Treasure on the Bayou

Arrival and Cleanup

Patricia looked out the window of their old minivan and watched the scenery change from short brush to tall trees. She was ready for the long drive from California to Louisiana to end. She knew that her family had roots in a tiny backwater town in Louisiana, but she had never been there before. Matter of fact, this was the longest journey that she had ever taken. The lawyer had contacted them and told her father that unless someone took possession of the Louisiana bayou ranch and paid the back taxes, it would be labeled abandoned and then sold at auction. She really didn't care about all of that, she was only interested in the road ahead and the excitement that lay at the end of it. Of course Patricia knew that their family was poor and could not afford to lose this property, but what 15 year old gets to inherit a southern mansion? Patricia didn't care about losing her friends in California, Patricia was more excited about the adventure on the bayou that she was going to have. Little did she know how much of an adventure that would be.

As the heir to the property, Larry Higgins, had packed up his two children, his wife, and even their dog Leo and had begun the long trek from the painfully dry hills of San Bernardino, to the swamps and forests of southwest Louisiana. Larry Higgins really didn't want the ranch because it was located on the Cypress Bayou, that is one of the reasons his dad, Horacio, left in the first place. The only reason he decided to move his family was to fix up the place and sell it. Unfortunately, on a teacher's salary, he did not have a lot of spare cash lying around, which meant that he and his family had to do the "fixing up" themselves. He was lucky to get a high school teaching position at Oak Hill High School in the neighboring town and with Horacio's help with the taxes they would be all set. "Well guys, this is it!"

As they pulled into the driveway, over grown with weeds, Patricia's positive outlook took a nose dive. Atticus, her younger brother, took the words right out of her mouth, "This place is a dump! Why do we have to live here?"

"Where is the mansion?" Patricia asked, bewildered.

"I never said there was a mansion here." Mr. Higgins replied, "You thought there was a mansion?"

Dad had already explained everything many times and had warned Patricia and Atticus that in many ways, they were traveling back in time: a time when many of the conveniences of city life would not be available. Patricia was excited about it then. Now she had second-thoughts as she surveyed the broken down fences, the shabby driveway and the rickety gray farm house. "Is this where the Clampets used to live?" Patricia asked sarcastically.

"Don't you worry. We'll get this place presentable in no time. You'll like it a lot more then. Ya gotta look at the potential of what it could be, not what it is. Kind of like you Atticus." Dad ruffled Atticus's hair as he got his stuff from the minivan. Atticus was 13 and he hated when his dad did that but he didn't say anything.

Patricia couldn't help notice the frown on her mother, Kinsey Higgins' face.

"So why did Grandpa Horacio leave this place and go to California?" Patricia asked.

"It's kind of a long story. Let's get unpacked and clean up the house so we can live in it first." Dad said with the 'I don't want to talk about it' look on his face. "You know, the house looks pretty well preserved for being empty for 20 years."

After a lot of sweeping, dusting, and vacuuming dad called, "Lemonade break." After filling their glasses with ice and lemonade, Patricia and Atticus plopped down on the old divan in front of the fire place. Dad found an old stool and mom gingerly sat in the worn rocking chair. Mom placed the cool glass on her cheek. Her "Oooh" of relief was reflected in everyone's red faces.