Webster Saga-Prep

PLOT BACKGROUND STORY

Louis Austin Webster lay in his bed at home, the hospital could do no more for him. In a state of wakefulness and sleep, pieces of his life swarmed through his brain.

He was working on the Alaskan Highway and was cold, colder than he had ever been before in his life. At night, the men would look at each other’s faces for white spots to confirm a problem wasn’t starting. Louis jerked in his deep sleep. Now a swarm of bugs flew at him, so thick that some were swallowed. He gave a loud gasp.

“Pa, Pa, wake up, are you OK?”

“Cold, I’m cold Lucy. I was in Alaska again, working on the highway.”

“It was just a dream Pa. Let me get you another blanket.”

By the time his daughter Lucy came back with a blanket Louis had drifted off to sleep again. Now he was in a carriage riding with his wife Katy. Their thirteen children had surprised them with a 50th Wedding Anniversary Party at Woodside Ranch. They were all there, every one of them; laughing and joking like usual. He cried when Kenny came, always so far away in Missouri. He took Katy’s hand in his.

Waking once again, he squeezed Katy’s hand. “Ir was fun wasn’t it?”

“What was fun, dear?”

“The party at Woodside. I would marry you all over again.”

“As would I,” Katy replied, hoping that he wouldn’t see the tear trickle down her cheek.

“You know, Jesus was here this morning and he told me not to be afraid, that it is my time to die, and everything will be OK.”

Katy reached up and touched his forehead. “I love you Louie, I always have.” She lay her head on his chest as he closed his eyes for the last time on December 8, 1977.

“Ma, come now, we have to make a call. You can do no more for him.”

“Oh Lucy, what will I do now? I will miss him so.”

“I know Ma, I know. He wouldn’t want you to be sad.”

Louis and Katy Webster had fourteen children; nine girls and five boys. The youngest boy, Junior, had fallen through the ice when sixteen and drowned. He helped create a great family but now the legacy was gone. He knew nothing about his amazing Quaker ancestors and never attended church except for weddings and funerals and yet it seemed that he did have an ‘inner light’ burning inside him after all.