His cell phone buzzed. The call display told him it was ok to answer it. “Wonder what James wants.” He picked up his phone and walked out on his back porch. Sheltered from the steady soft rain, he spoke into the little gadget. He just couldn’t call it a telephone. Telephones had proper receivers, solid and just set for one purpose. “James. Just about to call you. What’s up?”
“With this rain, I suspected you weren’t busy. Do you think you could come up to the manor? Miss Emelina and I are reviewing the budget for the garden, the orchard and the rest of the yard this afternoon and we’d like you in on our discussion.” Another of Samuel's worries. How much money was he really spending on the whole place? He didn’t have any plan, just got what he needed and gave James the receipts. He tried to keep a lid on his spending, but James kept the receipts and had never told him to tighten his belt. They’d worked like that for years. He smoothed the wrinkles on his brow. “What time? I can come up right now. Just had lunch and not doin’ anything this afternoon.” He’d get a chance to find out how this year had been. They should have been doing this all along. If he could maybe get somebody to work with him, so there’d be somebody to take over when it was time. Like that young man...Tucker was his name? He’d talk with Miss Em and James about it. How it would fit in the budget. Even just one day a week. That boy’s still in school, so weekends. He took a real interest in the place, but had to stop coming.
~~~~~
A fly on the wall would have heard raised voices in James office. “What are those two old fools fighting about, Martha? Not like them. Samuel sure looked worried when he came in here. That’s not like him either.” The two women stopped what they were doing, their attention on the closed office door. “Elizabeth we just need to keep working and let them alone.” She really wanted to go in and learn what it was all about.
“Samuel, settle down.” James Digby had never heard Samuel raise his voice. “Miss Emelina will be here soon.” Costs had skyrocketed over the last few years of the pandemic. Shortages, backed up supplies, gas prices up. Samuel knew all that, but hadn’t known the totals of it all. Neither did Miss Emelina. There would have to be cut backs to all the yard care, including garden and orchard. Unless they could come up with a way to make a profit from the fruit and vegetables, they would have to have a much smaller garden. Samuel hadn’t liked hearing that. What James didn’t know, was that it made Samuel’s worries about his own time running out much worse. He had wanted to ask for help for the garden, and he was hearing ‘no’ before he asked the question. For the first time in years, he felt the weight of his solitary life. Solitary, but dependent on the good graces of his employer. “You’re right, James. Guess I’d just better hush and listen to you and Miss Em. I’ll talk when it’s time. Let me go get some tea.” James was tempted to go with him, but decided he needed to be left alone. He hoped that his friend was all right.
“Elizabeth, is there fresh tea?” He took an old blue mug from the cupboard. “Just finished steeping, Samuel. What are you and James in a stew about?” She filled his mug. “Nothin’. I’m just a cranky old man today. Rain sure is welcome, but the clouds are sittin’ heavy on my head today.” Returning to the office, he still felt angry but not at James, at his situation. He’d have to sort it out himself. He’d listen to what Miss Em and James had to say, put is two cents in when he could and when he was home…..maybe tomorrow……he'd make a plan for himself. In a secret place in his heart he hoped Elizabeth could be part of his plans.
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”
~ Mitch Albom
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