Chapter # Two

Chapter # Two: (You will need to scroll to and read Chapter # 1 for the story to make sense.)

"Jenny's mother is in bad shape," said Luther, "We're going to have to take her in and with the baby coming, we don't have the room."

"Can't build a room on?" asked Fred.

"No lumber available," said Luther. "I've tried here in Miller, Mt. Vernon, Springfield, Joplin and there won't be any more shipments for the duration of the war. Who knows how long that will be?"

"Tried Will's sawmill?"

"Yeah, but he only saws oak and it is green. The baby will be here in August and we can't wait for the lumber to dry. Besides you can't build a whole room out of oak anyway."

The two young men left the cafe--Luther went to work in Mt. Vernon and Fred went back to the farm.

That evening Fred finished the milking and sat on the front porch with Maggie. "Days are getting longer," he said. "Man could get half a day's work done after five o'clock." "Better put your Pa's car up." said Maggie, "Radio says rain tonight." Fred's father had bought a new 1941 Ford just before his first heart attack and the car was now Fred's. He had built a new garage for it just before Christmas and tonight he congratulated himself on getting it built before the lumber ran out. He didn't even know it had, until Luther told him this morning.

Fred drove the car into the garage and latched the door. He walked back around the house to the front porch. Something was nagging at his mind but he couldn't define it. He shook it off and sat on the porch with Maggie until darkness fell. They could see the heat-lightening in the West and the wind began to blow. They went into the house to listen to the news of the war on the radio and shortly went to bed.

The next morning, Fred again drove his pickup into Miller to pick up the mail. The air was fresh and clear now, the rain having washed it clean. The sun was shining and he felt good. When he reached the cafe, Luther was there ahead of him. "Still haven't found any lumber, I guess", Fred asked. "No, I asked everybody at work and nobody knows of any. I don't know what we'll do." Now the nagging in Fred's mind defined itself. "I found the lumber for you" he said. "You did? Where?" Luther asked.

"A fellow I know. He will let you have it for free, you being a veteran and all. He doesn't want you to know who he is so I'll have to haul it in for you. It's good lumber, fir and pine, cut into different lengths and got nails in it but that is no problem. Tell you what, you get your foundation poured and I will bring you a pickup load everyday and help you build the room. We'll have it finished before the baby gets here." That's a friend for you, thought Luther as he drove to Mt. Vernon. That evening he came home with sacks of cement in his pickup. He dug and poured the foundation and when it was ready for the footings, he told Fred. "Fine, said Fred, "I'll bring the first load over and be there when you get home from work."

More later. Please stay tuned for chapter # 3!!!