Schifflebein's Folly

CHAPTER 5: AMY AND RAY

Lloyd believed in his designs. That is why he had begun building playground equipment even before submitting his bid to the County Commission. Either the County would award him the contract, or he would peddle his product somewhere else. In either case, he had faith in the quality and desirability of his product. And he knew that meaningful work was the best antidote to the stress of waiting.

Lloyd should have been used to waiting. He had been waiting all his life for his family to arrive, and he still had faith that one day he would be a father. He had worked for the County long enough to have waited many times for politicians or bureaucrats to take much-delayed action on one issue or another. He had often waited on God for answers to his prayers. He had waited since puberty for Miss Right to parachute into his life. Lloyd was a patient man. But even a patient man can't sit still when big decisions about his life are being made by persons over whom he has little influence and no control.

And, so, he waited. He waited for Hepzibah Stoner to "see what she could do" about his future children. He waited for the County Commission to examine the bids and determine who would receive the lucrative playground equipment contract. He waited for Miss Right to realize she was late for her appointment with romance. And he definitely could not sit still with all this waiting going on.

So it came about that Lloyd was in his workshop, in denim work clothes, gloves, and safety goggles, when his doorbell rang. He stepped away from a miniature pirate ship he had been sanding with fervor, and he went to answer the door. He whispered a quick prayer on the way.

Covered in sawdust and sweat, Lloyd opened the front door with safety goggles around his neck and grungy work gloves wadded in one hand. His mouth fell open when he saw Hepzibah Stoner standing on his doorstep with two children, about 5 years old, and two small suitcases.

"Perhaps we should have called first," said Hepzibah.

"Are you ...? Is this ...? I mean, are they ...?" sputtered Lloyd.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether you're going to let us in the house."

Shriek went the teapot, from the kitchen. Lloyd was caught between joyful surprise at seeing the children and shock that the teapot had somehow returned to the kitchen. He couldn't take his eyes off the children.

"They're so beautiful!" he said.

"Yes," Hepzibah agreed. "But if you'll forgive me for saying so, you're not looking your best."

Lloyd looked down at his sawdust-and-sweat ensemble and was more than a little dismayed.

The teapot continued shrieking.

Hepzibah suggested, "Perhaps you could put a stop to that noise, and we three will have tea while you make yourself presentable?"

Lloyd nodded like a toy dog bobbing in a car window. He backed out of the doorway, eyes locked on the children all the way as Hepzibah ushered them into the living room.

The teapot continued shrieking as Lloyd backed into the kitchen.

"Stop that!" Lloyd whispered, mindful of his guests in the next room. "You'll scare them!"

The shrieking stopped. "Look who's talking, the Sawmill Monster," said Teapot.

Lloyd sent the teapot an angry look and hurried off to change clothes.

Hepzibah and the two children were having tea and cookies around the kitchen table when Lloyd entered, freshly showered and dressed.

"Oh, good. You found everything," said Lloyd.