The fairgrounds, 1928
"Hey, Callaway, look." Arthur poked an elbow into Jim's ribs.
"What?"
"Over there. There! In the green dress. That’s Callie. The girl I told you about last Sunday in church." An admiring grin stretched across Arthur’s thin face.
"Yeah, I see her." But Jim’s gaze had passed beyond the green dress and now rested on the most angelic face he’d seen.
"Didn’t I tell you she was pretty? Was I right?"
"Yeah, you’re right. She sure is pretty." Jim stood still and leaned forward, captivated by the simple beauty of the girl standing beside Arthur’s friend. Her fair skin glowed with a milky smoothness like that of the porcelain doll prizes at the penny toss booth back up the midway.
"Callie's just moved here from Maple Hollow. Somethin' about a stepmother livin’ at her house now. So she came to Newton to work at the hosiery mill. I met her when I delivered groceries to the boardinghouse for Mr. Henderson last Saturday."
"Yeah. She's real pretty."
"Jim, are we talkin’ about the same girl?" No answer came from Jim and Arthur spoke again. "Callaway?"
"I know . . . you’re talkin’ about Callie. Uh . . . who’s that other blond-headed girl next to her? Who’s she?"
"I don’t know, but somethin' tells me we’re goin’ to have to find out somehow or another."
All thoughts about his drunken poppa, his momma's delivery of the new baby, and even his own weariness from the drudgery of farm work succumbed to the simple loveliness of the blond girl.
Jim followed Arthur as they made their way through the crowd to where Callie and her friend stood. Absorbed in each attempt to win the battle of the bottles, the girls didn’t notice them until Arthur spoke.
"Hey, Callie."
Callie smiled at him, but gave no hint of recognition.
"We met at Miss June’s." Callie made no attempt at conversation. "Last Saturday . . . when I delivered groceries to the boardinghouse. You sat on the front porch on the swing . . . I'm Arthur Gray."
Callie was as tall as Jim, about eighteen, with an unassuming sweetness about her. "Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize you at first."
It was Jim’s turn to poke Arthur in the ribs. "Callie, this is my friend, Jim Callaway."
"Hey, Jim, nice to meet you."
Cheers went up when a bottle fell over.
"Hey, Callie." Jim glanced at the girl beside her.
Discouragement registered on Callie’s face at Jim’s obvious lack of interest in her. She turned to the girl beside her. "This is my little sister, Louisa."
Louisa smiled at the tall, handsome boy and his friend. When they spoke to her, she lowered her head. But not before Jim looked into her mesmerizing blue eyes, the color of a clear summer sky, and felt them touch his soul. His pounding heart quickened its beat and his hands began to sweat when their eyes met again. Her glance lit up Jim’s thoughts and feelings brighter than all the county fair’s bright lights. Neither of them could look away, the attraction was so strong. Jim decided at that moment that Louisa would be his girl, even if she was probably only fourteen or fifteen.
Arthur attempted to break the trance that surrounded them. "Callaway, why don’t you show this crowd how to knock down milk bottles?"
Jim continued to look at Louisa and she at him, promise showing in her eyes. He tried to turn away. But it was no use. She oozed an innocence that grabbed him and demanded his silent vow of commitment.
And that’s how Jim and Louisa began. Two unspoken promises.
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