Snow

Daniel clears the sidewalk as Brenda gawks from a safe distance

A fairly heavy snowstorm forced Brenda to stay home. Ben Rosen had told her that he could deliver the beds to the Blundon house as soon as the roads cleared, and asked if she had any helpers to unload the beds. She said that she knew a strapping young man named Billy who would be available at a moment's notice. Dr. Sullivan had sent his secretary to pick up the lamp order at closing time the day before, and relay his best wishes.

Brenda wandered up to the attic, and turned on the heat. When she glanced out the window, she saw Daniel struggling with a broom, and shovel to clear the sidewalk in front of the tiny home he shared with his family of 3. She was relieved that he wasn't wearing an "ear flap" hat or looking too henpecked as Caitlin stood in the doorway watching his every move. As luck wouldn't have it, Caitlin glanced directly at the Blundon house, and Brenda jumped back away from the window very quickly. It was "too close fro comfort, even at a distance" she thought.

Turning back to the task ahead of her, she walked into each of the 3 corners that would be housing beds for the three boys who were killed by the train on July 27, 1895. The cubicles would represent a virtual welcome mat to "Waters" "Guy" and Charles. She had a general idea of what young teens might like back in their day, but she needed help deciding whether to include a couple of space age toys, and oddities,including clothing. She heard a voice inside her head saying "Absolutely " and knew right away that it was Mr. Blundon.

She reeled off several possibilities, and didn't hear any more from him. That's when she knew that he was a father figure, and she was another one of his children. So it was decided. They would have dinosaurs, metal robots, cowboys, pirates, and space men along with framed pictures of Da Vinci, and Tesla. She would make a couple of hanging mobiles consisting of airplanes, futuristic cars, and a cow or two. Let them ponder the meanings, she figured.

She was very conscious of what average people might think about her inner voices, but the loudest critics most likely believed in an ancient book full of people who heard voices, and made the laws of the land, some of which were barbaric. Mr. Blundon never advocated animal sacrifices, or cutting off limbs to appease god's wrath, so she trusted him fully. No need to see Dr. Sullivan in a professional capacity when she had a spirit guide who had suffered silently and experienced the worst pain a father could ever feel.

After lunch, Brenda phoned Fiona to see how she was feeling, and recounted her attic experience. Fiona told her to expect a lot more of the same. "It's like feeding the pigeons" she laughed.

C J. Marks