Buddies by Nancy L. Hart

Author:Nancy L. Hart [Hart, Nancy L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781412219839
Publisher: Author Solutions Inc.
Published: 2004-03-10T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Ernie was in the coma for six long days. When he awoke, he couldn’t see. Ernie was blind.

Doctor Black explained to the Brown family that the bullet had damaged the optic nerve in Ernie’s eyes, and in order for him to see again, he would need an operation soon. If the surgery were to be performed, it would have to be done in Atlanta by a team of neurologists, and it would be very expensive.

Ernie’s father would have to sell their farm in order to pay for the return of Ernie’s vision. The place had been in the Brown family for three generations, and therefore; it was going to be a grievous situation to give up the only place the Brown’s had ever called home.

Joey Frank couldn’t stand the thought that Ernie might move away from the place he was born with all the memories of the hills and hollows of which he had roamed every inch. He couldn’t stand the thought of his buddy being forced to move so far away that they would seldom see each other or even worse, never see each other ever again. The two had been like brothers most of their lives, and if they should be kept apart, then it would be a total disaster for the both of them.

The Tolbert name was kept clean as a slate. Sheriff Jamison ruled Ernie’s shooting as accidental. Rene Tolbert lied to the lawman, saying she was cleaning the gun when it discharged. She claimed the boys had no business on her property, and were there without her permission. No charges were filed against the wealthy widow.

The secret of the baby had not leaked out, because Joey Frank, Ernie and Hank Eller were the only persons outside the Tolbert family who knew about it. The two boys had promised each other never to tell anyone for fear that their parents might forbid them from ever getting together again. That would mean no more roaming the hills and going to Ruby Creek together. They knew the consequences of not telling their secret, could never be worse than that.

During the week Joey Frank worked hard in the fields, getting the ground prepared to plant the cotton crop and the vegetable garden. On Saturday he would go visit Ernie, and usually they would sit under a shade tree in the backyard eating green apples. Ernie would always have Joey Frank halve the apples and check to make sure there wasn’t a worm inside. He would warn him saying, “Joey Frank Cooper, you’d better eyeball that apple now, an’ see that there ain’t no worm dancin’ around in it. You just better not let me go an’ eat one of them dang thangs.”

Ernie’s blindness didn’t seem to get him down. He was full of willpower and as stubborn as a herd of wild goats. Although there had been times that he flew mad over things because of his handicap, the anger only lasted for a short while.

On one occasion when Joey Frank was visiting Ernie, Mrs.

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