Nobody Can Say It's You

49

Hadley took her brown lunch bag and Ruth's baskets and made her way back to the car. She headed over to Memorial Gardens hoping to find her friend there. She passed under the arched entrance to the cemetery and parked her car on the side of the small roadway that wound through the plots.

She got out of the car and listened. Gazing over the vast cemetery, she did not spy any large funeral tents. She didn't hear the backhoe's motor running. Since it was winter, she did not expect to hear the buzz of the weed-eater or the hum of the lawnmower. She set out toward the small shed on the side of the property where the mowers and tools were stored.

The shed door was ajar, and she heard the faint moan of a classic country legend wailing out a song about doing time and dreaming of the one he loved. Beanie was sitting on a tall stool. His head was bent down. He seemed to be in deep concentration. With her free hand, Hadley knocked three times on the door frame hoping not to startle her friend with her surprise visit.

"Hey, Beanie," she said.

Beanie looked up and smiled.

"Hey," Beanie said. "What are you doing out here in the cemetery? We ain't burying nobody today."

"I'm glad I found you," said Hadley. "I was hoping you could help me out with a little project for Ruth, down at the animal center."

"Sure," Beanie said. "Harvey gave me the rest of the day off. I was just sitting here trying to puzzle out something I found today when I was clearing off some old limbs and leaves that had blown off a tree with last night's storm. I think I may have given myself the beginnings of a my-brain. My head is starting to hurt a little because I just can't for the life of me figure it out."

"What's bothering you Bean?"

"I can't rightly tell you, Hadley. But, I can show you if you want," Beanie said.

"Okay," said Hadley.

They exited the shed.

"The reason I'm here is to ask you if you want to help me collect acorns for some injured raccoons down at the shelter," Hadley said. "Ruth says they need to eat a lot of acorns to build up their winter fat so they can survive the winter when food is scarce."

"Yeah, sure," Beanie said. "I like to help the animals all I can. I know where there are a lot of acorns here in the cemetery. They're where those big old oak trees shade the graves in summer. Right yonder by that tall stone. I'm always gathering them up because if I don't, I make a terrible spec-tackle of myself. I had to learn the hard way. When I mow over them, it's like a machine gun going off. The blades catch them and sling them all over creation. I only made that mistake one time, I can tell you."

"I'll just bet you did," said Hadley.

"Do you think those raccoons will mind eating cemetery food, Hadley?"

"No I don't think they would," Hadley said. "Acorns help them live through the winter. I suspect raccoons and squirrels aren't too particular about where their dinners come from. All they know is that they've found food to keep their bellies full."

"That makes sense," said Beanie.

"Oh," Hadley said, "I got some lunch in the car. You know me, Bean. I always pack way too much. I'm gonna need you to help me eat it. So, don't fuss, okay? I'm counting on you to help me so it doesn't go to waste. I'm not like the raccoons, Bean. I don't need to be putting on extra fat for the winter."

"Sure, Hadley, I'll be glad to help you out. And after we get up all the acorns, I'll show you what's been bothering my brain."

Hadley followed Beanie to the plots where the giant oak trees stood over those taking their eternal rests in Memorial Gardens. The acorn crop was a big one. They wandered under the oak trees gathering acorns until their baskets were full.

"Well, Beanie, I think these will make Ruth happy."

"I hope they make the 'coons happy."

"Let's take these and put them in the car, Bean. You wouldn't think a basket of acorns would be so heavy."

While they were at the car, Hadley suggested they may as well eat a bite while they were there. Hadley tore open the paper bag and made a picnic on the trunk of her car. After eating, she rolled up the bag, placing it in the backseat floorboard for disposal in her trash can at home.

"How's your headache, Beanie?"

"It's gone. I think I forgot about my puzzling because I was too busy looking for Miz Ruth's acorns. It was kinda like hunting for Easter eggs. I'm glad it's better. I don't like for my brain to hurt."

"Okay, then, show me what was causing your my-brain."