shaking her head. She took a handkerchief from her pocket and pressed it into Katy’s hand. “Stop crying, and blow your nose. You need to save your tears for the big hurts.”
Katy wanted to tell her aunt this
was
a big hurt. How humiliating to know the young people in town had called her self-important behind her back. Her chest ached with the effort of containing the pain inflicted by Caleb’s taunt. But she obediently wiped her eyes, blew her nose, andpushed the crumpled handkerchief into her own pocket for washing later.
Aunt Rebecca put her hands on her hips and gave Katy a no-nonsense look. “Now tell me what happened with Caleb.”
Katy would have preferred to drop the subject given her aunt’s lack of compassion. Aunt Rebecca had never been very warm and affectionate — not even with her own children. Dad said she couldn’t take time for tenderness because she had too many responsibilities. But Katy didn’t think that was a good excuse. Gramma Ruthie, Mrs. Penner, and Mrs. Graber were also very busy women, but they always had time for kindness.
“Katy?” Aunt Rebecca tipped her head and peered into Katy’s face. She wouldn’t let up until Katy answered her questions.
Katy sighed. She abbreviated the exchange as best she could. “Caleb asked me to go to the singing at the Pankratz place the Saturday after Dad and Mrs. Graber get married. I told him I couldn’t go because I won’t be in town. He asked if I’d go to other singings with him, and I told him I didn’t think I should because I don’t like him that way. Then he got mad and told me I should go with him because no other boys would ask since they — they —” Tears tightened her throat, and she swallowed. “They all think I’m stuck on myself.”
“And why would they think that?”
Katy hugged herself, her chest aching. “Caleb said it’s because I use big words when I talk. And because I go to high school.”
Her aunt nodded. “Yes, I can see that.”
Before she started crying again, Katy spun away from Aunt Rebecca. Aunt Rebecca took hold of Katy’s shoulders and tried to turn her around. Katy resisted. She did
not
want to look at Aunt Rebecca right now! But her aunt’s hands tugged harder, and Katy had no choice. To her surprise, instead of her customary stern look, Aunt Rebecca’s face reflected sympathy.
“Katy, I didn’t mean
I
thought you were self-important. I can see, based on what Caleb said, why the young people might think so, though.”
“Just because I like words? And learning? That isn’t fair.” Katy sputtered the protest, still battling back tears. “Annika likes cooking, and she tells everyone how good her new recipes taste. Caleb likes fixing car engines and is always bragging about how he keeps his old sedan running even though it’s got over two hundred thousand miles on it. I don’t show off about going to school — I just go. So why am I the self-important one?”
“Because it’s so different from what everyone else has done,” Aunt Rebecca answered calmly. She put her hands on her hips again. “Have you considered that Caleb and some of the others might be jealous?”
Katy blinked twice. “J-jealous?”
Aunt Rebecca nodded. “Yes. You were given a special opportunity. You’re getting to see and experience things the others aren’t. That could very well create jealousy.”
Katy contemplated her aunt’s suggestion. Their fellowship encouraged members to live simply and stay within certain boundaries in regard to what they owned so they wouldn’t cause their neighbor to covet. Even so, Katy was aware that some families without electricity — such asAnnika’s — at times looked with envy at the families who did have electricity. Annika often asked to spend summer nights at Katy’s house because Katy had an electric fan that stirred the air to help cool things down.
When the deacons discussed Katy’s request to attend public high school, one of their biggest concerns was
Katy wanted to tell her aunt this
was
a big hurt. How humiliating to know the young people in town had called her self-important behind her back. Her chest ached with the effort of containing the pain inflicted by Caleb’s taunt. But she obediently wiped her eyes, blew her nose, andpushed the crumpled handkerchief into her own pocket for washing later.
Aunt Rebecca put her hands on her hips and gave Katy a no-nonsense look. “Now tell me what happened with Caleb.”
Katy would have preferred to drop the subject given her aunt’s lack of compassion. Aunt Rebecca had never been very warm and affectionate — not even with her own children. Dad said she couldn’t take time for tenderness because she had too many responsibilities. But Katy didn’t think that was a good excuse. Gramma Ruthie, Mrs. Penner, and Mrs. Graber were also very busy women, but they always had time for kindness.
“Katy?” Aunt Rebecca tipped her head and peered into Katy’s face. She wouldn’t let up until Katy answered her questions.
Katy sighed. She abbreviated the exchange as best she could. “Caleb asked me to go to the singing at the Pankratz place the Saturday after Dad and Mrs. Graber get married. I told him I couldn’t go because I won’t be in town. He asked if I’d go to other singings with him, and I told him I didn’t think I should because I don’t like him that way. Then he got mad and told me I should go with him because no other boys would ask since they — they —” Tears tightened her throat, and she swallowed. “They all think I’m stuck on myself.”
“And why would they think that?”
Katy hugged herself, her chest aching. “Caleb said it’s because I use big words when I talk. And because I go to high school.”
Her aunt nodded. “Yes, I can see that.”
Before she started crying again, Katy spun away from Aunt Rebecca. Aunt Rebecca took hold of Katy’s shoulders and tried to turn her around. Katy resisted. She did
not
want to look at Aunt Rebecca right now! But her aunt’s hands tugged harder, and Katy had no choice. To her surprise, instead of her customary stern look, Aunt Rebecca’s face reflected sympathy.
“Katy, I didn’t mean
I
thought you were self-important. I can see, based on what Caleb said, why the young people might think so, though.”
“Just because I like words? And learning? That isn’t fair.” Katy sputtered the protest, still battling back tears. “Annika likes cooking, and she tells everyone how good her new recipes taste. Caleb likes fixing car engines and is always bragging about how he keeps his old sedan running even though it’s got over two hundred thousand miles on it. I don’t show off about going to school — I just go. So why am I the self-important one?”
“Because it’s so different from what everyone else has done,” Aunt Rebecca answered calmly. She put her hands on her hips again. “Have you considered that Caleb and some of the others might be jealous?”
Katy blinked twice. “J-jealous?”
Aunt Rebecca nodded. “Yes. You were given a special opportunity. You’re getting to see and experience things the others aren’t. That could very well create jealousy.”
Katy contemplated her aunt’s suggestion. Their fellowship encouraged members to live simply and stay within certain boundaries in regard to what they owned so they wouldn’t cause their neighbor to covet. Even so, Katy was aware that some families without electricity — such asAnnika’s — at times looked with envy at the families who did have electricity. Annika often asked to spend summer nights at Katy’s house because Katy had an electric fan that stirred the air to help cool things down.
When the deacons discussed Katy’s request to attend public high school, one of their biggest concerns was
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