Just the Facts -- Chapter 17

Just the Facts

         Jess was finishing up in the barn. A truck stopped by the house and Hank Sterrit started up the side steps. Jess called, "I'm down here, nobody else is home."

         Hank walked toward the barn. "Morning Jesse," he said

         "Hey," said Jess. "I just have to sweep up and then I 'm taking a break. What can I do for you?" At this point he became aware that Hank was anything but pleased with him and wondered, what have I already done?

         "I need to have a word with you, boy," Hank said.

         "First you call me Jesse then you call me boy. You must be pissed about something. Okay what did I do?"

         "You know damn well what you did!"

         "Yes but what are you talking about?"

         "What the hell have you been telling Joey?"

         "About what?" Jess asked, although he was beginning to get a glimmer.

         "About where babies come from. What did you tell him?"

         "The truth of course. What should I tell him, from under cabbage leaves?"

         "Why should you tell him anything?"

         "He asked."

         "He don't need to know any of that stuff yet," Hank said.

         "Children are curious. Joey's observant. The Harbisons dedicated their new baby Sunday. Joey's almost eight. He knew they didn't have a baby three weeks ago and now they do. He was curious."

         "Then let him be curious! What business of his is it anyway?"

         "Davy never asked you anything about that?"

         "Yeah I guess he did and I told him he don't need to know about it for a long time yet. Margie told him they come from heaven."

         "And you don't see how that could confuse a little kid?"

         "No, I thought it was a good answer, it didn't tell him nothing and it satisfied him."

         "Well all due respects to Margie but babies don't come from heaven. What does he think now? That they float gently down from above and land in the cabbage patch?"

         "I don't think he thought any more about it."

         "Well I think he did. Weren't you curious about it?"

         "I don't remember. Were you?"

         "Well I kind of got that answer when Joey was born."

         "Joey's seven, Davy just turned eight. What do they need to know a damn thing for at this age?"

         "I take it Joey shared the information I gave him with Davy."

         "Yes he did."

         "Well it was the truth. I gave him a straight answer."

         "So now, Davy asks me why we didn't tell him."

         "I was about to ask you the same thing. Why didn't you?"

         "He's eight."

         "I know how old he is, but why didn't you tell him the truth? Babies come from inside their mothers."

         "And that's all you told Joey?"

         "That and he asked about, does it hurt when they come out, and I told him yes it does but only for a little while."

         "Well you won't get Margie to agree with the 'little while' part of that. Now supposing he gets curious again and asks you how the baby got in there in the first place? I suppose you'll tell him that, too!"

         "Sure I will. And he will ask, he's a bright boy."

         "Well, Jesse, I'd like to be a fly on the wall when you tell him that part!"

         Jess poured coffee. "Aw Hank, you don't have to wait until I tell Joey. I'll tell you right now if you really want to know."

         Hank said "And you're an upstart brat and you always will be," but he laughed.

         "I think we do have to answer the kids' questions."

         Hank considered, stirring the coffee. "You young people have a lot of new ideas."

         "There's nothing new about this."

         "What does your Ma think of this?"

         "She's the one who told me things, her and Paul. A kid has to have somebody to ask."

         "All right the cat's out of the bag now. When Davy asks me how the baby got in there, I'll send him to you."

         "Knowing I'll tell him the exact truth?"

         Hank drank his coffee.

         Jesse said "Davy's going to get older and start liking girls someday. What will you want him to do? What will you want him to know?'"

         "But I can't give him the whole story when he's only eight!"

         "No of course not, and I didn't give Joey the whole story either. I just answered the two questions he asked."

         "And you don't think he wonders about anything else?"

         "He knows he can ask."

         "I don't know Jess, this can be carried too far. Don't you think for one minute Joey won't be back with more questions!"

         The school bus stopped at the end of the driveway and moments later Joey burst through the side door. He came into the kitchen announcing "I'm starving!"

         Jess hugged him and told him to wash his hands and he could have some pie and buttermilk.

         Joey went to the sink. "The classroom guinea pig had babies," he announced.

         "How many?" Jesse asked pouring buttermilk

         "Well she's got them all hid in the cedar shavings, but there's at least three."

         "What are they going to do with all those guinea pigs?"

         "I don't know. Can I have one?"

"I have to talk to Mom about that before I can answer. They're a lot of work you know."

         "I can take care of it."

         "Sure, you can. But I don't want it to get to be your grandmother's job after the novelty wears off."

         "So anyway we have to learn how to take care of them and then they'll be giving the babies away. I want one."

         "You'd want a baby elephant if you could get one."

         "No, too big. A pony maybe." Joey finished his pie and put the plate in the sink.

         "He wants a pony?" asked Hank as Joey went up the stairs.

         "Last week he wanted to try keeping bees. It's always something."

         Hank said "I better be getting home. Davy's home by now and maybe I need to talk to him."

         "Yeah," Jess said. "Tell him where the guinea pig got the babies. I'm kind of curious as to how she got them myself since when I was at the school they only had one guinea pig in the cage!"

         "Ask somebody else! I ain't telling you nothing," said Hank and went out the door.