Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 3)

The Canfields headed out to pick up the two children Julie and Alex

to bring them to the pinewood derby assembly night which Gary

Canfield and Mac Davenport put together. While heading to the

trailer park where they lived Gary kept thinking about the kids'

mother being a possible alcoholic after hearing the story from

Mac Davenport. 

 Gary and Vera drove in silence a bit then Gary turned to Vera
and said, "I wonder if their mother will just go ahead and leave
before we get there? It's happened before."

 "A few times,"  Vera added.

 "Those kids are too young to be left by themselves."

 "I wonder how she got by with it?" Vera then wondered, "As
close as those trailers are to one another in that park, surely
someone would've noticed something amiss."

"Or simply don't care,"  Gary said, then added,  "I feel we
need to do something."
 "So do I," Vera put in.


 Back at the Newberry Community Church fellowship hall
Mac Davenport tightened down the last bolt on the pineood
derby track then stepped back to look over his handiwork.
He gave most of the credit to Gary as Gary cut the pieces
for the track assembly, the product of Gary's excellent
craftsman skills. 
 Brian and Dawn Canfield noticed Mac step back to look
the track over and then it occured to Brian that he and
Dawn brought their old pinecars from last year to use as
parts models.
 Brian then looked at Dawn and said, "Dawn, let's ask
Uncle Mac if we could test the track with our old cars,
want to?"
 "Okay," replied Dawn enthusiastically.
 Brian and Dawn both got their old model racers and
hurried over to where Mac stood by the track.  Mac
looked to his left when he heard Brian and Dawn hustle
toward him.
 "Yes, Brian and Dawn," Mac acknowledged them and
noticed right away they were holding their old racers.
He then immediately knew why they came to him and
added with,  "You want to help by testing the track with
your old racers, don't you?"  He winked at them.
 "Yes," Brian answered.
 "I was just getting ready to ask you that," Mac chuckled,
"and you beat me to the punch."
 Mac shook his head and grinned.  "You two are really
anxious to get this thing going," he smiled, "Okay, put 'em up
here."  Mac patted the end of the track where the starting
line was and the two kids put their racers on the line.


This concludes Chapter Three.