when you all
weren’t here, Mom.”
“I know you’re a good girl, Chrissy, but you haven’t
dated much and I just didn’t want him or anybody else talking you
into things or taking advantage of you.”
Candy and Andy suddenly remembered one of the treats
they had bought at the store.
“Can we have some ice cream, Mama?" Candy was
prepared to pout if necessary.
“It’s been a long, long time since we had any,
please, Mommy." Andy was just as anxious.
"It's 'may' I have, not 'can' I have," Penny
corrected and the twins immediately revised their request.
"Let's see, it's a little over three hours until
time to eat. If I let you have ice cream now, will you still eat a
good dinner?" Of course, she knew what the answer would be.
“Yes, yes,” they yelled in unison.
“I want strawberry." That was Candy.
“I want chocolate." That was Andy.
“Vanilla for me, and I’ll help you fix it." Chrissy
loved ice cream, too. And she appreciated a great deal the change
in the topic of conversation.
That night they finished reading Uncle Cliff’s
journal. The last entry was dated June 15, 2005.
The chest pains I’ve been having were
worse this morning and my breathing gets more and more difficult. I
still miss Lorraine so terribly much. I believed that in time I
would become accustomed to her being gone, but it only seems to get
harder and harder to accept that I will never see her again on this
earth. I want more than anything to be with her. Of course, when
Johnny came by I tried to be as cheerful as I could... I realized
he would be concerned if he knew how depressed and fragile I
feel.
This evening I am going to try to make
it up to the graveyard to visit Lorraine and Baby Cliffie’s graves
one last time before I get past going. I need to say goodbye to
them and tell them it won’t be long before I’ll be joining them in
that Great Beyond. The weather is beginning to look fierce and I
should probably stay home; but somehow, I feel I must go. CCC 15
June, 2005
*
“Poor, poor Uncle Cliff,” Chrissy sighed, “he sounds
miserably unhappy! I wonder if something did happen to him when he
went up there. Have you ever seen a small cemetery, Dad, when you
went for your exploration walks?”
“No, but I did see where a huge old oak tree had
been apparently struck by lightning and it had fallen. I think
maybe we need to make a family excursion up there and see what we
can find right after breakfast in the morning.”
“I wish we had some way to let the sheriff know what
we’re planning so he could come and help." Penny was very concerned
with what they might find. “But with or without the sheriff, I do
think we need to see if we can at least find the graveyard.”
Everyone agreed.
Chapter Four
Lost And Found
Next morning they ate breakfast and prepared to
leave the house in search of the cemetery or Uncle Cliff. Before
they could get started, however, a van pulled up out front. Sheriff
Lampton and five members of the Ohio County Rescue Service alighted
and came around to the back door.
“Good morning." The sheriff introduced the others
with him and Ed indicated his family and their names. They looked
up when they heard whistling and saw Johnny coming across the cow
pasture.
When Johnny got there, Chrissy introduced Johnny to
her family and JoJo introduced herself to the twins. She wiggled
her head under their hands demanding to be petted. Chrissy turned
to introduce Johnny to the sheriff but soon realized that wasn’t
necessary as he spoke to Johnny in a familiar way.
“Hi, Johnny. Are you continuing your friendship with
Clifton’s family?”
Johnny assured him that he was.
“We were about to set out on a search for Clifton.
Would you want to go along?”
“Is there any way I might be able to help?”
“You just might, Johnny, if you know the location of
the little cemetery where Aunt Lorraine is buried.”
“Oh, yes, and sure I do. Shall I point or lead the
way?"
weren’t here, Mom.”
“I know you’re a good girl, Chrissy, but you haven’t
dated much and I just didn’t want him or anybody else talking you
into things or taking advantage of you.”
Candy and Andy suddenly remembered one of the treats
they had bought at the store.
“Can we have some ice cream, Mama?" Candy was
prepared to pout if necessary.
“It’s been a long, long time since we had any,
please, Mommy." Andy was just as anxious.
"It's 'may' I have, not 'can' I have," Penny
corrected and the twins immediately revised their request.
"Let's see, it's a little over three hours until
time to eat. If I let you have ice cream now, will you still eat a
good dinner?" Of course, she knew what the answer would be.
“Yes, yes,” they yelled in unison.
“I want strawberry." That was Candy.
“I want chocolate." That was Andy.
“Vanilla for me, and I’ll help you fix it." Chrissy
loved ice cream, too. And she appreciated a great deal the change
in the topic of conversation.
That night they finished reading Uncle Cliff’s
journal. The last entry was dated June 15, 2005.
The chest pains I’ve been having were
worse this morning and my breathing gets more and more difficult. I
still miss Lorraine so terribly much. I believed that in time I
would become accustomed to her being gone, but it only seems to get
harder and harder to accept that I will never see her again on this
earth. I want more than anything to be with her. Of course, when
Johnny came by I tried to be as cheerful as I could... I realized
he would be concerned if he knew how depressed and fragile I
feel.
This evening I am going to try to make
it up to the graveyard to visit Lorraine and Baby Cliffie’s graves
one last time before I get past going. I need to say goodbye to
them and tell them it won’t be long before I’ll be joining them in
that Great Beyond. The weather is beginning to look fierce and I
should probably stay home; but somehow, I feel I must go. CCC 15
June, 2005
*
“Poor, poor Uncle Cliff,” Chrissy sighed, “he sounds
miserably unhappy! I wonder if something did happen to him when he
went up there. Have you ever seen a small cemetery, Dad, when you
went for your exploration walks?”
“No, but I did see where a huge old oak tree had
been apparently struck by lightning and it had fallen. I think
maybe we need to make a family excursion up there and see what we
can find right after breakfast in the morning.”
“I wish we had some way to let the sheriff know what
we’re planning so he could come and help." Penny was very concerned
with what they might find. “But with or without the sheriff, I do
think we need to see if we can at least find the graveyard.”
Everyone agreed.
Chapter Four
Lost And Found
Next morning they ate breakfast and prepared to
leave the house in search of the cemetery or Uncle Cliff. Before
they could get started, however, a van pulled up out front. Sheriff
Lampton and five members of the Ohio County Rescue Service alighted
and came around to the back door.
“Good morning." The sheriff introduced the others
with him and Ed indicated his family and their names. They looked
up when they heard whistling and saw Johnny coming across the cow
pasture.
When Johnny got there, Chrissy introduced Johnny to
her family and JoJo introduced herself to the twins. She wiggled
her head under their hands demanding to be petted. Chrissy turned
to introduce Johnny to the sheriff but soon realized that wasn’t
necessary as he spoke to Johnny in a familiar way.
“Hi, Johnny. Are you continuing your friendship with
Clifton’s family?”
Johnny assured him that he was.
“We were about to set out on a search for Clifton.
Would you want to go along?”
“Is there any way I might be able to help?”
“You just might, Johnny, if you know the location of
the little cemetery where Aunt Lorraine is buried.”
“Oh, yes, and sure I do. Shall I point or lead the
way?"
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