If you happen to be near the small town of Woodchester, visit the schoolhouse and take the northbound trail away from it. This particular path doesn’t seem much different from the others. It leads right through corn fields and cow pastures same as the rest. But what makes this lane special is that it runs right straight past the Parker farm. And about a hundred yards before the Parker farm sits a navy-blue rubber boot. It’s been there for years, almost hidden by the long grass at the side of the trail. But as it is, no one cares to move it because Old Widow Thomas won’t have it moved. She declares that it belongs there.

Frank Thomas had new boots. It was the talk of the school. They were made of shiny blue rubber and gave a satisfying ‘squelcheek’ if you stepped hard with your right heel. All the boys were boiling over with envious thoughts while all the girls admired them from a distance. When Frank showed them to Lizzie Parker, she just smiled at him with her big blue eyes and made him feel like a million bucks.

“I like ‘em, Frank,” she said.

“I like ‘em an awful lot too. Ma was ever so nice to get ‘em. They’re so nice and… and… blue,” stammered Frank.

Those boots were certainly the finest pair of shoes he’d owned in his ten years of life. He couldn’t help looking down at them every now and then to see how they were getting on. The older boys decided that the best way to keep their envious feelings hidden was to ignore Frank. So they did. But every other eye in that one-room schoolhouse was drawn to Frank’s new boots. One small youngster was so taken by them that when he was called on by the teacher to spell ‘stove’, the poor distracted boy stood up, raised his hand, sat down, and upset his inkwell. Frank felt so bad over this that during recess he let the unfortunate try his new treasures. Pretty soon a line had formed of children waiting to try them on, so Frank good-naturedly stood by and watched barefoot. When Lizzie tried them on she looked over at Frank and smiled again. And then it was Percy Sausser’s turn.

“Give ‘em, Lizzie. They fit my feet better,” said Percy, shoving the girl over in his hurry. Percy didn’t like her smiling at Frank that way. Quietly, Lizzie put on her own shoes a couple yards away. No one argued with Percy. Frank felt like a coward. He didn’t like seeing Percy shove her like that. But Percy was the biggest ten-year-old and had the biggest arms. Frank didn’t compare with him.

“I think they fit me better than you, Frankie,” said Percy loudly.

Frank crossed his arms and stood still with his feet wide apart. Percy wasn’t going to make him argue in front of Lizzie Parker.

“I’m sure they fit you. I expect they’d fit most boys my age,” said Frank calmly.

“I don’t care if I’m the same age cause I’m bigger than you!”

“Yes, you are.”

“I could beat you stiff any day,” Percy laughed.

“You probably could,” said Frank.

Percy seemed satisfied and kicked off the boots with a holler. Thankfully the bell rang before Percy had time to continue the unpleasant conversation. The teacher was relieved to find that her pupils were less distracted that afternoon, for Frank had decided to leave his blue boots outside the door. Arithmetic went by like a breeze. History was less chaotic than usual. It only took her five minutes to convince Johnny that George Washington hadn’t led any elephants over the Alps, and that was an improvement. When four o’ clock rolled around, the teacher rang the old cow bell that sat on her rough wooden desk, and the children stampeded out the door into the schoolyard. Frank was waiting outside the door for Lizzie Parker. Every day she stayed until the last student was out and then she would help the teacher pick up the slates. In a few minutes Lizzie appeared with her books on her arm and her straw hat on her head.

“Can I carry your books for you?” asked Frank.

“Yes, thank you,” said Lizzie, handing them over. She always liked walking home with Frank. He didn’t seem to mind that it made his trip home a mile longer.

“I’ve got to get home by five today, Lizzie, so if you don’t mind we’ll have to walk faster.”

“I don’t mind. Why do you have to be home sooner?”

“Pa is in town and I have to help milk the cows,” said Frank proudly.

“I see. You’re the oldest anyways, so I suppose you have lots more chores, don’t you, Frank?”

“Well, I guess. Ma gave me full charge of the chickens. She says that now I’m ‘most eleven I should be reckoning up how many eggs we sell and how much we sell ‘em for. Pa always does that and it’s time I learned to keep records too.”

“Isn’t that awful hard?” asked Lizzie, full of new respect for her escort.

“Not much, but Pa will help me get going. He’s so busy with the herd right now that he said it’d be an awful big help if I could take a load off his mind.”

The two children were walking briskly down the dirt path, corn fields stretching as far as eye could see on either side. A few trees hugged the road and the only leaves that still clung to the branches were orange and red. This had been the last day of school for a while because all the children were needed to help bring in the harvest. The sun got a little lower in the west and Frank quickened his pace. From the top of a small rise in the trail they could see Lizzie’s house a small way off.

“Do you know what I sometimes think about during spelling?” asked Frank.

“No, what?” said Lizzie, eagerly.

“I sometimes forget to hear Miss Larson and I think about having my own farm someday.”

“What color would the house be?”

“Probably white,” said Frank, looking down at the Parker’s big white house.

“I like white houses. I’ve always wanted purple curtains,” Lizzie said thoughtfully.

“I thought there would be purple curtains too.”

“I’d rather grey,” said a voice behind them, making them spin around. With a small shriek, Lizzie jumped behind Frank. It was Percy.

“Percy, why are you here? You live over that way!” said Frank, pointing in the opposite direction.

“I was gonna walk Lizzie home today,” pouted Percy.

“Well, you were too late and Lizzie said she’d walk with me. I got her books to carry for her.”

“Fine. But I’m gonna walk her home the rest of the way,” said Percy, stepping up to take the books from Frank. Lizzie drew back a few steps.

“No. I’ll take her and then I have to go home quick. I have to milk the cows,” said Frank, drawing back and then going to stand by Lizzie.

“Milk the cows? Doesn’t your Pa do that? Or is he too lazy?” scoffed Percy.

“My Pa ain’t lazy! You take that back!”

“Not gonna. But don’t get in a sweat over it. Just give me the books and go home.”

“No, I’m taking my girl home. You mind your own business!”

“Your girl? YOUR girl? She ain’t your girl and someday she’ll be mine.”

“She IS my girl.”

“Is not.”

“She is!”

“I tell you someday she’ll be mine.”

“Never! She’ll always be mine and we’re gonna live in a white house with purple curtains and at least six thousand cows!”

The number of cows daunted Percy for a few seconds, but before the two could get away he stepped between them.

“Well, Frankie, I’ll tell you what. How about I fight you. And whoever wins gets to take Lizzie home.”

“I’m not gonna fight you, Percy.”

“You scared?”

Frank looked at Lizzie. She just looked right back at him with her big blue eyes. She definitely didn’t want to walk home with Percy. Well, thought Frank, if we’re ever gonna have a white house and purple curtains and six thousand cows and if I’m ever gonna walk Lizzie home again I’ve got to do this.

“Alright, Percy. I’ll fight you. But first let me take off my jacket,” said Frank, yanking at the sleeves. He pulled it off and turned to Lizzie.

“Here,” he said placing it off the path under a tree, “you sit here and watch while we fight and then I’ll take you home.”

“Ok,” she said, “but do make it quick, because you have to milk the cows.” Frank nodded and then turned to Percy.

“I’m ready,” he said.

Percy grinned and put up his fists. Frank looked at him for a moment, sighed, and got in position. With a howl, Percy struck first and nailed Frank right in the ear. It hurt like nothing Frank had ever felt, barring the last time the cow kicked him. Everything spun for just a minute and then Percy got him in the stomach. It was rather a disorienting moment because his breath wouldn’t come for a couple seconds. He stumbled backwards to gain a little time and then everything happened at once. Suddenly he’d slipped in a patch of mud and was down on his back with Percy hovering over him. Well, now was his moment. The world became clear again. Frank took one look at his new blue boot and took aim. His boot flew off from the sheer force of the kick. It caught the unsuspecting Percy off guard and Frank had a moment to tackle him and get a knee solidly on his chest. Percy’s nose was bleeding slightly, but his eyes were snapping.

“Ok, ok, I give in! I thought kicking was off limits but… oh my nose, I’ve gotta go home,” and Percy got up dizzily and staggered back down the path.

Lizzie got up and shook out Frank’s jacket.

“Thank you,” she said. “Is your ear ok?”

“It hurts something awful, but I think I’ve broke my foot. See how it’s all puffy already?”

“Oh dear! Will your boot still fit?” she asked, jumping up to retrieve it. But the boot seemed to have disappeared. Truth be told, Frank had kicked it quite far into the corn field on the left and Lizzie never came near it. After a few minutes of fruitless searching, Lizzie came and sat by Frank. They both sat there very quietly for a while.

“I’m afraid you won’t be home in time to milk the cows,” she said quietly after a time.

“It’s ok,” said Frank, feeling his foot carefully, “I’m sure my Ma will do it just fine.”

A few more quiet minutes passed and then Lizzie said, “I was sure scared for you, Frank.”

“Really?” said Frank. “Well, then, if you ever need someone to fight for you again just come get me. I’d do it any time.”

“Thank you, Frank. That would be very nice.”

Lizzie helped him stand and then supported him while he limped up the dusty track.

It was a few years later when Frank’s boot miraculously reappeared. Lizzie found it one morning sitting beside the trail. She was on her way to school and decided to return it to Frank. But when she showed it to him he just winked and said,

“Oh, put it by that spot in the path, and whenever you see it just remember our white house with purple curtains.”

 

Love,

Hannah Jo <3