FINISHING OUT THE YEAR... Barbara (Part 145a)
A quick re-cap on Barbara (and her family)...
Barbra’s
father, Bill, was hired to be the new school principal in the early
Summer. He and his family, wife Phyllis, two girls, Mo (17) and Barbara
(16) and two younger boys rented the house right next door. The parents
were of German extraction with the mother actually being born in
Germany. Elle and I were anxious to have neighbors but had a hard time
getting to know them. Phyllis was not the easiest person to get to know
and Bill was up to his eyeballs getting settled into his job at the
school. Phyllis had run a day care where they used to live (not far from
Philadelphia) and was determined to do the same in this community. I
got off on the wrong foot with her when she was negotiating with my
church to use our facilities. She made it clear that she was THE BOSS
and we didn’t see eye to eye. However, my difficulties with her were
somewhat lessened after her two girls came over to introduce themselves
to our girls. Neither of them emulated their mother and, of the two,
Barbara was especially good with my girls. Because they got along so
well, Phyllis, eventually, took down her ‘wall’ and made a couple of
attempts to be neighborly. Around mid October she made an unexpected
visit to ask us a favor. (This is all written up in Part 143, p, q and
r).
She, her husband and kids were planning on visiting family in
Pennsylvania over the first weekend in November through election day.
Another reason for the trip was to take daughter Mo for some college
visits. Barbara had gotten her first job (right after turning 16) but
was told if she took off to go with the family she’d lose her job. So...
the favor was for us to let Barbara stay with us while they were away.
Since Elle and I really liked Barbara it was easy to say “Yes”. Then
came the ‘catch’. Barbara was a bedwetter. Phyllis made me leave the
room when she told Elle about it. With Elle being incontinent it wasn’t a
problem for her to understand and accept. However, she was concerned
about how Barbara would take having her ‘secret’ known by relative
strangers so wanted to ask her how she felt about it. Phyllis brought
her over and when Elle asked Barbara the question it had been Phyllis
who answered for her. That bothered Elle and she told me she wanted to
have the opportunity to talk with Barbara, alone. I agreed but arranging
for that proved difficult. And that’s where I’ll start this part...
There’s
a long drawn out story about the place she was working and the people
who ran it... but I’ll spare you the details. The old couple who owned
the store were in bad physical shape. The man was legally blind and the
woman was confined to a wheelchair. Barbara was hired to help customers
find the items they wanted since neither of the owners were in much of a
position to do so. Their son worked with them during the week but had
another job on the weekends and any holidays. That’s where Barbara fit
in.
Elle hadn’t seen as much of Mo and Barbara once school
started. Both were involved in extra curricular activities after school
(mostly cheering) so when and if they were seen it had been on the
weekends. Elle decided to take a chance on finding a slow time at the
store the Saturday before she was to stay with us to have her talk with
Barbara. Elle told me it wasn’t perfect but she was able to get
affirmation that Barbara, even though not completely comfortable with
the arrangement, was a willing participant and that it wasn’t just an
order from Phyllis, her mother. Elle had to limit the conversation
because customers were coming and going as they talked. In parting, Elle
told Barbara she’d like to talk with her again if there was any way for
her to get over to our house before her parents left on their trip and
she said she’d try to find a way.
Elle had been hoping it would
be the next day, Sunday, but it didn’t work out. Old family friends of
my parents had stopped by to visit, unexpectedly, and my mother wanted
to show off her grandchildren. So, we spent most of the day visiting
with them. After getting home Elle didn’t hear from Barbara and decided
that she’d have her ‘personal’ talk with her right after she showed up
on Friday afternoon. Elle wouldn’t share with me what she meant by her
‘personal’ talk so I was more than a little curious... and anxious for
Friday to arrive.
By the time I arrived home that Friday night,
Barbara and the kids had eaten and she was happily playing games with
them. Elle had waited to eat with me and told me Barbara’s mother had
brought over a couple of sets of sheets, flannelized rubber pads, towels
and soap for Barbara to wash them with. That triggered me to ask if
she’d gotten her ‘personal’ talk with her. She said that with our kids
around the best she could do was to tell her she wanted some time alone
with her after our girls were in bed and asleep. After that she wouldn’t
talk about it which didn’t make me very happy.
What she did tell
me was that Barbara was going to sleep in with Anne that night. She
added that she’d brought some of her clothes over but since I still
hadn’t taken the dresser I’d bought from Moira upstairs she had nowhere
to put them. It was a nice way to tell me to get it done. She helped me
carry the chest itself up the stairs but left it to me to bring the four
drawers. I couldn’t help but notice the neat piles of clothes laid out
on the end of the bed she’d be occupying. One pile was obviously
underwear and as I looked over at it I wondered how many panties she’d
brought with her. Not knowing when Elle might appear I decided to wait
to do my checking.
I think it was after 9pm when Elle suggested
that she and Barbara go upstairs. I didn’t know how long she’d be but
when it became 11pm and time for the news on TV I really began wondering
just what they were talking about. Elle finally showed up just before
the news was over. She knew I was going to ‘grill’ her so started
talking as she approached telling me to follow her into the kitchen. As
we sat down at the table she was shaking her head. I couldn’t imaging
just what it was that would trigger her to do that but I soon found out.
To be continued...
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