The Pumpkin Patch

"There he is George, out there, playing in the pumpkin patch, again. Lord, that child doesn’t have the sense God gave a toad." Rowhealya barely got the words past her lips when millions of gleaming, crystal clear droplets from a sun shower suddenly fell from the sky.

George and Rowhealya took cover in the nearby, old shed. They watched as Billy stood perfectly still in the middle of the field with his arms outstretched, his eyes closed, head back as far as it could go without causing him to fall over backwards. Billy imagined he could feel the earth spin on its axis, and felt every cool, refreshing raindrop as they plopped all over his face, outstretched arms, and clothes.

Today, Billy was celebrating the fact that he had a very special secret. It was not often that he had the opportunity to feel special. He was the youngest of his parent’s four children. His sister, Beth, was the oldest, and then his two brothers, Allen and John. The three of them usually kept their parent’s very busy. Beth had soccer games, and she always needed to be taken to practice after school and games on weekends. Allen and John were on soccer teams too. That did not leave their parents with much time for Billy, but he accepted this. He figured when he got older it would be his turn for his parents to take him to his school activities, so for now he would settle for helping his mom weed the family garden, and help his dad with keeping the lawn mower and weed eater working.

George and Rowhealya were new additions to their family circle. George was a gardener, and Rowhealya was a housekeeper. Billy knew his family was not rich, but he had overheard his daddy talking about how talented George was with growing plants, and since the local wholesale nursery had closed George desperately needed a job, and Rowhealya had nine children and her husband had just died a few months ago. Billy would often eavesdrop on his parents discussions. He would sit on the landing at the top of the stairs and listen. His parents thought their children were all in bed asleep, and they would sit in the living room having coffee after dinner, and Billy would be as small and as quiet as a mouse and just listen to grown up talk until it got too boring.

Yesterday while helping his Mom weed the garden he made a wonderful discovery. At first he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. As he was on his knees pulling weeds he noticed a tiny, brightly colored, winged creature. At first he thought it was a dragon fly, but it was too big to be a dragonfly. Billy carefully parted the weeds around the creature to have a better look.

“Hello.” Billy whispered.

The dragonfly creature looked up slowly and Billy could see the creature tremble and the fear in the expression on its face.

“Don’t be scared. I won’t hurt you.” Billy really did not think that the creature would understand. It was like talking to a dog or cat; nobody really expects them to respond. So it was Billy’s turn to be startled when a smile lit up the tiny creature’s face and he heard a soft, delicate voice respond, “Oh, thank you. I just have no more strength left.”

Billy fell over backwards surprised by the response.

“Billy, are you alright?” Billy’s mom called from a few rows over when she saw Billy tumble over backwards.

“Eh, yea Mom, I’m fine.” Billy replied almost too quickly.

Billy pulled himself back up and parted the weeds again and stared at the tiny little creature. “Whoa, a talking bug.” Billy said out loud.

“I am not a bug. I am a fairy. You do know about fairies, don’t you?”

Billy thought for a moment, and said, “Well, I’ve read fairy tales in books, but not for a while since I am a big boy now. But I didn’t know fairies were real.”

“Oh my, yes we are very real.”

“Well, why have I never seen one of you before?” Billy asked innocently.

“Because many people don’t have gardens anymore. People just don’t have time, and everybody is always in a hurry. And all of us are very busy trying not to get poisoned by chemicals, or run over by all these fancy, loud machines that everybody uses to tend to their well-groomed lawns and flowerbeds. That is why nobody sees or notices any of us anymore.” The little bright colored, winged fairy explained, and Billy could hear the sadness in her soft voice.

“Oh, I am so sorry.” Billy said remembering how much he liked the self-propelled lawn mower that he uses to cut the grass, and the gas powered weed eater that he watched his daddy use to trim around the flowerbeds and driveway.

“It’s not your fault, really. The chemicals and machines are really helpful. It is just sad. Luckily, most of us now live in the National Parks and Forrest, and it is really beautiful there, too.”

Billy felt better that the fairies had a safe place to live in the National Parks and Forests, but wondered why this fairy was here now in his mom's pumpkin patch. “I am really glad to see you in our pumpkin patch, but what are you doing here? I mean, are you all right? You seemed so weak and sad when I first saw you.”

“I got a little careless and strayed too far from home, friends, and family. I was lucky to find your pumpkin patch to spend the night in last night. I got a good nights sleep on a nice soft bunch of leafs and made a blanket with a few of the other big leaves. I am just a little weak from being hungry, that’s all.”

“What do fairies eat?” Billy asked.

“Common everyday food, silly. Fresh squeezed watermelon and cherry juice is my favorite drink. I enjoy the first dew of morning collected in small water pails. Honeysuckles are nice, but it takes three of us to pull the stamens out to collect the sweet nectar.”

“Nectar?” The fairy could tell that Billy did not understand.

“Yes, nectar. It is a sweet liquid made by some flowers. The nectar attracts insects, such as bees and butterflies, as well as hummingbirds. Bees also use nectar to make honey.”

“Oh!” Billy said, not because of his fairy’s friend’s explanation about nectar, but because he was surprised to see seven more fairies suddenly land. There was a flurry of activity as he watched his fairy’s friends lay out a feast of wonderful looking treats. There were numerous bits of vivid red ripe watermelon and cherries, very purple plums, and the tiniest little shiny silver pails of water that he had ever seen. Billy continued to look busy pulling weeds all around so as not to cause his mother to walk over to check on him.

Billy watched as they ate brunch, laughed and all the fairies seemed so happy to be reunited with their lost friend. He listened as his new fairy friend explained how she came to be talking to him when they all found her.

After a while the tiny fairy turned and looked up at Billy and said, “Billy, my name is Kristin, and these are all my friends. We will be watching after you and your family forever for the kindness you have shown to me this day.” Billy was proud.

“Will I ever see you again?” Billy asked.

“Will you keep tending a garden?” Kristin asked.

“For the rest of my life.” Billy promised.

“Then you will see me and my friends again, and again. I promise, but I have to go now. Thank you, Billy.”

Billy stood in the pumpkin patch in the midst of a sun shower getting soaking wet remembering his new friend, and her promises. He did not care that George and Rowhealya were watching. He had a secret and he knew that everything and everybody was going to be fine. He knew too that he would grow up and have the biggest garden, maybe the largest farm in the town someday, and all the fairies could come and visit whenever they wanted.

~~~