The Widow's Friend Read online

  How are things going at your house? Are you enjoying this beautiful weather? I sure am. I wish it would stick around for half of the winter. When do you go on your vacation? How’s the book coming? You didn’t tell me who did the cover.

  My daughter is doing a fund raiser next Saturday for a local charity. She’s a great little artist and I’m really proud of her. Would you like to come? We’ll be there from noon until six. It’s just here in town.

  I spent the day cleaning out a room for my son to stay in while he is down here from Vancouver. It seems that he and his wife will be getting a divorce. It makes me really sad but it is not my decision to make. They are the ones that have a new baby coming. It is due in about two weeks.

  It’s funny, but when you just start to think that your family is perfect, all Hell breaks loose. I guess it will all work out somehow.

  Well, I guess I had better start making more babies.

  You have a good evening. I look forward to hearing from you, Callii

  ***

  From Levi Stone

  One hour later

  Hi Callii, it’s nice to hear from you. I’m sorry I dropped off the face of the earth. I read your message last Tuesday night and flew to Boston the next day. We got back yesterday. It was a good trip and a lot of fun. It was good to reconnect with Mary for a few days. Everything was pretty good—really. But there are other times that I yearn for a good wife—like tonight for instance, but that’s a tale that I won’t elaborate on. (Got a week or two? Heh, heh…).

  You sound a little down tonight. I’m sorry. Life is just the pits sometimes. I feel bad for you. Hang in there girl, you’re usually so upbeat. My two kids both have good marriages, I feel lucky that way, but I have some nieces and nephews that had some tough times this year. My sibling (I won’t tell you which one) unloaded on me one day last summer about their kids and all their troubles. They wouldn’t even let me tell Mary about it. So far I’m completely leak proof.

  I’ll try to answer most of your questions from your previous e-mail tonight. We’ll see how I do.

  I’m sorry but I can’t make it to your art show, even though I would really like to come and support you. I would love to see you, but my niece is getting married that day in a little town about two hours from here. Both events are at about the same time, so there’s no way I can go to both. Sorry.

  About five years ago, when I was writing my Halloween book, we had a contest at Idaho State University for an artist to create a cover for the new book. A guy named Craig Hanson was head and shoulders above everyone else. He drew up the picture and got paid handsomely to do it, at least for a college student he did. I contacted him about the cover for this new book and he agreed to do it for $600—it was less than he got paid the first time. I told him what I wanted and he came through with flying colors, as you’ve seen. It’s just what I’d envisioned. Anyway, the book will be fun. In the book my friend and I work for the carnival, the summer before high school, and we have eight different adventures in eight different towns. It ends up a little spookier than I wanted it to, dealing with the mysterious gypsy women that we work with, but oh well—I’m a spooky kind of a guy.

  You said you threw away a bunch of shoes and then you asked me what I collect. I seem to collect shirts, mainly. I’ve got so many shirts I’ve never worn all of them, and ties too. I’m also big on coats. The way I see it, you wear your coat every day in the winter, so you might as well get a good one. I also collect ball caps. I bought a Boston Red Sox cap on this last trip and I’m going to go online and order a Patriots hat as well.

  One day I’m going to build a shelving unit to display all of my hats on. I’m gonna build it with knotty pine and baseball bats. We’ll see if I ever get it done.

  Mary is a sucker for old things: Chairs, plates, furniture, pictures and picture frames; but I like new things—like houses and cars.

  When mom died she seemed to have at least a hundred pairs of shoes. It was amazing to me. Mary picked through them and took the ones that she wanted. She was the only one in the family that could fit into them because they’re all size five—but Cinderella she’s not. :^)

  I was curious who your best friend is. Anyone I would know?

  You told me you thought it was odd that we “guys” get together like we do. I thought it was kind of odd that you would say that. Our friendships go long and deep. I met those guys all the way back in Jr. High, and we have done much together over the many years. You see in high school, for us, it was never about girls but only about friends. We did everything together, in school and after: ball games, dances, basketball, etc. There were a couple of years, when we were in our mid to late twenties, when we were all newlyweds, that we would meet on the high school tennis courts every Saturday morning at seven. We would play for hours. Girls were one thing, guys were another. And Rand Liston, Dennis Bird, and Lon Moore (All of them your age.) may have been even closer friends. After school we cruised everywhere together. I have fond memories of those good old days.

  There is much that is different between you and I, but that is what makes the world go around. It seems that I am a country mouse and you are a city mouse. You wear high heels and I wear sneakers. I thought about you often on the trip. There were several times a girl with long legs and high heels walked the sidewalk in front of me. What else was I to think?

  Tonight, when I was at the grocery store, I noticed two different tall women, and they were both delicious. One of them was “showing” herself in the checkout line, if you know what I mean. Her fourteen year old daughter was standing between us and she was totally oblivious to what her mother was doing, but I knew, and the mother knew. The woman had a great body, but just an average face. I’m a sucker for a body but not for a woman that acts like that.

  A couple of weeks ago I was at a yard sale with my granddaughter. There was a pretty little girl there, probably about twenty five years old I would have guessed. I didn’t pay much attention until I heard another twenty five year old girl call her mom, and that drew my interest. Then this five foot little woman came up and answered a question I had. So the first thing she does is press her soft little body up against mine. Why do women do things like that? I couldn’t stop thinking about her for an hour. But my ten year old little granddaughter was just as oblivious to what was going on there, as the fourteen year old was about what was happening in the checkout line. Women! You know?

  Do you have any pets? Just curious.

  And finally, it’s quite fun for me to talk to you. I want you to know that. It’s funny how you can talk to some people and some others you just can’t, even with e-mails. Anyway, you’re a fun girl, but you know that already.

  And again, my heart goes out to you. Your pen pal, Levi

  ***

  From Levi Stone

  Oct 21st

  Hi Callii, good luck with your art show today. I wish I could have dropped by. We’re leaving at two o’clock for the wedding. It seems that we have to help. I know you’re swamped right now with your son coming down and everything.

  Hang tough, Levi

  ***

  From Callii Wilson

  Oct 23rd

  Hello there and a happy Monday evening to you again. How was the wedding? The art sale went great. She sold all but one of her paintings, and I think she had about forty-five of them. She is a great little artist. She and my son are friends with Holly and Emma Morrison, Ty’s girls. They had it at the Morrison girls’ Spa. His girls have done several events to raise money for cancer research over the last few years. My son and daughter in law are always doing something, or giving something, to someone that needs help. I am very proud of them both.

  Today I spent the day bringing in tropical plants from the pool area. I am thinking that their days outside are over until spring. I hate to just let them freeze so I brought them into my kitchen. I am sure they will thank me for that someday. I also cleaned out my garage. Now I can get my car in it. It has been a month or two since I could d
o that. I’ve had it full of doll stuff, you know?

  Okay, I think it is time for a true confession. Remember when I said I do my yard work in high heels? I was just kidding. You knew that didn’t you? I am just a country girl, not at all a city slicker. I wear heels only to church, or when I go out or something. My feet don’t like them very much. I am just as frumpy as the next country bumpkin. I love jeans and sometimes when it is cold I like to wear sweats around the house to keep warm in. I am into comfort—sorry to disappoint.

  Are you open to telling me why you stick it out with your marriage when you don’t sound like you are very happy? If it isn’t something you want to talk about, I understand. It just seems to me you are looking for something or someone, but you don’t want to let what you have go until you have a replacement. That’s just a feeling I get from some of the things you have said. Again, I understand if you are not comfortable talking about it.

  Thanks for the cute Halloween e-mail you sent me. I loved it. You made my day.

  Do you know that there are only 2 months left until Christmas? Can you believe it? Do you have your shopping done yet? I love Christmas. Kevin used to make Christmas so much fun. I think I miss him the most at Christmastime.

  You said that you thought I was a little down when I wrote last time. I really don’t get down. I guess sometimes I am just a little more serious than others, but I am a very happy person. I have so much to be thankful for and I love my life. I do wish I had someone special to share it with, but I guess you have to put yourself out there, and I just don’t do that, if fact I won’t do that, so I guess it is what it is.

  Well, it’s about time for my show again, so write soon.

  I love hearing from you, Callii

  ***

  From Levi Stone

  Oct 27th

  Hey, garden girl, thanks for the last note. Will you do a me a favor and answer three quick questions? First, do you have any pets, or not? Second, what TV show is it that you like on Monday nights? And third, who is your best friend? You don’t have to answer that one, but I’d like to know. After I hear from you I’ll answer back with another long meandering harangue. Sorry it had to snow on you last night, but I’m glad you got your plants indoors.

  I’ll be checking my e-mails, Levi

  ***

  From Callii Wilson

  One hour later

  Do I need to be careful when I answer these questions?

  1 – I have a pet frog. It appeared in my pond this summer. I have no idea how it got there but it was fun to watch. I used to have fish in the pond but they all froze last winter so I decided not to replace them—maybe next year. I love cats but I don’t have one right now, and I like dogs if they are outside. My mom had a phobia with animal germs. If we touched an animal we were told to scrub clear up to our arm pits, so that is why I don’t have animals in my house. How about you?

  2-The TV show I like on Monday nights is called Castle. Do you ever watch it?

  3- Who is my best friend? I guess that depends on how you look at it. The friend I do the most with is Anne Richardson. She is a single gal that has been divorced for about twenty years. We got to know each other when she was taking porcelain doll classes from me many, many years ago. She is a real sweetheart. She is a little like your friend. She is very heavy. She is pre-diabetic and has other problems. She has a child right now that is having problems with drugs. We can tell each other most anything and we know it will not go any further. We usually spend the weekends together shopping and going to dinner.I also consider my daughter to be my best friend. She is the best. My mom was one of my best friends too, and my sister is a good friend as well. But they are also family, so that makes them very special friends.

  I also have special friends that were childhood friends, and we are still in touch, and etc. etc.

  And by the way, I didn’t get any snow, but I wish I would have. I love the snow. It just stays around too long.

  I hope that answers all of your questions. I can’t wait to hear all about everything from you.

  Bye for now, from the no longer gardening girl, Callii

  ***

  From Levi Stone

  Oct 28th

  Hi Callii, thanks for sharing. Does anyone ever call you Cal, or do you have any other nicknames? A hundred years ago I was called Stoney. Jack and Rick still call me that, but for the last twenty years I’ve been called Stoner, what else would you expect? Sometimes when I tell people what my name is, they’ll say, “How do you spell that?” and I’ll say, “r-o-c-k.” They always pause a moment before laughing.

  You have a pet frog, huh? That surprised me. I had a toad in my window well once, for what that’s worth. I’m a cat lover too. Mom told me that when I was an infant, the only way she could get me to hold still when she was changing my diaper was to put a kitten on my chest. The pets we’ve had over the years were usually gifted or picked up by our kids, and then the pets would adopt me after the kids lost interest in them.Our cat, Mary Jane, (Can you guess where that name came from? It took me about two seconds.) was given to my son at Christmastime, about two weeks before I had my hip replaced. The cat and I bonded while I laid in bed in January and February. Then, when summer came, she would go on a daily walk with me and our little mutt of a dog. I’ve never seen a cat go for a walk before. Her little feet would go a hundred miles an hour and then she would lay down on the dirt road and huff and puff, with her little pink tongue sticking out. She was my girlfriend for ten years. She would follow me around and sit by me wherever I went. She would sit atop the monitor and soak up the heat while I was on the computer.

  At night, whenever I would wake up, she would walk up from the foot of the bed to have me pet her. It was amazing. I wouldn’t stir, just open my eyes, and sometimes not even that, and there she would be. Anyway, I’m a basic dog and cat kind of a guy. I like ‘em both, but at the moment I don’t have a pet of any kind. I’m glad that you like cats and dogs too. I’m not sure why—I just am.

  I had never heard of Castle, (I don’t watch much TV) but I went to Youtube and watched a preview of it. It looks pretty good.

  I think Anne Richardson is great. I’m sure that she’s good for you and that you’re good for her. I just love friendships of any kind. Sometimes they’re hard to find. She’s lucky to have you.

  Back in the nineties I had an assistant at work that I got close to. He was single and we used to do things together all the time: movies, Wendover, and things like that. He still lives in Idaho Falls and he’s married now. His name is Ed Slack and he has some kind of a neurological problem, MS or something like that. He’ll be in a wheel chair soon. Life has so much “stuff” that it throws at us. We went to the hospital tonight and visited Mary’s Aunt Joyce from Pocatello. She’s a truly wonderful person, in her eighties, whose laugh and sense of humor just kill me.

  While I was in there I ran into a neighbor’s wife. Her husband is in the hospital, and it was upsetting for me to see him in the shape that he’s in. He had chemotherapy for a tumor in his neck, and during his last treatment they learned that he’d caught pneumonia so they rushed him into the hospital. He might never come out again. Just last summer he was robust and vigorous. His wife, Coleen, is a real sweetheart. Bob has always looked old to me and Coleen has always looked young. I feel bad for her.

  Is your daughter that lives in Idaho Falls your other best friend? What is her name? There is a special bond and relationship between mothers and daughters, I think. It sounds like you and your daughter fit right into that category. My daughter Bailey, in Twin Falls, is Mary’s life line to the world, and to top it off, her daughter Riley (age five) loves Mary to pieces. Mary just laps it up.

  It’s funny that your kids are buddies with Ty Morrison’s kids. Of all those guys at the football party, frankly, Ty Morrison was the one that I know the least. And what’s ironic about that is we’re distant cousins. My mother was a Morrison from Blackfoot. I’m sure you didn’t know that. I met Ty’s daughter Emma dur
ing the party. She’s a very beautiful young lady.

  Lexi, my granddaughter, is a good friend to me right now. We’ve helped raise her, but I think I’m already losing her a bit. She’s seven years old, going on sixteen. Her personality reminds me of her dad. She’s high energy and a lot of fun. But just when I think she’s growing up, she surprises me by acting like a little girl again.

  Well, it’s time for bed. I’ll send more tomorrow. It may take me a few more nights to answer your previous e-mail, there’s a lot there.

  Good night young lady and rest well, Levi

  ***

  From Levi Stone

  Oct 31st

  Hi again Callii. Trick or Treat night is drawing to a close. Mary is asleep and Lexi is too, and here I sit. It’s eleven p.m. and I’ll see if I can maintain the energy to talk to you a bit. By the way, I spent my day in Rexburg today trick or treating. We wandered up and down Main Street in the afternoon with my son and his kids. We were chased out a little early by a storm, and then in the evening, after pizza, we went trick or treating around my boy’s neighborhood. I was impressed with the decorated front porches and homes, the clever costumes, and the warmth of the people. There were mostly young families in his neighborhood, but some of them were middle aged and there were also a few oldsters. Everyone seemed happy and nice. It was a good feeling. There were tons of kids and that made it all the more fun.

  I just flipped the TV station from NBA basketball and tried to find a good movie. They’re hard to come by these days. I had roughly thirty choices and couldn’t see anything worth tuning in to, so I’m listening to solid gold oldies in the music section. It will have to do. What kind of music do you migrate to, and no, you don’t have to be careful how you answer.

  You are an open book, you say? Well I’m an open book too. If I tell you something, you can darn well know it’s the truth. Mary says I don’t have a filter. I tell people, “I’m too dumb to talk out of both sides of my mouth.” Anyway, what you hear is what you get, unvarnished, plain simple facts, and that’s just the way it is—really. I’m not a “man without guile”, but I’m close.