Review, Revision, Edit and Update
This episode didn't flow as nicely as the last couple of episodes. There was, in fact, dialogue between the two characters (Joey and Digby) in this piece. I answered my own question, from my last episode Review regarding dialogue and could it create difficulty in maintaining a steady flow for the reader. The location also changes, answering another question regarding flow: Digby's office; the upstairs with further suggestions of the outside and in the kitchen. Being alert for the back and forth nature of dialogue and location are important considerations. So for this episode, I cleaned up sentence structure and, later on in the piece, added some detail.
Windfalls
One day, as he was heading upstairs to do the cleaning, Mr. Digby stood outside his office, waiting for him. He looked awfully serious, but then he always looked pretty serious. “Joey, can you come see me after you’re done upstairs. I have something I want to discuss with you.” He turned and went into his office, closing the door part way behind him. Throughout the morning, whether Joey was scrubbing the toilet, making the beds, dusting or vacuuming, sixteen year old Joey Tucker tried to think what he might have done. Had he spent too much time out in the garden? Should he have taken the tomatoes to Cook instead of his mother? He knew that he left the upstairs clean and polished each time he was there. That ghost girl, Sarah, hadn’t been bothering him since he asked her to help him move furniture and clean. He was worried.
The week before, Dez had approached Digby and asked if she could hire Joey to pick some of the apples. Rather intimidated by Digby, she could barely get the words out, but she had to do something. Apples were ripe. Because the trees had been watered regularly, the trees were loaded. Samuel told her “there’s more of ‘em on the trees this year, Mz. Dez. Better get some pickers in here.” She remembered Emmie’s suggestion that Digby be approached about hiring Joey and maybe a friend of his, to help with the orchard. She’d never hired pickers before so didn’t know where to start. When she approached Digby, Emmie had already spoken with him. She agreed that Dez could pay Joey and one friend for certain hours in the orchard. Digby spoke with Gerald Winston, the accountant before calling Joey into his office. He never suspected the young man was afraid he was losing his summer job.
Digby was still catching up on work from the weeks he and Martha were away. It seemed as though Miss Emelina was getting him some butlering work. He had phone calls from the chairman of the one of the charity boards Emmie was still involved with, asking if some kind of dinner could be arranged for the board members. Digby had been on the phone most of the morning with arrangements. He spent some of his time talking with Cook about the catering that would be needed. “My goodness, James! Don’t tell me that we’ll be having company out here again.” Cook was almost flustered which was not in her character. So when Joey knocked tentatively on his open door, he just about didn’t hear. Joey was about to knock again, when Digby looked up and smiled. “Come in, come in, Joey. Close the door behind you and sit down. My goodness, you seem a little worried. Is everything all right upstairs?” Joey looked puzzled. Digby pressed on “You know, Sarah? the little ghost?”
“Oh no, sir. Everything’s just fine.” Joey decided to come right out and say what was on his mind, even if he did stammer. “I’m just worried……..am I not doing my job right? Should I not be taking vegetables to my mother from my….I mean, the Estates…..garden plot?” James, not a man to laugh often, had to suppress a chuckle. “You are doing just fine, Joey. In fact, more than fine. You are a very reliable employee. I wish I’d been that reliable when I was your age. Clean the upstairs to Martha's satisfaction and then to work in the garden as well, making sure you put what ever tools you’ve used away. Of course you are to take the produce you grow to your mother. I understand you are just as diligent with your studies.Your parents must be very proud of you.” Joey was confused. If he was so good, then why did he feel like he was in the principal’s office?
“You’re worried I’m going to fire you, aren’t you, Mr. Tucker? Well, I’m not. In fact, what we need to discuss is whether you want any more work.” Digby was sensitive to Joey’s discomfort so decided that there had been enough small talk. Joey’s face brightened and he stopped stammering. “I’d love more work - is it paid work? What do you need me to do?” Digby thought to himself Good boy. Don’t forget about the dollar. To Joey he said, “Miss Dez needs help in the orchard She needs you to pick apples - have you ever done that before? There are a lot of them. Samuel may be able to estimate how many bushels, but regardless you can take some to your mother because we won’t be able to use them all here. There are frequently apples with minor damage that would just get thrown away. We also send some to the Food Bank and shelters. And you will need help. Do you know anyone else that may want to pick apples for what’s left of the summer and probably into the fall?”
Joey breathed a sigh of relief, thought for a minute and said “Steven - Steven is my best friend. He lives next door and hasn’t had any luck getting work this summer. I think he may jump at this chance. I know a little bit about apple picking, but I don’t know whether Steven does. When do you need to know?”
~~~~~
Joey texted Steven while he was sitting in Digby’s office. Steven got on his bike and came right out to the Estate. The first thing he said was “Do you think I can meet the ghost, Joey?”
“Our greatest fears lie in anticipation.”
~ Honoré de Balzac
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