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“Yeah, thanks. I’m feeling great now. In fact, so great. We’re probably going to win Doggy Dress-ups.”
“Oh yeah? I’m looking forward to seeing that.” I smile at Ernie but he’s suddenly serious.
“So, I hear you’re leaving Oak River,” Ernie says.
“That’s right. Soon after the Spring Fair. My contract’s up. So…”
“Well, that’s a shame,” Ernie looks genuinely sad. “We’ve got used to having you around, haven’t we Sinatra?”
“It’s been nice getting to know you, Ernie.”
“And a certain little lady, not too far from here?”
“Molly, you mean?”
“Yeah. That’s the one. Who else is there?”
I can see Ernie has more to add so I wait. He strokes his bristly chin as he muses.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, son.”
“Alright… What’s on your mind, Ernie?”
“I might be old, and I need glasses for reading, but there are some things I see clear as day.”
“Oh yeah. And what would they be?” I laugh.
Ernie thumbs over his shoulder in the direction of Molly’s house.
“That young lady, there. She’s one in a million. You know. A real treasure. And if I was still eligible, you know, around your age, I wouldn’t be bouncing a ball in my front yard. I’d be over there with candy and flowers and all those nice things that fine women like. I’d be making sure that she knew how I felt about her.” I’m stunned. I can’t move. Ernie looks over at Molly’s porch and then back to me, fixing me with a hard stare. “If you don’t, someone else will. Then you’ll kick yourself forever, Mr Wickham, because you had your chance and blew it.” Ernie nods sagely. “I’m just saying.”
“Okay. Thanks, Ernie. I’ll give it some thought.”
“Well don’t take forever about it.” Ernie gazes wistfully into the middle distance. “Take it from someone who knows, Cam. I had my chance with Matilda Grace. Oh, she was so pretty. But I was young and didn’t understand until it was too late, and I watched that fine woman walk down the aisle with someone else: someone who should have been me.” Ernie looks into my eyes. “Understand, Cam. She’s perfect. But a woman like that won’t hang around while you make up your mind. So, act!”
Ernie’s words are so forceful that I’m compelled to listen intently as if he’s a shaman delivering a prophecy. As I process what he has told me, goosebumps run up and down my spine, but that could be because I’ve been running around, and a chill is setting in. I don’t respond right away.
Then, after a moment, I ask, “How are you so sure that Molly feels that way about me?”
“Ha! You’re pretty dumb for a smart guy.”
I laugh. “You’re not the first person to say that, Ernie.” After a beat, I change the subject. “How about I come over later and we can fix that fence of yours.”
“Sure. Sounds good. I’ll just walk Sinatra, but I’ll be home in a couple of hours.”
Ernie nods goodbye. I watch as he leads Sinatra up the street. Then I go back to scoring hoops, but his words unsettle me. I shouldn’t lead Molly on. I know how small-town gossip works. Perhaps I’ve been too friendly and given her the wrong idea. But is it the wrong idea? While we’ve been hanging out, organizing things, I’m really getting to like her. A lot. But what about what Ernie said? What if she is the woman for me? She’s certainly starting to get under my skin. She’s undeniably pretty and sweet and so easy to be around. There’s something in her smile; the way she says things; her eyes. She lights me up when we’re together. I even look forward to the Spring Fair committee meetings, just because I know she’ll be there. And that last time when we met up at The Half Moon Café, something clicked. We took one more step closer. Are we really just friends? What if she walks down the aisle with someone else? How would I feel about that? I feel a bit panicked. Perhaps there is something more between us.
I was early at the café and waited for Molly at a window table, so I could watch for her coming along the road. I cleared my afternoon so I didn’t need to rush off for anything and I was hoping she wouldn’t have commitments either. I smile when I see her. She comes in and joins me.
“Hello,” Molly says as she sits down on the seat next to me. “Am I late? Sorry.”
“No. Not at all. I’m early.”
We chat for a bit about this and that.
Then, Molly says, “It’s such a beautiful day to be outside. Do you want to get a coffee to go? Maybe a slice of pecan pie?”
“Sure. Nice idea.”
