It’s the month of November and Catherine comes home every year for the holidays. She lives in Chicago and is a district manager for Bloomingdale's, but was born and raised on a thriving farm in Wisconsin. Her parents Joyce and Ben are very proud of her and can’t wait to see her again.
“Catherine should be here soon,” Joyce said as she placed a sandwich in front of Ben.
“It’s always nice to have her home,” Ben took a bite of his ham sandwich.
Catherine was about thirty minutes away from her childhood home when her car started to chug and shake.
“Oh no… This can’t be happening,” Catherine looked at her gauges.
The car chugged one last time and shut off. Catherine found herself trying to steer her now dead car off to the side of the quiet country road. She stopped her car and put it in park. She turned the key back on and tried to restart it but it wouldn’t fire up.
“I’m so close to home too,” she looked at her surroundings. “Well, I guess I’ll call dad,” Catherine dug in her purse for her cell phone.
Ben and Joyce just finished their lunch when their farmhand knocked at the door.
“Come in Jimmy,” Joyce called out.
“Sorry I’m late today but this morning's class ran over,” Jimmy walked up to the table.
“That’s okay. A good education is important Jimmy,” Ben looked up at him.
“Would you like a sandwich before you start working?” Joyce asked him.
“Yes, thank you, Mrs. Williams, I’m starved,” Jimmy smiled.
Before Joyce could start making his sandwich, the phone rang. Joyce walked over to the phone on the wall and answered it. It was Catherine and she told her mom that her car suddenly died just past highway fourteen. Joyce told Catherine that her dad and Jimmy will come out and get her.
“Jimmy? Who’s Jimmy?” Catherine asked.
“Hold on dear, I will tell them where you are,” Joyce said.
Joyce told Ben and Jimmy that Catherine’s car died, and also told them where she is located. Ben told Joyce to let his daughter know that they are on their way, and should be there in about twenty-five minutes.
“Okay dear, their on the way.”
“Okay, thanks mom, but who is Jimmy?”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you about Jimmy. He started working for us three months ago. He’s such a nice young man and he goes to Whitewater college three days a week. He is studying business management. I can’t wait for you to meet him. He’s your age and handsome too,” Joyce explained.
Oh great, that’s all I need is my mom planning my romances now, Catherine thought. Joyce continued to talk and tell her daughter about how well the crops did this year. She said that the farmer’s market manager told her dad that he is pleased with all the corn and pumpkins that the farm produced this year. Joyce also praised Jimmy’s hard work and explained how helpful he has been on the farm.
“Your father is getting older and can’t do all the harvesting by himself anymore. So, when Jimmy came looking for a job, we decided to give him a chance,” Joyce said.
“But mom, did you do a background check on him before you hired him?” Catherine asked.
“A background check? No dear, he looked and acted respectful so your father and I talked it over and hired him on the spot. And by the grace of God and three months later, Jimmy has worked perfectly with your father.”
Catherine shook her head in disbelief. She knew that her parents have always been a little too trustworthy with people. She asked her mom what else she knows about Jimmy and where he came from. Joyce told Catherine that his parents live in Fort Atkinson and that he moved to Whitewater to go to college. She said that he has a room that he rents from a lady in town. She also said that he plans to get his business management degree so that he can help small businesses get more for their money.
“I’m not sure what that means but it sounds good to me,” Joyce said.
Because Catherine’s mom talked on and on about Jimmy, the twenty-minute wait went by fast. Catherine saw in the distance her dad’s brown ford pickup coming toward her.
“Mom, I think I see them coming. We’ll talk more when I get there,” Catherine said.
“Okay dear, see you soon.”
Catherine got out of her car and waved at her dad as he slowed down and pulled over. She ran up to the driver's side of the truck and smiled at her dad. Jimmy jumped out of the truck and walked around the front of it.
“Hi dad, it sure is good to see you,” Catherine kissed him on the cheek.
“Hi sweetheart, It’s good to have you home again. Catherine, this is Jimmy, and he is going to hook a chain up to your car so that we can tow it home,” her dad said.
Catherine turned and saw a slender man wearing a blue flannel shirt, form-fitting blue jeans, and cowboy boots walk up to her. He was six foot two, had brown shoulder-length hair, and a great smile.
“Hello Jimmy, it’s nice to meet you,” Catherine smiled.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Catherine,” Jimmy held out his hand.
Catherine shook his hand and thought, wow he is handsome.
Ben drove his truck around and backed it up so it was about ten feet in front of Catherine’s car. Jimmy then took a chain out of the back of the truck and crawled underneath her car. Catherine stood off to the side and watched Jimmy as he hooked the chain up. After Jimmy crawled back out from under her car, he hook the other end of the chain up to the truck.
“Okay, you might want to hop in the truck with your dad. I’m going to ride in your car and guide it down the road,” Jimmy said.
“Oh, yes of course. Please be careful Jimmy,” Catherine smiled.
“I have to be, I haven’t had your mom’s famous pumpkin pie I’ve heard so much about,” Jimmy smiled and climbed into Catherine’s car.
Catherine hopped into the truck with her dad and smiled, “I think the holidays this year are going to be interesting.”
I hope that you enjoyed the first story of the: Tis The Season Stories series.