Read an Excerpt
Oliver & I
The Long Way Home
By JoAnne Stoklasa
Trafford Publishing
Copyright © 2012 JoAnne Stoklasa
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4669-5287-4
Chapter One
Growing up in southern Indiana was a blessing. My childhood years were filled with adventure, discovery, dreams, and mystery. Memories of bicycle rides through the forbidden enchanted orchard will forever remain.
My name is Karen and my story begins here, in the apple orchard.
The trail was long and winding. It curved to the left and right, uphill and down. The most exciting part of the trail curved through Mr. Frump's apple orchard, a trail of mystical secrecy.
Mr. Frump was a grumpy old man. He lived in an old wooden shack behind the orchard with his dog, Stump. There is a sign posted at the entryway to the orchard, "Do Not Enter, Stump On Duty." Stump was about as fast as Mr. Frump's rusty pickup truck that puttered down the road with a loud bang amid a cloud of dust.
The sun was shining and birds were chirping. Usually, bicycle rides were peaceful. At times I could hear the distant howl of Stump who sounded like a hound dog with hiccups. The tasty apples hung from their branches, dangling side to side in the soft breeze.
Today began like any other ordinary day; however, there was a chilled spike of coolness in the air. I stopped at the orchards entryway and embraced it. The orchard was a welcoming place. I could feel its powerful magnetic grip. Enticing as it was, there was something mystical about it. Every apple tree appeared to take the shape of an arm and hand with leaves attached to its fingers. I could feel the trees breath in the constant breeze which swirled around me. I have felt their breath several times before. I shouted, why won't you talk to me? The apple trees responded back with a whirl of wind and almost knocked me over. I held my breath and pedaled as fast as I could to the nearest apple tree. Don't ever let Mr. Frump catch you in his orchard. The orchard was sacred grounds, no trespassing allowed.
Oh no! I thought. I forgot to bring a stick. Now what? There was one problem. I am only four feet tall. How am I going to reach an apple? Find a stick, but where? There were no sticks to be found.
While I was standing under a cluster of apples, something fell on my head with a thud. It felt heavy, but it was not an apple. With one hand, I reached up and grabbed the fuzzy blob from my head.
"Hello," said the caterpillar. "My name is Oliver."
I stood still with amazement and thought, Caterpillars can't speak. I asked Oliver, "how did you know that I would respond to you?" Oliver said, "every time you enter this orchard, all life responds to your heart." Oliver said "I live in this orchard among the trees and eat all the bugs that would cause harm to millions of apples." This is my life. You will also follow in my footsteps. I know everything. I see you riding through this orchard every day, sometimes twice." Oliver asked, "Where are you going?" I replied, "I take the long way home."
"One day, we would meet as an unexpected surprise," said Oliver. I gave Oliver a hug, and his face began to turn red.
"I would love to have one of those tasty treats. Could you please crawl up the tree and knock an apple down so I could catch it?"
"Why sure," Oliver said. I set Oliver at the base of the tree. He crawled very slowly. It would take an eternity.
Finally Oliver reached a branch of apples and knocked one into my hands.
"Hey," I said, "did you take a bite out of this apple?" Oliver replied, "No."
I said, "I think it was you." "No," replied Oliver. "Yes, it was." "No, it wasn't."
"Yes, it was." "No, it wasn't."
All of a sudden, Mr. Frump, the grump, yelled from across the orchard.
"What are you doing in my orchard, eating my apples?"
I said to Oliver, "We need to leave before Stump wakes up." I stuffed Oliver in my pocket, jumped on my bicycle, and pedaled as fast as I could to the edge of the orchard. "That was a close one," I said.
Oliver and I sat under a shady tree and joked about the exciting day.
I said, "You never know who you will meet in your lifetime."
Oliver asked, "Have you ever wondered what it would be like all grown up?"
I said, "Sure, let me show you." I reached down for a large flat rock, waved it high in the air, and said, "This is my gavel."
Oliver said, "I knew it. Someday you will become that attooey." Oliver could not pronounce the word. I laughed. "Oh, you mean an attorney."
"Yes, that's it," Oliver said. I took the gavel and threw it down into the gravel.
Oliver said, "I have visions of you standing in a large room. There are wooden seats, a faded blue-and-white flag, and a stiff upper-lipped figure."
Oliver was brilliant. He wore black-rimmed glasses that made him look smart.
He appeared to see into the future, which I did not quite understand. Oliver continued on. "There is a famous case taking place. Camera lenses are everywhere.
All eyes are on you. Your palms are sweaty. You are excited, tired, anxious, and prepared to represent the condemned." My eyes turned into large saucers. I was excited and wanted to hear more.
Oliver said, "You will become a prominent person of outstanding achievement.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Oliver & I by JoAnne Stoklasa Copyright © 2012 by JoAnne Stoklasa. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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