in a whisper, You remember when we were fifteen? That boy reminds me of you, Albert. You did a great job raising that kid. He’s a hard worker and smart to boot.

Thanks, Joe. I love that boy. He’s my life.

I know you love him and he loves you too, but I know someone else who’s starting to love him.

Who, Joe?

My Martha, Joe said. I can see it in her eyes when she looks at him. When he comes into the store, she lights up.

Joe, they’re only fifteen. They’re young.

Come on, Albert. They’re young, but we are old. Let it go. If it works out, so be it. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. We married Ivy and Daisy when they were fifteen.

That was different, Joe. The world was a bad place back then.

"I know, Albert, but just give it a chance. Just let it run its course.

Al cut the weeds and grass close to the ground. It was if he had used a lawnmower. When Al had finished, Joe walked over to him with a large glass of cold water. He was pleased with Al for all he had done.

Albert checked on the concrete, and it was set enough to remove the bracing. The project was finished. Al put his shirt on, and the three got into the boat. They all washed their hands in the river.

It was six, and the sun had not yet set behind the tall cypress on the west side of the river. Albert took the food out, and everyone ate their fill. Al drank two large glasses of milk with his double-decker sandwich. The milk was so cold and good with the mustard, mayo, and thick- sliced baloney. He loved this kind of food. It was easy to prepare, and it satisfied the hole he always had in his stomach.

Joe told of the many nights during the war he only had a can of C rations to eat and how he wished for a cold glass of milk. His thoughts were often of this river. Of once again riding across its surface, feeling its spray on his face, and sleeping once again in his father’s camp on its shores.

Albert never talked much about the war when he was with Al, but Joe had a way of getting him going. Albert started remembering the cold bitter nights with the wind blowing from the northeast. The ground was frozen three feet deep. He recalled jumping in a bomb crater for cover, and there was a dead German soldier in it. He told of how he grabbed the soldier’s arm to move him, and he was so frozen his arm just came off. Al then realized his grandfather and Mr. Joe had seen their share of death and destruction.

Joe and Albert were joined at the hip. They were closer than brothers. There was nothing that either would not do for the other. The two grew up together and had the good fortune to be together during the war. Al could see the love they had between them. No one had to say it. You could feel it. Joe and Ivy thought the world of Al, and that was partly due to Albert and Daisy. Ivy loved Al, and he knew it. She treated him very special.

Everyone got their fill of baloney and milk, and it was time to leave. Al pushed the craft off the sandbar, then turned the boat into the river and deeper water. The boat quickly drifted with the current. Albert started the faithful inboard air-cool engine. He then made a large circle, bringing the three of them to view the crosses. The crosses were twelve feet high and painted white. They were impressive. There were tears rolling down Joe’s face; he was pleased. Albert headed the boat home, not even going to the camp. It was okay with Al. He was tired. He needed a bath and some sleep.

A week later, Joe was ready to take Martha to see the crosses, and so was Ivy. It would be Saturday morning, just a week after the three had installed the crosses.

Friday evening, Joe pulled his skiff to the gas station around the corner. He gassed up the tanks in the boat so he, Ivy, and Martha could take a ride to the camp. Martha still had no clue the crosses even existed.

Saturday morning came, and as Joe was making coffee, Martha walked into the kitchen.

You ready?

Ready for what, Paw-Paw?

Are you ready to go to the camp with me and Maw-Maw?

I guess so. Will we be back in time for church tomorrow?

We’re not spending the night. We’ll just take a ride to check everything.

Okay, but we all have to wear lifejackets. You too Paw-Paw.

I will agree to that, Joe answered.

Ivy packed lunch—her famous ham sandwiches, chips, cold drinks, a thermos of hot coffee, and some homemade cookies. Joe finished off his breakfast—two cathead bisques and a couple cups of coffee—and he was ready.

He was a little nervous to see how Martha would react after seeing the crosses. He did his best to explain to Ivy how they looked, but the picture he was painting in her mind did not do the crosses justice. She too would be amazed at how wonderful they looked.

Ivy and Martha got into the truck as Joe locked the front door of the store, making sure the closed sign was in the window. The little store was closed most Saturdays at noon and all day Sundays. The townspeople knew this, so they got their groceries on weekdays. Joe climbed in the driver’s seat, and they were off, pulling the boat and trailer to the landing. Joe turned into the landing parking lot, then turned the truck around and started backing the boat and trailer to the water. He stopped, pulled the emergency brake, and looked at Martha. You think you can still back the boat into the water the way your daddy taught you?

I can. You just unhook the boat from the trailer and jump in. I will get the skiff into the water.

Joe did just that, and Martha backed the boat down the ramp. In seconds, Joe was floating. Martha pulled the trailer out of the water and parked and locked the truck. She then made her way to the skiff. Martha got in and sat next to her grandmother. Joe handed her a lifejacket, and as she put it on, he pulled away from the wharf. Ivy said a prayer, and they were on their way.

Joe headed down river, making his way to Fool’s Point and the crosses. Ivy could hardly contain the excitement she was holding inside. It was early morning, and the sun was peeking above the willow and cypress trees that made the river’s border. The sun’s glow was now touching the top tips of the white crosses. The skiff was quickly making its way to the place that would forever be imprinted on Martha’s mind.

Joe and Ivy had no idea how Martha would react to the very location she witnessed her mother and father dying. Ivy never showed her feelings. She had been through so much in her life that she had hardness about her, and she seldom showed emotions. Martha meant everything to her and Joe.

Martha’s feelings and wellbeing were important to Ivy. She and Joe needed Martha. Her life was now their life. Ivy was the tough one in the family. She always had been.

Joe’s eyes met Ivy’s in Germany during the war. He was marching through a town that the United States had liberated from Hitler when he saw Ivy for the first time. The two locked looks and stared at each other for a long minute. His company stopped there in the small town for the night. The townspeople were given food by the Americans. Many had had a diet of only an occasional boiled potato. The people were so happy the Americans were on their soil. Joe had settled down for the evening when he saw Ivy again.

She was a skinny, beautiful young girl. He called her over and tried to talk, knowing just a handful of German words. He was having trouble communicating. Ivy had a friend with her who could speak broken English. With Joe’s help, she was able to communicate with Ivy.

She told Joe her family was all killed when a bomb hit their home. She managed somehow to survive. Her friend Daisy had lost her mother in that same air raid. Her dad was killed fighting in the war. Ivy and Daisy had nowhere to go, so they sat down next to Joe as he went into a deep excused sleep. He slept for four hours. That was the most undisturbed sleep he had had in a while.

When he woke, he was surprised to see the girls still sitting next to him. He asked his first sergeant if he could have a couple cases of C rations for the girls, and he agreed to let them have the supplies. Joe wrote on a piece of paper his name, company, and where he was from. He then gave it to Ivy. At first light, he would be leaving. The sun came up on this small bombed-out town, and as Joe was saying goodbye, a roar could be heard all through the town.

Joe didn’t know what was going on. Then he heard. The war is over! The war is over! He stood there not knowing what to do, so he just hugged Ivy. Then it happened. The touch set his heart to racing. He had never felt that way with anyone, and he knew as she did he would be back for her.

He asked Ivy to wait for him. She said she would wait forever. He also asked Daisy to stay close to Ivy. Just as quickly as Joe’s company marched into this small bombed-out town, they marched out, and he was gone.

He felt so sorry for the two girls who