Spirit House

Chapter 1

Change Begins

“Show me a hero and I’ll show you a tragedy.”   – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there; I do not sleep.  I am a thousand winds that blow; I am the diamond glint on snow.  I am the sun light on ripened grain; I am the gentle autumn rain.  When you wake in the morning, hush; I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight.  I am the soft starlight at night. 

Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there.  I did not die.”  – An Old Indian Prayer

 

“Into your hands Father of mercies, we commend our brother and sister, Ben and Maria.  Grant them eternal rest.” 

As the finality of the priest’s words sink in, Ace trembles and tears flow freely.  Sadie and Tina let go of his hands to surround him with a consoling hug.  Moose joins them.  The assembled mourners see one more indication of the love these four already have for each other.  The hundreds gathered stand in silence as this new family re-groups.  It is a painful beginning.

Ace feels what only a child can who has lost both parents in an car accident.  The family’s soft sobbing ends with a second group hug.  As it ends, Ace bends down to pick up two handfuls of dirt.  Gently and lovingly, he places one atop each casket.  As he does so, an elderly Native American, in full Dakota regalia, comes to the foot of the caskets.  Holding an eagle feather fan in one hand and a seashell with smoking sweet grass in the other, he chants and smudges the caskets in a language unfamiliar to Ace. 

When the man’s path brings him face to face with Ace, he smudges him with the same sweet-smelling smoke.  Confused, Ace looks around.  No one seems to think the Indian’s actions out of the ordinary.  Turning to Moose for answers, he finds him in deep prayer – head bowed reverently.  Turning back to the Indian, Ace finds himself standing at the head of a long line of mourners, shaking hands with Governor Youngdahl.

Youngdahl’s pleading look seeks Moose’s assistance.  Quickly placing a hand over theirs Moose pleads, “Ace!  A lot of people are waiting.  We should get to the luncheon as soon as possible.”  Moose’s voice and soft touch break Ace’s reverie.  Quickly the line of mourners again moves past the caskets.  Waiting limousines and buses are ready to take these well-wishers back to the Poor Farm.

The family, last to leave, rides back in silence.  A stiff Fall breeze has leaves of various browns swirling around their car.  Each passing windbreak brings field chafe raining down upon the car. The chattering breaks Ace’s silence.  “That confetti must be a message from the angels that my folks have arrived.”  Ace’s happy thought brings a bit of comfort to the somber ride.

Sliding her hand into his, Tina holds it tight.  “Maybe the angels are applauding like the people did that night your father accepted his nomination to be our next senator.”   

Her words are encouraging.  “Yes, I remember how we raised our arms in triumph as that confetti fell.”  This memory turns their pain into a celebration for two lives well lived. 

Moose continues the happy reminiscing.  “They truly were heroes!  It’s the reason our new Farm/Labor Party is catering the funeral luncheon.” 

At the luncheon, flowing beer generates new stories about his folks.  Each story ends in joyful laughter.  Ace’s heart swells with pride when his father’s war buddies and campaign staff begin sharing stories of his loving and generous acts.  Ace is especially grateful to hear again how his father helped other soldiers make it safely ashore on the beaches at Normandy when their Higgins boats were not making it all the way to dry land. 

As always, the war stories end with Ben’s company freeing prisoners at Dachau.  “Ben was the first soldier to handover his rations to a starving prisoner.”  This recollection leads to modern day stories of his father’s courage in standing up for unpopular political stances, ensuring they got into the party’s platform.  Ace stores each account for re-examination later.

By late afternoon, Ace and his new family bid farewell to the last guests.  As the final car leaves, he turns to Tina.  “Will you walk with me?”

“Sure!”  She is excited to be alone with him for the first time.

It is some time before he speaks.  His words surprise her.  “I hope you won’t think me silly when I say this, but I have often dreamt of living with you here on the Poor Farm.  I envied you.  I believed you had the best of all worlds.”

A girlish laugh accompanies, “I don’t think that’s silly.  You’ll find a special home here just like I have.”  When she pauses, he senses more.  Many were the times his father waited patiently for a supporter to say exactly what was on his mind.  Ace now waits for Tina to share the rest of her thought.  When she speaks, it is softly.  “Please don’t take this wrong, but I see a lot of happiness for you despite your loss.” 

Without responding, Ace walks on, weighing her reply, reassessing how much he can trust her.  Instead of a reaction, he makes a request.  “Will you take me to your favorite place on the Poor Farm?”

Although she manages a “Sure,” her fifth-grade mind races to figure out why he wants to see it.  Despite her curiosity and strong desire to ask questions, she directs him through a nearby gate.  Following a cow path through the pasture, they reach a hill overlooking much of the farm.   Atop is a two-hundred-year-old oak – her climbing tree.  Its top branches provide a view of Inner Woods and the plains of Spirit House.  With a sheepish smile, she stops underneath and points up.

Inner Woods consists of four sections of land.  The northwest and northeast sections are mostly wetlands inhabited by cows and wild animals.  The southwest section is presently the backdrop for the setting sun.  Its western edge is a one-hundred-foot-high ridge, all that is left of the southernmost tip of that long-forgotten uplift, the Laurentian Mountains.  Unknown to Ace, Tina, Moose, and Sadie, this section contains Spirit House.  For them, it is pastureland strewn with huge boulders and one huge upheaval.  On the southern edge of this section is a strip of green some fifty yards wide.  Growing within are a dense mix of pines, cedars, and low growing shrubs.  The tillable land on the Poor Farm is in the southeastern section. 

As Ace stands silently beneath the canopy of this huge Oak, taking in a partial view from his vantage point, Tina begins.  “I come here often.  It’s peaceful to look across the pasture and watch the clouds roll in over the western ridge.  The cows seem to invite me to be a part of their world.  They often come to rest under this tree, as if it protects them.  Once they circled me.  I imagined them protecting me from some unseen danger.”

Her revelation awakens Ace’s inner soul.  “I like that.  It makes me feel even more connected to this land and its animals.  The few times I visited with my folks, I too felt something special.  Now your words explain some of that feeling.”  Tina does not realize her smile is adding to his inner peace.  As both stand frozen, watching the setting sun dips below the horizon, Tina wants him to share more.  Reaching out to take his hand, she pulls back.  An inner voice tells her he is not ready.

Immediately her gut instinct proves true.  “We should head back before it gets darker.”  After turning back to the Henderson Mansion, presently the county’s home for the destitute, they hurry.  Darkness is overtaking the farm quicker than they had originally realized.  Soon lights from the mansion guide their final steps. 

After returning through the pasture gate, Ace again feels free to speak.  “Dad’s campaigning kept us away this past year.”  Ace is not angry, just sad he does not have more family memories from the Poor Farm.  As tears well up, Tina reaches out her pinky finger in the darkness. 

He accepts her touch by connecting his to hers.  “I still miss my mother every day.”

Shocked, Ace pulls away.  “You have Sadie!”

Turning to face him in the dark, her words light up an otherwise awkward moment.  “Sadie’s my adopted mother.”

Ace is genuinely surprised.  “I didn’t know.”

“That’s okay.  Sadie is the only mother I have ever known.  I have been with her and Moose since I was six months old.  I only know my birth parents because of the memories Sadie shares.  I have a few of my mother’s clothes but no pictures.  I often wonder how different my life might be if she were alive.”

“But what about your dad?”

“Sadie says he was a miner on the Cuyuna Range.  Mom was six months pregnant when a shaft flooded and killed him and seventy other miners.”

“Then you lost your whole family too?”  After acknowledging her lose, he reaches out his hand to accept her invitation to become better friends.  “I hope I can share in that love you and Moose and Sadie have.”

“You will.  By the way, the answer to your question is, ‘yes,’ and ‘no.’ Moose and Sadie are my family, but now I’m getting what I always wanted, a big brother.  I now have a whole family.”  She wants to hug him, but stops short.  Her hesitation surprises her.  She, along with Moose and Sadie, are big huggers.

Before she can continue, Ace interrupts.  “You always made me feel welcomed here – today more so than ever before.  I hope I can live up to being your big brother.”  Ace, too, would like to hug her, but he also stops short.  Although he wants to continue this conversation, there is something weighing on him.  “Can I ask a question?”

“Sure.”  His more intimate voice makes her feel important.  Her best friend Diana sounds like that when she wants to talk confidentially.

“What do you know about the Indian who prayed at the funeral?”

When Tina stops to looks at him in the dim porch light, it accentuates her puzzled expression.  The odd silence comes from each probing the other’s face.  When she does not answer his question, and appears confused, Ace cannot take the awkwardness, “Did I ask a dumb question?” 

“No…It’s…It’s just…”  After a worried pause, “It’s just that I never saw an Indian at the funeral.” 

Ace’s surprise leaves him speechless.  She must think I imaged it!  Because her recall sounds so honest, he exclaims, “You must have!  He was right there after I put a handful of dirt on both Mom and Dad’s coffins.  He had a Buffalo headdress with horns and wore at least five necklaces.  He was holding a large half seashell with burning grass that smelled sweet, like incense.  He fanned it over the coffins and me.”

“Honestly, Ace, I never saw him or any of what you are saying!”  Now she worries, He doesn’t believe me!

Her serious answer shocks him.  He is sure of his experience.  How could she have not seen him and smelled the smoke?  Standing nearly immobile before the bottom step, they study each other’s concerned looks.  She must think I imagined it.   “We should go in.  I must have dreamt it from reading too many Indian stories.  My Dad purchased every book on Indians he ever laid his eyes on.  He even told me stories about their way of life.  I guess I was just remembering those good times and imagined a medicine man whom Dad described as giving a wonderful send off to a dead warrior entering the spirit world.”

“I am sorry, Ace.  I didn’t see him.”  As Tina does not want to lose the opportunity, “Will you let me to show you some of my other favorite places tomorrow?” 

“Sure.” 

Her diary entry before bed does not include anything about Ace seeing an Indian at the funeral.  Instead, she vowed to herself to never mention it to Moose or Sadie. 

An exhausted Ace will not get a second chance to dwell on the matter.  His sleep is immediate.

When the meal bell sounds for breakfast, Ace is still sound asleep.  The sudden clanging awakens him from a dream about two politicians in a heated discussion concerning his parents’ car accident.  He awoke when as one was defiantly proclaiming, “That was no accident!”  Try as he might while dressing, Ace cannot recall more. 

Upon entering the dining hall, a burly black man is speaking with Moose.  When both turn, Moose calls out, “Glad to see you got a good night’s sleep.” 

“Thanks!”  Billy tries to sound cheerful and ready for a new day.

Tina invites, “How about my new brother coming to sit by me.”

Before he can sit, the man leaves Moose’s side and comes over to greet Ace.  Extending a welcoming hand, “Hi!  I’m Sam!”

Ace returns the man’s handshake just like his father taught him.  Looking him straight in the eye with great respect and a hearty shake, “I’m Ace and I’m glad to meet you.”

“I believe you are, son.  Tina has told me all about you.  Can’t shut her up.”

“Quit teasing Sam.  I’m just glad to finally have a big brother.”

“I ain’t big enough for you, Tina?”

As she laughs she again calls out, “Come sit here Ace.  We can talk about what you would like to see today.”

“Sure.  Sorry I’m late.” 

Sam is sincere.  “You’re not late.  I just eat early to get a head start on chores.  If I don’t, Moose gets all the work done without me.  He works too hard.  Don’t let him do your work Ace!”  Sam’s smile is warm and inviting.  

Moose will hear none of it.  “Go on.  Get out of here before I cut your pay.”

A smiling, laughing Sam shoots back, “What’s half of nothing?”

As he turns to leave, Ace calls after him.  “I am looking forward to getting to know you better.”  Ace likes Sam’s attitude. 

Sam turns and smiles. “Me, too, Ace!  Any Friend of Tina is a friend of mine.”

As Ace sits, the table conversations become more subdued than the laughter he heard while coming down the stairs.  “Please don’t stop your conversations on my account.  I am okay.  I even had a dream about my parent’s accident.  It indicated they weren’t at fault.”  When silence ensues, he turns to Moose, “Were you able to get the car?”  Two days ago, Ace asked Moose to have his folk’s wrecked car hauled out to Poor Farm.  He wants to restore it.

“It’s coming tomorrow.  Sheriff Thompson called this morning.  Told me he retrieved it just in the nick-of-time.  Some guy from the Twin Cities was asking Harvey if he could buy it.  Harvey told him, ‘Ask that guy!’  When the man turned and saw the sheriff coming in, he says, ‘No thanks.  He can have it.”  With that, he walked out the door. 

“Sheriff figures he must have made the man nervous.  Saw him at the funeral talking with your Dad’s opponent.  Maybe the guy’s just a souvenir hunter.”

With Moose’s summation, Sadie introduces the other residents in the dining hall.  “Ace, this Rachel.  The guy sitting across from you is George.  To his right is Bill.  George and Bill are leaving us tomorrow.  General Mills is expanding and doing more hiring at the flourmill.  Rachel is planning to stay a bit longer.

“Nice to meet all of you.”  Ace rises and shakes each hand before sitting back down.  This also is what his father taught him.

George speaks for the three residents.  “Sorry about your mom and dad, kid.  We were planning on voting for him.  He sure had some great plans for helping the homeless.”

“Thanks.”

As breakfast winds down, Tina turns to Moose and Sadie.  “Mind if I show Ace around?”

Shocked and serious, they are emphatic, “Yes, we do!”  When Ace’s jaw drops, belly laughter erupts.  The two pranksters exchange a loving kiss and proclaim in unison, “Been married too long!” 

Tina explains.  “Don’t ever take them too seriously.  They pull this stunt all the time.  They are still kids at heart and love to joke around.”

Moose nods to Sadie.  She always speaks for them after they pull their “freaked out” stunts.  “We hoped you would ask.  You two need to get to know each other better.  The rest of us will pick up your chores today.” 

Moose and Sadie have been managing the County’s Poor Farm for twenty years.  After graduating from high school, they announced a Thanksgiving wedding.  Two weeks after graduation, the county advertised for a married couple to manage the Poor Farm – a cook as well as a farmer – two for the price of one.  They jumped at the chance and moved up their wedding date. 

Both grew up on farms and were leaders in the same 4H club.  As it was the depression, neither family could stake them on a new farm.  The Poor Farm was a godsend; they both love farming and helping people. 

Moose is not your typical farmer.  Oh, sure, he is stocky, broad shouldered, strong as an ox, and hands tougher than leather, but his outside interests are boxing and rock climbing.  He has a boxing ring at one end of his machine shed.

Like Moose, Sadie is not your typical farm wife.  She does enjoy canning and cooking, but she also loves rock climbing and collecting gravestone rubbings.  Seven binders fill a shelf in the Poor Farm library.  During the winter months, she studies the rubbings and writes notes on the outside edges.

After finishing breakfast and making their beds, Ace and Tina meet on the porch.  While heading to the barn, Tina appears anxious.  “Can I finish what I started yesterday when I told you about my adoption?” 

Before Ace can respond, she jumps right in.  “When my mother came here, she knew she was dying.  She grew to like Moose and Sadie and asked them if they would adopt me after her death.  Before agreeing, mother made them promise two things.  First, never to give me up.  Second, not to open or let me open her suitcase until I turned fifteen.”  She then laughs nervously before proceeding.  “So the first rule Moose and Sadie taught me was, ‘I promise not to open the suitcase until I am fifteen.’

“It was easy when I was younger; I couldn’t reach it.  When I could reach it, they started hiding it.  Now that I am older, they can no longer hide it from me, but they still expect me to keep my promise.  What do you suppose is so important that I must wait until I’m fifteen?”

“I hope you’re not asking me to look in the suitcase for you!”

 “No, silly!  I just thought you should know one of my secrets.  Maybe you can help me stay away from it.”  Before he can respond, she opens a side barn door and begins speaking about feeding and milking cows.

“We throw down silage twice a day in the winter.  We clean the milking alley before and after each milking.  There’s a trap door above the center of the milking alley.  We use it to throw down hay for feeding during milking.  We always add barely, sorghum, and blood meal. 

“That little car on the rail above your head is where we shovel the manure during cleanup. Its track leads out back.  Sometimes I ride in it just for fun.  I’m always careful not to get my fingers caught under the pulleys.  When the pile in back gets too big, we use the frontend loader to fill the manure spreader.  I can give you a ride on it if you want. 

“Are you talking about the manure spreader or the frontend loader?”

Nervous laughter accompanies, “No silly, the tractor.”  Immediately a funny memory brings more girlish laughter.  “Once my uncle Mike was riding on the manure spreader seat when it broke after hitting a big rock.  He fell right into the wet mess.  Moose and Sadie still laugh about that.”   

After pausing to catch her breath, and before he can respond, she begins naming a half dozen cats rubbing against her legs and purring.  She ends with, “They’re hoping I’ll squirt milk in their mouths.”  Although she shoos them aside, they stick within two feet of her.

As the cows are already in the barn’s stanchion and waiting for milking by Sam, “Can I show you how to milk?”  Before he can agree, she pulls up a milking stool and demonstrates.  Her best move is squirting milk into the open mouths of all six cats.  Next, she hands the pail and stool to Ace.  “Okay, it’s your turn.”  Turning over an empty bucket, she sits next to where Ace is placing his stool.

At first he wonders if he can even balance on the one-legged stool.  After mastering it, he is far too delicate in grabbing the cow’s udders.  Tina encourages him.  “Grabs hold and really squeeze while you’re pulling down.”  After a bit of success, he tries squirting some at a waiting cat.  He succeeds only in painting her body white.  After much laughter, they head to the chicken coop to let Sam finish his milking chores. 

In the coop’s entry is a fenced off storage area for feed and grit.  Two feed scoops hang on the wall behind the sacks.   Tina shows Ace how to put feed into the hanging chicken feeders.  Next, they use a hose to fill a five-gallon pail sitting in a large metal pan.  The bottom of this pail has holes around its lower edges.  It is a gravity fed watering station. 

After filling the watering and food troughs, Tina grabs two wire baskets for egg collecting.  Happy to help, Ace accepts one, and follows her into the second half of the hen house.  On the far wall are wooden nesting boxes.  Some have sitting hens in them.  After watching Tina shoo one away and pull out three eggs, he tries collecting some a hen not too happy to have a stranger shooing her away.  As he reaches for her eggs, her peck draws blood.

When Ace pulls away and leaves the eggs, Tina comes over and shoos the hen off her nest.  “We don’t want any brooders.  Sadie sells the eggs.  She calls them, ‘her spending money!’  You don’t want to mess with that.”  Ace is amazed at how easily and quickly Tina rattles off information.  This is not the Tina he remembers from family visits.  Today, she is taking special pride in helping her older brother become a knowledgeable farmer.

“We wash the eggs before candling.”

“Candling?”

“We use a bright light to see if the egg has begun forming a chick.  City people don’t like eating fertilized eggs.  I’ll show you how later.” 

As they walk back to the house with two baskets of eggs, Ace pounders out loud, “If the others are doing our chores today, why are we doing them?”

“I just thought we could be helpful while having fun.”  After storing their eggs in the cellar’s cold-room, they return to the kitchen.  Before heading back out, Tina orders, “Grab the slop bucket under the sink.  We can take it with us to feed the pigs.”

After exiting the kitchen, Sonny, the farm dog, trails along.  Standing at the hog yard fence, Tina begins calling, “Sooie! Sooie!”  The pigs come running.  “Dump the bucket into that trough.”   Once done and the pigs are enjoying themselves, “Come over here.  We always use this frost-free faucet for rinsing the pail.” 

“Why’s it called frost-free? 

“The pipe goes down about six feet.  When you shut off the valve, all the water in the first six feet drains back down.  Keeps the pipe from freezing and splitting during the cold winter months.”

“Makes sense.”

“Don’t worry.  You will get to know everything soon enough.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

After filling the slop bucket a quarter full, she swishes the water around to clean the pail.  Handing it back to Ace, “Dump the rinse water in the trough.  A clean pail keeps the house from smelling and attracting flies.  Plus, it gives the pigs a nutritious drink.”

Laughingly, “That sounds pretty optimistic,”

“Cut it out!  You know what I mean.”

“OK.”

After feeding a large momma pig a cob of corn, Tina hops on her back and takes a leisurely ride around the pig yard.  Ace’s first attempt does not go as well.  He chooses a big boor that does not like giving rides.  Almost immediately, Ace find himself sitting among mud and pig droppings.  Fortunately, he did not land directly on either.  

When finished playing, Tina turns their attention to the remaining outbuildings.  After visiting the drive through granary and lingering in the pole barn to inspect farm equipment, Ace wonders why she appears to be avoiding one of the outbuildings.  She is not.

As she leads him to it, “This is the machine shed.  We fix most of our farm equipment here and change the oil for all the vehicles.  That 50-gallon drum beside the door is for used oil.  In late spring, we spread that oil on the gravel road out front.  It helps keep down the dust from cars zooming down the lane.”

“Maybe Moose will let me use the shed to fix up Dad’s Chrysler.  Dad was sure proud of that baby.  It’s a 1942 Chrysler Windsor Town and Country.  Some folks call it a ‘Double Doored Woody.’  The two trunk doors open to the sides like parlor doors, rather than up like other station wagons.  There are a few station wagons that have a single door opening to the side, but nothing like the double trunk.  It even has a luggage rack.”

Noting Ace’s love for his folk’s car, she adds, “Moose will park it outback of this shed.”  When Ace looks in that direction, there is an old grain truck and Hudson next in line for repairs.

Upon entering the machine shed, he immediately notices a padlocked door on the back wall. When Tina explains everything but what is behind the locked door, he asks.  “So, what’s behind that door?  You’ve been acting like you’re avoiding it.” 

Trying to be nonchalant.  “Moose wanted to save that room as a surprise to show you.”  Without pause she adds, “But he said I can show it to you if you asked.”

“So, you were purposeful in getting me to ask?” 

Her blush accompanies an embarrassed smile.  “You’ll see.”  After reaching the door, she puts her hand into the pocket of a jean jacket hanging on a ten-penny nail next to the left side of the door.  Pulling out a key, she unlocks the door and stands aside – an invitation for him to enter first. 

Ace is amazed.  The room contains a boxing ring maybe two-thirds the size of a normal ring.  Tina begins speaking in rapid fire, as if throwing quick punches.  “The hook over the center is for hanging the speed and punching bags.  That’s them on the back wall.

“Why’s it so small?”

“Moose believes practicing in a smaller space makes a fighter more aggressive.  He says, ‘This way you learn not to back off so easily.’  It forces you to confront your opponent.”

“He boxes?”

“Did until Sadie made him quit.  He still works out.  Now he’s hoping you will want to learn.”

“Do you box?”

“No, silly!  Sadie would never let me.  She says it isn’t ladylike.”  She laughs again.

“But you act like you know this place.”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

After a short pause, “Remember Sam from breakfast and milking?’

“Sure.”

“He’s been teaching me karate.  Ever hear of it?”

“No.”

“Me neither, until Sam arrived.  He learned it in Okinawa while guarding prisoners during the war.  He told Sadie people there use it to defend themselves.  He says there are two kinds of karate.  The one Buddhist Monks practice for spiritual exercise and the other people use to defend themselves.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”  In her excitement, she continues talking nonstop.  “When Sam asked to teach me, Sadie said he couldn’t mess with my spirituality.”

“So, you’re pretty good at it, then?”

“Spirituality?”

Her response has Ace wondering if she is purposefully connecting ‘good’ to spirituality, or just constantly trying to play some kind of word game to mess with his thinking.  Although her question intrigues him, he decides not to pursue it.  “No, karate.  Are you trying to be funny?”

“No, it’s important to me.”

“What is, spirituality or karate?”

“Yes and yes.”  Not ready to have a conversation about her beliefs, she turns the discussion back to karate.  “I’m just beginning, but Sam has already awarded me a white belt.  I get a different colored belt each time I get better.  He is giving me the belts he earned.  I felt bad about that until he told me it was important for him to do it that way.” 

 Ace wonders how good she really is, “You’re putting me on.  I’ve never heard of Karate.  This is some kind of joke, right?  I’ve seen your twinkle in the eyes of politicians trying to pull a fast one on their constituents!”  Tina is nervous, trying hard not to do something stupid. 

Ace’s father was always apprehensive around politicians.  He wanted to know who was honest and who was not.  That rubbed off on Ace. 

 Before Tina can reply, Ace delivers what can only be classified as a statement and a question.  “You challenging me!”  Intrigued by this cute-as-a-pixie fifth grader, and before she can reply, he accepts her challenge.  “Okay, lets get in!” 

Soon he will learn that she, like himself, would rather be a peacemaker than a fighter, but not today.  For some time now, she has been wanting to show off her skill.

Despite her stick-like figure, Ace sees a glint of fearlessness behind her sparkling blue eyes.  Closely scrutinizing, he notes for the first time some of her physical traits.  Her jet-black hair, tanned skin, and impish nose attracted him from the first time they met.  Now, her slender fingers and figure deceive him into believing she is a pushover.  She is not.  Her inherited bone structure along with a love for milking and other farm chores have provided her with strong hands and solid muscles.  Lean but not mean would best describe her physical attributes. 

Outside of Sam, Moose, and Sadie, Ace is the first person to know of her karate training.  In this Year of Our Lord, 1948, none of her schoolmates have even heard the word, “Karate.”  Before beginning to teach Tina, Sam made her promise two things: Use it only for defense and keep it a secret from her schoolmates.  Right now, her stance, word emphasis, and facial expressions are pushing her new brother’s masculinity buttons. 

Thinking he may be feeling or thinking something odd about her, she tries undoing what she started.  “Sam carries a lot of pain from the terrible things he saw in Okinawa during the war.  He told Sadie a lot of defenseless women got raped.”  For her age, Ace is listening to someone far more mature. “My tanned skin and black hair remind him of the Okinawa women.  He nearly demanded Sadie let me learn.  He said, ‘She needs to be able to defend herself.’  When Moose agreed, Sadie relented.” 

Tina pauses, hoping to soften her previous challenging behaviors.  Unfortunately, she fails.  “Actually, I’m not too bad.”  She could kick herself.

 Ace feels more than just a bit confused.  “Why do I feel everything you are doing is a challenge?  Is it me or something I said?” 

Even though she is nervous, the tenner of her voice and body posture speaks the hidden reality.  Her reply is honest.  “I don’t know why I’m acting this way.  It’s really not like me.”  Part of her problem is she thinks him cute and wants to impress him.  She is flirting without realizing how instinctive this behavior is for young people.  “Can we start over?  This is not how I hoped our friendship would start.”

“Too late!”  Ace’s tone and body posture indicate he is accepting her challenge.  Despite her repentant look, he pushes on.   “Why don’t we get in the ring and you can show me some moves.”  Ace is feeling a bit like Sherlock Holmes – ‘The game is afoot!’ 

After stepping onto the second step to the ring, Ace uses his left foot to hold down the bottom rope and lifts the middle rope with his left hand.  With his right arm and hand, he gallantly motions for her to enter first.

After entering the ring, she turns to face his entrance – a move Sam taught her.  Standing no more than three feet away, she makes it impossible for him to enter without being confronted.  Nervously she asks, “Okay, what do you want to see?” 

“Show me some fancy moves.”

“You will need to act like you are attaching me.  I can only use karate for defense.  Swing like you have a knife.”  Her boldness eggs him on.

“Can you give me a little more room?”

“No!”

 Ace is uncomfortable swinging at a girl so close, much less one so petite and pretty, and a new sister at that!  As he prepares himself for a stabbing attack, she steps back.  With more room, he begins circling her, looking for an opening.  I’ll give her every opportunity to back down so I don’t hurt her.  When she holds her countering position, prepared to act, Ace assumes she is challenging his strength.  He devises a plan is to catch her off-guard.  I’ll teach her a good lesson.

Rushing with his right arm raised, he stops the stabbing action to reaches out and grab her left wrist.  She is quicker.  Side stepping his attempt to grab her hand is the last move he remembers before going down.  Lying on his back, he sees only the rafters. 

The thud from landing startles him as much as his feet flying through the air.  Looking toward his feet, he finds her smiling face framed between two ceiling rafters.  Her hands are again in the ready position.  Her stance dares him to get up and try again.  When he looks puzzled, Tina becomes concerned and drops her hands.   “I am sorry!  I hope I didn’t hurt you?”  She offers him a hand up.

“Oh, no, you don’t.  I need a chance to redeem myself.”  Ace jumps up and grabs her right wrist, intending to twist her arm behind her back.  “You’re going down!” he yells excitedly.  Upstaged by a girl, especially a new sister two years younger, has him acting tough.  “You need to know I can defend myself.”

“Not this time smarty pants!”  With a lighting fast move, she breaks his hold with her free hand.  Immediately both her hands grab his right arm.  As she jerks him forward, her right foot again trips him.  Again, he flies through the air.  She used his momentum against him.  After sliding across the mat, he stops sprawled and face down.  Had she used her full strength, he would have hit the wall headfirst. 

Ace grabs the lowest rope and rises quickly, intending to face her down.  Tina is already in a new defensive posture.  Seeing she will pounce a third time, he raises his hands, palms up.  “Okay, I believe you.” 

Applause comes from the doorway.  It is Sam.  He has been watching from the shadows.  When he steps into full view, a remorseful look crosses Tina’s face.  Sam, however, cannot hide his excitement and pride.  “Thata girl!  Now you’re gettin’ it!” His smile is the broadest it has been since before the war. 

“I’m sorry, Ace.”

“Girl, don’t you ever be sorry!”  Swinging up and into the ring without pausing, Sam continues.  “You just saw how it really works.  Up to now you didn’t believe because I’m so much bigger.”  He turns to Ace.  For a second time, he extends a strong, welcoming hand.  “I like you boy.”  Because his shirtsleeves are rolled up, Ace sees Sam’s tattoo on his right forearm.  It is two dog tags hanging from a barbwire necklace.  One says, “Never Forget.” The other, “Uncommon Valor.” 

Ace not only feels Sam’s friendly hand, he feels the strength behind it.  Recognizing he has never shaken a hand quite so strong or attached to such rippling muscles, “I am glad you’re not squeezing too hard,” he laughs.

Sam does not hear Ace.  “Tina is good, huh?”  His eyes sparkle with pride.

“Yes, sir, she is.”  Embarrassed by both underestimating Tina abilities and having his comedown witnessed by another man, Ace is chagrined.  However, it lasts only a moment.  Sam grasps both Ace and Tina by the shoulders, pulling them close to himself for hugs of congratulation.  With laughter and tenderness, the two young people cannot help but become relaxed.  This moment marks a turning point – the lives of these three individuals are now forever intertwined.

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