2

THEIR BEGINNING

Olivia’s family, on the other hand, was extensive. She once boasted to Jake she could name 16 cousins living within 5 miles of their little farm. When she saw the hurt in Jake’s eyes as he realized he had no one, she never again mentioned her large family. But she didn’t have to – the Buchanan’s were everywhere! Her Uncle Donnie was the Mayor. Her Aunt Bessie ran the country market where everything from milk to gossip was traded. Brother Bob was the postman and Grandpa Luke was the banker. Jake often thought he couldn’t spit in the wind without it hitting a relative.

The Buchanan’s were not only prominent in number throughout the county, they were also very religious and their presence was clearly felt at First Church every Sunday morning. The Pastor wasn’t a relative but the deacon’s were, as well as the organ player and the Sunday School teacher. Each church gathering was like a family reunion! That’s how Olivia and Jake met – at the annual First Church Pie Auction.

It happened each year, the first Sunday in September. For the purpose of raising funds to help the starving children in Africa, the best cooks in the county brought their baked goods to be sold to the highest bidder. Following Sunday services, a festive picnic was spread on the lawn of the church. There was fried chicken, potato salads of every sort, corn on the cob, fried okra, fresh cut tomatoes. Even the town drunk came to church on Pie Auction Sunday just to get a good meal. After everyone ate, the prized pies were sold to the highest bidder. Children watched with wide eyes and smacking lips as apple pies, lemon pies, chocolate pies with mile-high meringues and blueberry pies were passed among the crowd to the lucky winner. It really didn’t matter who bought them, everyone was going to get a taste. That was the beauty of the Pie Auction – no losers.

Olivia had arrived with her razzelberry pie – a mixture of all the summer’s freshest berries. And to add to the mix, she had brought home-made ice cream. What good is a berry pie, she thought, without fresh ice cream on the side? All the young men were waiting to see when her pie would go on the auction block. Surely, she would cut the pie and share a blanket with the buyer of her beautiful creation. The pie was rated second place compared with the prize of an afternoon spent with the lovely Olivia Buchanan.

Across the railroad tracks, watching the great Pie Auction was Jake, his brother Tom and best friend Colt. Their families didn’t go to church. In fact, no one on the west side of the railroad tracks could ever remember being invited to First Church. Olivia had caught Jake’s eye that first week of school. She was a year younger than him. He liked seeing her walking to school, her raven hair shining in the sun. Smiling, she was always smiling at her friends. Then, the Friday before the pie auction, Olivia noticed him watching her from behind the big oak tree and the most amazing thing happened. She shared her smile with him. And Jake’s heart grew three sizes. She had smiled at him!

But now it was Sunday and from the other side of the train tracks, Olivia’s Pie Auction seemed a world away. The most beautiful girl in school would soon be eating with some young man from the east side. His enlarged heart ached with disappointment. He’s blue eyes were clouded grey with the prospect of someone else sharing her company.

“Go on, Jake,” murmured Tommy, “I dare you. Go over there to their nice pie auction and say hi. If you like her so much, saying hello’s not so big a thing.” Stupid little brother, Jake thought.

“No,” whispered Jake, “There’s some places a fellow just doesn’t belong.”

“My grandma says we belong anywhere we want, same as other folk. Says God doesn’t care which side of the railroad tracks you live on. If that’s true, He would want you to go their Pie Auction. You belong there as much as the next fellow.” Colt always had a direct approach to everything. He would talk to God anywhere and everywhere. He would ask a teacher why he needed to sit down when standing wasn’t in anybody’s way. Colt could always boil things down to the simplest point. And that’s what Jake needed.

“I don’t know if God cares or not. He’s not ever said anything to me. But I know I’m going over there.” And off Jake went.