As Gary and Vera Canfield neared the entrance of the trailer park where
Julie Benson and Alex Hobbs lived, they saw a red beater Dodge Intrepid
pull out in a great hurry, fleeing as if being pursued.
Gary noticed that the car fish-tailed slightly as it got on the road.
"That's their mother's car," Gary exclaimed as he saw it speed away, "I've
seen it at their trailer before!"
"Yes, I have, too," Vera said, "Did you see how she was driving?"
"I did. It was almost erratically. I don't like it one bit, either."
Gary made his way into the trailer park, feeling some tension in him start
to build up as he drove through the trailer court to the lot where Julie and
Alex lived. "I hope those kids are all right," Gary said.
Vera had her head bowed and was praying silently for the two kids.
At the trailer on lot twelve Julie and Alex had stood by the door as they saw
their mother leave in somewhat of a hurry. Alex looked up at his older half-
-sister and said, "Mommy looked like she was drinking something."
"Yes," Julie replied, "I saw it, too. She left like she didn't want us to see it."
"Mommy look mad at us," Alex said guiltily while leaning against Julie.
"I see that, too, Alex, " Julie answered, hugging Alex like a big sister and
doing her best to comfort him despite her own worry, "It may be what she
was drinking that makes her like that."
"She alway like that," Alex said.
Julie stooped down to get to Alex's level and looked him in the eye and
said, "It's nothing we did Alex. It's both your daddy and mine being gone
that's making her like that." Julie was about to say more when they heard
a vehicle pull up to their trailer just outside. Julie then lit up and said
cheerfully, "That must be Mr. and Mrs. Canfield out there."
Julie became cheerful for Alex' sake as well as the Canfields coming to
pick them up. Alex did seem to lifted by his half-sister's cheerfulness.
They both grabbed their worn coats and headed for the door and to
the waiting church van.
Gary and Vera saw Julie and Alex race out of the trailer and
toward the van almost as soon as they pulled up to the lot.
Vera, seeing them run out, gave a sigh of relief added with a
praise of thanksgiving that the children were all right.
"Thank you, Lord!" Vera sang out.
"Yes, indeed," Gary added, "Thank you, Jesus!"
Gary was about to get out to open the right side passenger
cabin door but Julie got to it first and opened it with little
effort and she and Alex wasted no time climbing into the bus.
Vera, amazed by her actions remarked enthusiastically,
"Why, Julie! You are one strong little girl!"
Julie and Alex sat in the seat closest to the front and Julie just
grinned.
"I'd say she is," Gary put in, "Anxious to get going, no doubt."
"Yes," Julie grinned as she fastened her seat belt and helped
Alex with his.
"We are on our way, then!" Gary shifted into reverse, looked
to the rear and pulled the church bus out and toward the trailer
park exit and the four made their way back to Newberry
Community Church.
At the fellowship hall of Newberry Community Church, more folks
with children were coming in, some with pinecar supplies and some
not; which is where Mac came in to help for he brought the necessary
tools and a few kits of his own to help and guide those inexperienced
in pinewood derby assemblies and racing.
It was Mac's hobby of crafting and building wooden antique model
cars that got him into helping with the pinewood derby, along with
Gary's equally skillfull craftsmanship in wood.
A man in his mid-thirties with blond short hair came over to where
Mac was setting up shop. He had twin boys with him, both with their
father's short, blond hair and both looked to be about seven years old.
The two boys looked to have deluxe pinecar kits, the kind that included
everything in one kit to build a complete racecar model.
Mac looked up from his supply box that contained parts and supplies
and answered with, "Yes, Matt? What can I do for you?" He looked
then at the two twin boys and said, "Hey, Toby and D.J."
Matt answered with, "The boys wanted to know if you had another
kind of paint than the ones included in their kits." Matt added with,
"We experimented with the paint in their kits and they don't come out right."
I sure have, gentlemen," Mac said to all three of them, I have aerosol
paints; however I strongly advise close supervision with these, Matt.
They're a bit young to be handling spray paint."
"I see what you mean, Mac," Matt said, "Would you by chance have
any jars of like, regular hobby paints?"
"I sure do," Mac presented a flat box of hobby enamel paints in one
quarter ounce jars.
"Ah, yes, that'll work just fine; thanks, brother."
"Good choice." Mac then reached in his supply kit and handed the
twins some hobby brushes, "Here, boys, you'll need these for those size
jars." Toby and D.J. took the brushes and each responded with, "Thanks
Mr. Davenport."
"You're very welcome, boys." Mac smiled as they turned away.
The church van made its way over Sunrise Road and on to
Newberry Road with two children that Gary and Vera pick
up on the church bus route.
Despite what they witnessed at their trailer, Julie Benson and
Alex Hobbs were giddy with anticipation of the pinewood
derby build night.
Gary noticed how anxious they were and looked into the
rearview mirror at them and said, "I know you didn't bring
kits but Mr. Davenport has one for each of you, okay?"
"Cool," Julie answered with Alex giving an okay.
Alex then added, "I think Mr. Dav'port cool."
"Yes he is," Vera said as she turned to look back
toward Alex and Julie, "He's good at building the
racers."
"I want to build a sports car," Julie said anxiously.
" I build pickup truck," Alex added.
Vera looked over to her husband and chuckled
softly, "I think you and Mac have your work cut out."
This concludes Chapter Four.
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