Kent Haruf - Benediction

We can tell her it’s for us, Alene said.

That’s exactly what it is. It is for us.

We’ll tell her she would be doing us the favor.

That much is true.

Even if she doesn’t believe it.

We can hope she wants us to think she does. Will you call her or shall I?

You’ve always known her better, Alene said.

So the next day in the middle of the afternoon Berta May sat in the living room of her house in her housedress and apron and then the girl came out with her hair brushed and her face freshly washed.

Come here, honey. Let me look at you.

The girl stood in front of her.

You look just fine, Berta May said. Now be nice to them. Like you were when they took you out to eat. Do you know why?

No.

Because they’re lonely. They want to do something with someone young. They chose you.

But why?

I don’t know. They don’t know other young girls, maybe. Just be grateful for this.

But Grandma, I don’t need new clothes.

Yes, but they need to give you some. It’s for them. They need to have a reason to be with you and this is how they do it. It’s all right for you to receive this.

You said it was better to give than receive.

Now you’re letting them give. You’re giving by letting them.

When they drove up in front of the house, Berta May and Alice came out and stood at the door and looked out at the old woman and her elderly daughter waiting in the car and Berta May said, Now have a good time. That’s allowed. And you remember to thank them.

I will.

Good. I know you will. Go on then.

The girl walked down the steps and out to the car, not in a hurry but steadily, and got into the backseat behind Willa. Alene was driving.

Hello, dear, Willa said.

Hello, she said.

Alene turned and smiled at her and she smiled back. They drove over to Main Street and parked in front of Schulte’s Department Store at the intersection of Main and Second. Inside the store it was warm and not very brightly lighted. The big ceiling fans were spinning, making a clicking noise. They went back toward the rear of the old store with its narrow creaking wood floors to the girls’ section and Alene and Willa began to consider the selection of shorts and T-shirts. Alice hung back and then the clerk came, a high school girl working in the summer, and the Johnson women explained to her what they had in mind and she began to show Alice different outfits and combinations and to hold them up against the girl’s thin bony chest to size them. Alice watched the two women, to see what their reaction might be, and then she went alone into the small boxy dressing room against the wall where there was a full-length mirror and locked the door and took off her clothes and set them carefully on the bench and put on the new clothes, looking at herself in the long mirror, turning to view herself sideways, and unlocked the door and came back outside to the aisle where the women and the high school girl were waiting.

Well yes, Willa said, you look very nice.

Alene came forward and adjusted the shirt a little. What do you think, honey?

I like them all right.

Just all right?

They’re okay. They’re nice.

But you don’t really like them.

She shrugged.

What do you like better?

I don’t know.

Would you want to look at these over here? the high school girl said.

Alice went back to the dressing room and took the new clothes off and came out again in her own clothes and then they went to another section even farther back in the store and Alice stopped to look at some black shorts and black tops with long red sleeves.

Aren’t they too hot for summer? Willa said.

If it’s what she likes, Alene said, that’s what matters. Do you like these, honey?

If you don’t care.

No. Now it’s not if we care or don’t care. It’s what you want. You have to say.

I like them, Alice said.

That’s better. Let’s have a look.

They took the shorts and shirt and another set of the same style, together with matching socks, and she tried them on in the back dressing room and came out carrying them to the register and the high school girl folded them neatly on the counter and put them in a store bag and rang them up. Alene paid for them while Alice watched and didn’t say anything or even smile and then the high school girl handed the bag to Alice and they went out into the sun on Main Street. The light glinted sharply off all the windshields of the cars parked along in front of the stores.

Thank you, Alice said. Thank you for these clothes.

You’re very welcome, Willa said.

A few cars were moving along in the afternoon, a few people walking in the crosswalk and on the wide sidewalks before the stores.

Well, Willa said. What shall we do now?

Let’s go across the street, Alene said.

What’s over there?

I’ll show you. Alice, would you care to go to the hardware store with us?

If you want to.

Do you want to put your things in the car first?

She set the bag in the backseat of the car and then together they crossed the street at midblock and entered the hardware store through the big open doors.

What are we doing? Willa said.

I was in here a few days ago, Alene said. Come back here. I want to show Alice something.

They followed her back to the far corner of the store through the aisles of paint cans and the display of paint chips and paintbrushes, past the cartons of washers and screws, little boxes of bolts and nuts, the bins of nails, and came to the bicycles. Five of them. One with training wheels and one full-size and three for young people. All hanging from hooks suspended from the ceiling, looking as if they would pull loose and crash and hurt somebody. They stood back looking up at them.

You don’t have one, do you? Alene said.

No, Alice said.

Would you like us to get you one?

I don’t know. She kept looking at the bicycles. I don’t know what Grandma would say.

What do you think she would say?

She’d say it’s too much.

What do you think yourself?

Maybe it is too much.

Do you want to call her and ask her?

Yes.

So the two women and the girl went back to the front of the store. But when they got there no one was at the counter.

I’ll find someone, Alene said. She disappeared into a nearby aisle and came back with Rudy.

You’re asking to use the phone? he said.

It’s not for me, Willa said. It’s for this young lady.

I hope it’s not long-distance, Rudy said. He winked. The store can’t pay for no long-distance calls.

It’s my grandmother, Alice said. I need to talk to her.

Then that’ll be okay. Just go right ahead. She lives in town here, doesn’t she.

He handed the phone to Alice and she looked at the three adults watching her and then made the call. She stood up straight and spoke into the phone very quietly, almost whispering. Grandma, it’s me, she said softly. They want to buy me a bicycle. The ladies do. I told them I’d have to ask you. I don’t know. No, I didn’t say anything. I didn’t even know they had any bicycles. Yes. Here. She wants to talk to you. She handed the phone to Willa.

Willa carried the phone out of their hearing, into an aisle of electrical supplies, and stood and talked. Yes, this is Willa, she said. Yes, we do. Well, it was Alene’s idea. Your granddaughter selected a few clothes and then Alene brought us over here to the hardware. Well, Alice said we would have to speak to you first, to see what you thought. It is a lot, yes. But we would like to do this if you think it’s all right. Oh, I don’t think she will get the wrong idea. She’s such a nice girl. You’ve done so well with her. I just think she’s very dear. Well, Alene seems to want this very much. Yes. Well, all right. Thank you. We’ll be there soon. You’re welcome. Oh, Alice said so too, of course.