In the continuing saga of Now you see her…Now you don’t… no worries…. we, the Children of the Forest, are still on the trail of our fearless, mysterious Delta Dawn.
Being sound of body and mind, (well, almost), the Children of the Forest soon understood Father’s methods of Record Keeping of the Journal of Maps….It seemed every 7 years or so he updated the properties, their owners and had been doing so for the last 21 years or so…before that my Grandfather had kept the Journal, previous to that my Great Grandfather and so on and so on.
And so we flipped back through the pages, seeing VACANT noted on the Ramshackle Property, map after map…until some 40-50 years ago and then like a light in the wilderness it read: Property of Tom McEarnuff. Who??? No such family lived among us now….no students at our school had that last name…we had plenty of Mc’s living in the area, but no Earnuffs…It also listed his wife’s name and their 4 children as well as listed their livestock – 2 horses, 4 cows, some sheep, chickens and a pig…How bizarre, how bizarre.
Another roundtable was necessary for the Children of the Forest to take a vote, have a consensus…maybe it was time to ask Father for further information if we really wanted to see Delta Dawn again. Now everyone knew Father’s ability to spin a tale for at least 7 counties but if they made him understand the gravity of the outcome, maybe Truth and Reconciliation would follow.
With some skepticism and fingers crossed, the Children of the Forest, marched from their Club House, and filed in the living room where Father was busy reading a National Geographic. Mother was knitting more mittens because winter always was coming, often ahead of schedule.
The designated speaker of the Children of the Forest said, ‘Father, no more tall tales, no more half truths, we are here for the Truth so we can have Reconciliation. Who are the McEarnuffs and where did they go? In our hearts, we know Delta Dawn was a McEarnuff and we hear her calling us to help her get home. Please Father.’
Father looked at Mother, Mother looked at Father…silence followed with only the ticking of the Grandfather clock in the corner, rooting them to the past and the here and now.
With a sigh, Father said. ‘It is complicated. I must speak to all the parents of the Children of the Forest before I share the truth, as we know it. It is not only my story to tell. If all the parents are in agreement we will move forward. Just be patient a while longer.’
Had we uncovered a ‘Secret Never To Be Told’ or was Father yanking our chain, giving himself time to spin an epic fabrication…the man could write movies with his untethered, wondering mind…was it because he read all those National Geographic, ya think?
Delta Dawn… Did we hear ya say…you were meeting him here today????
Well, long as your stars align…..
