MARRIED... trying to adapt (Part 48c)

The next morning when the phone rang it was still dark. It was Harry hoping to find that I/we were back. Clyde had hurt his back when a horse reared up and fell on him. Harry had to go to the city on business for two days and he was hoping that I could fill in while he was gone. No money was mentioned but that was not an issue as I knew I owed Harry (and Vi) a lot of favors for all that they had done for Elle and I. I told him I’d get there as soon as possible. When I told Elle she was not very happy with the prospect of being alone and having to spend all her time scoring “my” exams. She wasn’t interested in listening to my reasoning so I just left.

Harry had an old man that had worked with him taking care of his horses for many years. He knew a lot more about training horses than I did but just didn’t want the responsibility. With his (expert) help I was able to get through the two days working with the yearlings without problems. Harry called Vi on the second day (which was actually New Years Eve) to say that he’d be back before dark and asked her to ask me to wait for him to arrive. I’d wanted to get home before dark as Elle and I had been invited to a small party up at Trish and Vince’s place. I really wasn’t interested but having “abandoned her” (her words) for two days she insisted. In any case when Harry got back he invited me up to the house. I wasn’t really expecting to be paid and when he tried to give me $30 I told him I wouldn’t take it... that he’d done way to much for Elle and I. Vi, who was sitting at the kitchen table, spoke up and said that maybe I’d be more “comfortable“ with something else. I had no idea what she was talking about but she put her coat on and motioned for me to follow her.

As I’ve mentioned in prior postings Harry and Vi had multiple businesses working out of their property. One of Vi’s own businesses was like what we now see a lot of... a consignment shop. People would bring things in and price them themselves. If it didn’t sell in 30 days it would be sold at the monthly auction that she would hold. The next auction was to be the upcoming Saturday and when we walked into the room where the items were stored she told me to find something I liked.

It reminded me of my grandparents attic, only bigger. Most of the things looked like junk to me. After a few minutes I saw what was then called a table top TV. It had a wood case and almost looked like a cube with each side being about 30 inches. In our trailer there was a shelf right above the refrigerator that was open on two sides with one of those sides facing the living room. To my eye it looked like a perfect fit. If there was something missing in our trailer it was a TV. At the fraternity, watching TV had been one of my weaknesses. I’d been busy enough since we moved into the trailer that I really hadn’t missed it all that much. But, standing there looking at it I got to thinking about the long winter ahead and decided that would be my choice. Vi told me that the guy who’d brought it in said that it worked but she didn’t know for sure. I took it anyway.

It was heavy! It took Harry and I to get it into the trunk of my car. Just as I was about to leave Harry walked up with a ragged TV antenna and pole telling me that it wasn’t much but since I was fairly close to a city I should be able to get some reception with it. I couldn’t wait to get back to the trailer. It was raining the whole way back and since I had to put the rear flap down (it was a convertible) to accommodate the antenna it was also cold inside the car. The excitement of my new "treasure" kept me somewhat warm.

Elle had never been one for watching TV. When I walked in and told her what i had in the car she went from being upset (from having been left alone all day) to downright mad. It was the maddest I’d ever seen her. I tried to explain my reasoning but she wouldn’t have any of it. Actually, she told me not to even bring it inside. That’s when I got mad. I went back outside and on up to Vince’s trailer to get him to help me. It took some work but we managed to get it in place. Elle was sulking back in our bedroom as I ran the antenna wire out the door and connected it to the pole that was leaning against the trailer. When I turned it on all I got was snow. Vince told me to go out and turn the antenna around until I got something. He called out to me when a picture finally appeared. I was drenched when I got back inside but at least i had a picture. When Vince left he reminded me about the party.

I stuck my head in the bedroom and Elle was actually asleep. I took a shower and then went to see what I could find on the TV. There was only one channel and, being black and white, a lot of snow. That was when I got to thinking about what I’d done and had some remorse. About that time I got a call from Mac telling me that they weren’t going to Trish and Vince’s party as everything outside was coated with ice. I opened the door and could see ice coating my car. The phone woke Elle up and when I told her about the ice she said she was going back to bed. I decided I better score some tests since Elle wasn’t. I left the TV on and watched the New Year come in before going to bed myself.

To be continued...