MR. ROGERS by George E. Stanley

Author:George E. Stanley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ALADDIN PAPERBACKS
Published: 2004-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

It was three more weeks before Freddie was able to go with his father to the brick factory. It was a Wednesday, school was out because of a national holiday, and Freddie was feeling well, so everything worked out perfectly.

“Grandfather McFeely will be here this morning, too, Freddie,” Mr. Rogers said as he pulled into the parking space reserved for him. “I telephoned him yesterday and told him you wanted to learn all about bricks, so he’s going to take you on a tour.”

“I haven’t seen Ding Dong for a couple of weeks, and I’ve missed him,” Freddie said, “so this will be even more fun.”

“Well, your grandfather is thinking about raising cattle,” Mr. Rogers said, “so he’s been traveling around western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, talking to farmers about which breed they think is best for this part of the country.”

Grandfather McFeely was waiting in Mr. Rogers’s office when Freddie and his father got there.

“Ding Dong!” Freddie cried, giving his grandfather a big hug. “I’ve missed you!”

“I’ve missed you, too, Freddie,” Grandfather McFeely said. “I was glad when your father called me and said you wanted to know how bricks are made.”

“I thought I should know, since”—Freddie stopped and looked at his father—“since I plan to take over the company when I grow up.”

Freddie could tell by the look on his father’s face that he hadn’t expected to hear that.

“Well, now, that is news,” Mr. Rogers finally said. “What happened to your plans to become either a minister or a musician?”

“Oh, I can play the piano or the organ after I get home from the factory, and if I teach Sunday school, then that’s almost like being a minister,” Freddie said. “Besides, I think it’s important for sons to follow in the footsteps of their fathers and grandfathers.” He paused, took a deep breath, and added, “I’m the only boy in our family, and I’m supposed to do this.”

Grandfather McFeely looked at Mr. Rogers. “Well, James, then I suppose I should show this young man around,” he said, “so he can see what it is that we do here during the week.”

Mr. Rogers nodded. “I’ll wait here, because I need to catch up on some paperwork,” he said. “When you’ve finished, come on back and we’ll have a soda pop and let Freddie tell us what he thinks about the brick factory.”

Grandfather McFeely and Freddie left Mr. Rogers’s office and headed into the part of the building where the bricks were made.

“We don’t make the kinds of bricks used to build homes, Freddie,” Grandfather McFeely said. “This factory makes silica bricks, which are used mostly for lining steel furnaces.”

“Why is it so important for them to have such a high quartz content, Ding Dong?” Freddie asked.

Grandfather McFeely stopped and looked at Freddie. He grinned. “Are you sure you’ve never been to this factory before?” he said. “That’s a very intelligent question.”

Freddie returned his grandfather’s grin. “I’ve heard you and Papa talking about that at the dinner table,” he said.

“Well,

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