Chapter Twenty Two

 

 

His spherical vision noting the opening of the bank’s door, moving the 

spectacles from the bridge of his nose to the tip, peering over the rounded frame. “oh…”  W.E. Forester said distastefully...

 

“ ‘Morning, W.E.!” 

 

Upon meeting Morrie and Agie — due to their twenty-five-hundred dollar deposit, thinking them… and actually the Pinks were three of the bank’s major depositors… fawingly advising the two that it was alright to address him by his first initials.

 

 However never giving the banker leeway to address them any way but,…

 

 “...Mister and Mrs Pink, good morning!”

 

“Was wondering…” though he had never given it a second thought “...where did you finally spent the night?”

 

“Found a nice restaurant in Summer Springs…” Morrie said.

 

“ ‘‘Maize's’?”

 

“Yea. Then we spent the night at our place.”

 

“At your store?”

 

“Yes…” Agie said “...and it was very comfortable. Oliva must have changed the bedding the same day…” disgustingly “... you carted the poor woman off to the insane asylum.” 

 

Considering himself — at least in his mind— the social and business l leader of the City of Loveland, and ‘certainly’ not used to the disdain showed him by this New York ‘female’ attorney. “Mrs Pink…” angrily “...when we found Oliva wandering, having no idea who and where she was, ‘three times’; once even on the road where she could have been struck by an automobile and even killed, the committee did what we considered the right thing to do!” Mentally rationalising, We did what we had to! Now, passing on the woman’s obvious contempt while changing the subject. “Don’t know if Oliva changed the bedding that day, maybe she did or one of her friends did.”

 

“Your Kenneth Procter, he was rather an inventive kind of a man.”

 

 “Ken? Yes, yes he was.”

 

Having tings to do this morning. Not here for a lot of ‘chit-chat’! knowing she had the upper hand, and in reverence to America’s maligned women,  not ready to give this banker so much as an ounce of friendliness. “You get in touch with the telephone company?”

 

“I did!” Forester answered curtly. “Man will be out later today with the instrument and to make the installment and…” searching papers on the desk “...got your number here… ‘Cincinnati 5972’.” 

 

Taking the slip of paper.  ‘Cincinnati 5972’. “So this will be our number from now on?”

 

“Yes, unless you and Mrs Pink care to change it for whatever reason. By the  way, you and Mrs Pink get over to the construction sight?”

                                                          

“We did...” Morrie said “...and judging be what we were able to see, the three appear to be well constructed, nice houses when completed.”

 

In a bit friendlier tone: “We’d like the red brick.”

                                                                 

Nodding his head. “I’ll make a note of it, Mrs Pink.”

 

“There are a few changes I’d like to make, so if you will have your construction company contact me…”

 

“You do know changes will add to the cost.”

 

“Did not say before, ‘ ‘W.E.’ , but I am an engineer and what I want will not cost that much, but whatever the cost, Mrs Pink and myself will pay it.  Also, tell us about the cities water system.” 

 

“All Loveland’s and surrounding communities water come from  subterranean wells,  and we’ve modernised to a septic system.”

 

Every thing! ‘Every thing’ working out much better than he had remotely hoped for — even to the point of his lawful discovery, and not carrying the animosity his wife carried. “A septic system! Good! That’s what I’ve been hoping for.” Relenting. “It’s alright, by the way, if you call me Morris.”

 

“Our books, please…”  holding her hands forward “...if you don’t mind.”

 

Lifting the two heavy ledgers and sales, inventory books from a deep center desk drawer; reluctant to create further animosity — hoping to befriend this female attorney whom he rightfully foresaw as a challenge to his  authority and leadership — “Here you go.”  Gently placing the three onto Agie’ outstretched hands. 

 

 Relieving his wife of the three weighty ledgers... “Thank you!” Morrie said as, nudging her towards the outside door with his hip. “I’m anxious to see

 what we have here.”

 

 

Unlocking the front door, both Agie and Morrie were distracted by the squeaking of steel braced wheels and clopping of hoof-beats as a large, two horse team wagon pulled alongside. 

 

“ ‘Morning…” the burly middle-aged man said tipping his hat “...I’m Ivan the Ice Man.” Asking. “And you’re the new people here at Procter’s?”

 

“Yes.” Relieved to see him. “We’re Mister and Mrs Pink, and were hoping you’d come by today.”

 

“Pleased to meet you.” Tipping his cap again. “You want the same as Mrs Oliva?”

 

“Most probably…” Agni said “...how much did she take?”

 

“Warm weather fifty pounds a day, winter, fifty every other day.”

 

“Your charge?”

 

“For the week; dollar-seventy-five, summer, dollar-fifty, winter, and Kenneth paid me on the first of each month.”

 

“You remove the basin?”

 

“Yes, ma’am. Been doing this for poor Mrs Oliva for years.” Anticipating the next question. “And I know the way.”

 

“I’ll meet you in the back...”  Watching as the ice man, using tongs, hoisted the block of ice onto his leather covered shoulder... and into the icebox.

                                                                 

 

Running the tip of his finger down to 3/13/15, “Buffalo Hammer and Tool shows, a shipment was made and received in Cincinitti warehouse on 4/2/15 but was never shipped here…” Morrie said “...or paid for.” 

 

“What’s the amount due shown?”

 

Moving his finger to the far right— “Including freight and storage charges: ‘One hundred-twenty-two dollars and seventy cents,’ including freight and Cincinitti storage charges as of April two.” 

 

“So all of the stores materials have been there for almost a month.”

 

“Yes, with our day by day charges adding up… Wait a minute!” Morris said. “  ‘Buffalo Hammer and Tool’! Isn't that where that Charlie…?”

 

“ ‘Tenner’…” Agie reminded Morris. 

 

“...said that the Cincinnati area was part of his territory.”

 

“Yes. That’s why he thought this place…” motioning about “...might be going into foreclosure.” 

 

“Glad he’d spoken up, because everything here is going just... ‘swell’,  and so far I’m liking this place.”

 

“So I suppose our first call, whenever the telephone man gets here, will be to…”  a loose thread! Morrie wondered: The ‘only’ loose thread? “… Buffalo Hammer and Charlie Tenner.”

 

“Hello!” Wearing a well pressed, well worn faded blue waitress uniform.

                                                       

 “Mazie!” Looking towards the doorway and the heavyset women there. 

 

“ ‘Morning, Agnes…” nodding towards Morrie “… ‘Morris’! Wasn’t sure if you said the store would be open today, but I need some stove oil…”  gesturing to a plank walled wagon held a handle’s length behind “… and …” patting her noticeable stomach “...exercise. So thought I’d kill two birds at the same time and take a little walk to see.”

 

 “Good morning!” Agie said coming from behind the counter. “Glad you did, because not only are you and Elmer our first friends here…” gesturing outside “...you’re also our first customer.”

 

The evening before, over a delicious dinner of roast beer, mashed potatoes with thick brown gravy, cauliflower and a crisp green salad, along with, still warm, fresh from the oven dinner rolls; invited by Agie to join them. Agie and —learning the grocery store across the street was owned, as was this family style restaurant by her husband, ‘Elmer’ in full partnership with Mazie. Immediately giving these two forward thinking, independent women— beyond mere friendship,  an unwavering band of commonality that shortly brought their conversation to…  October 23, 1915 and the march for ‘The Women’s Suffrage Movement’ in New York City.

 

Excited to find an advocate for the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment giving American women the right to vote. “You going?” 

 

“Yes! Of course! But not to New York, because I’m leading our own group of fifteen ladies to the march in Cincinitti. Want to make it sixteen?”

 

Such a question! “Absolutely!” Mrs Agnes Pink enthusiastically responded.

                                                         

“Good! That’s good!”  Mazie said. “We’ve five and a half months and that will give us plenty of time to make plans.” Seeing no telephone on the

 counter. “You’ll be getting a telephone, of course?”

                                                       

“Of course. Morris and me, we’re waiting for the Cincinitti Bell man now.”

 

“When he’s finished, you’ll let me know your number. Just as the telephone lady for ‘Mazie’s ’and she’ll hook you right up.” 

 

“I’ve the number they’ve assigned me, you like it now?”

 

“No. Give me a jingle when they’ve hooked you up and I’ll add it to the numbers I have at Mazie’s.”

 

Glancing at the watch hanging from about her neck. “Better get back before my husband ruins this afternoon’s meal… The stove oil, please.”

 

Looking from Mazie to Agie, shrugging his shoulder, “Have no idea where it’s kept.”

 

“Not to worry, I know where Kenneth kept it.”

 

Dragging the wagon, the thumping sounds of wheels upon the uneven concrete deck seemingly echoing as the wagon was pulled along the length of the store, then quieting a bit as Mazie steered it around the far corner and, a minute later, the echoing sounds coming closer, as Mazie returned with six, one gallon jars of stove oil snugly secured within the bed of the trailer. 

 

Giggling, “What’s it cost?” 

 

“When you get started, ‘Maize's’  keeps a running bill here that I pay up once a month. But for now…”  reaching into a breast pocket, removing                                                        

some coins “...seeing as you don’t know the cost, it’s…” placing a half dollar and a dime onto the counter “...fifteen cents a gallon, so your very first sale, from your very first customer will be all of sixty cents.”

 

Feeling these two coins spiritually more than but sixty cents, but the                                              

 capitalisation to the start of her new life here in this new city, here with her                                                         

 own business, with a husband that she actually loved, and felt love in

 return. Not necessarily a religious person, however yet sensing an unknown, possibly Godly warmth overtake her. “Thank you!” she said, opening the top drawer in the counter and sliding the two coins into a far corner as the vision of the ‘National Cash Register’ that had been at her elbow within the Tellers window at City National Bank— One of which Agie had every intention of purchasing as soon as possible.

 

“You like Morris to drive you back?”

 

“No, like I said, I need the exercise. Talk to you later. Okay!”

 

A Cincinitti Bell panel truck coming to a stop along the curb. “This, uh…” looking at a work order “...Pink’s Hardware?”

 

“Sign will be going up soon…” Morrie said “...but, yes, that’s us.”

 

 

First outgoing call to: “ ‘Morning, Bertha’s Boarding Hotel.”

 

 “ Auntie Bertha, good morning!  It’s me, Agnes…”

 

“Sweetheart, I’ve been wondering. Is everything all right?”

 

“Perfect, Auntie Bertha! Better than I’d even imagined!”

 

 

Second outgoing call to:  “ ‘Morning, Buffalo Hammer and Tool.”

 

“ ‘Morning! Charlie Tenner, please.”

 

 “Sorry, Charlie’s on the road, but he calls in every evening. May I say who’s   calling?”

 

 Hesitating, thinking of that ‘one known loose thread’, however. “Yes, my name’s, uh…” using the name he’d called him upon meeting “... Morrie  Pink and my wife and I… Would you tell Charlie that Agnes, … Bertha’s niece and I are now married and the new owners that hardware store in Loveland, Ohio, and we think there’s an old order waiting for us in Cincinitti, so we’d like to speak to him about how do we go about having it delivered to Loveland.”

 

“Of course! You have your own telephone?”

 

“Yes. Number here at the store is,  ‘Cincinnati 5972’.” 

 

Remainder of the day and into the evening spent going from aisle to aisle, from shelf to shelf,  from bin to bin and from drawer to drawer attempting to familiarise themselves with the thousands of items a well stocked hardware store must contain— And in the end figured and agreed that they would best learn as item by item was set upon the counter for payment— even though they had discovered a loose-leaved book showing the items and sizes along with the suggested price per item… or weight or quantity— which Agie and Morrie also knew would be a ‘learn as we go’ process. 

 

 

Not wanting to miss Charlies call, if he should call today, and as Agie couldn’t drive the Chevy, Morrie made the mile and a half trip to ‘Mazie’s’  to bring dinners for two back to ‘Pinks’.

 

First incoming call answered by:

“Agnes! Didn’t know if you’d be open, but thought I’d give it a try anyway.”

 

 Never speaking to him by telephone, but who else would be calling at this

time...or calling at all. “Charlie, that you?”

 

“It is. Called soon as I was able to get to a different phone. So you did it!”

 

Unsure if Charlie was referring to their marriage or acquiring the store. Answering whichever or both questions. “We did, Morrie and I did!”

 

“Well…” referring to either or both “...it’s a good deal for both of you.”

 

Getting to business. “Charlie, the ‘Payable’ ledger shows we owe Buffalo Hammer and Tool… hold on.” Reading directly from the ledger:“ ‘One hundred-twenty-two dollars and seventy cents,’ including freight and Cincinitti storage charges as of April two.”

 

“First thing tomorrow morning I’ll contact the warehouse in Cincinitti with instructions to get that shipment to you immediately. And you or Morrie go see Forester…”

 

“At the bank?”

 

“Yes, and have a money draft for… Hold on... Adding current storage fees…” he said “...one hundred, thirty-one dollars and sixty-seven cents, sent to ‘Buffalo Hammer’. And then…” going on “...a product inventory man will be out twice a year to check your entire stock, and after your new shipment arrives, I’ll have a man there to do the physical re-stocking.”

 

“Now, too?”

 

“Yes. Seeing as distance between the warehouse and Loveland is only about sixteen miles, you should have everything by tomorrow afternoon and my man will be there within two or three days to replace whatever needs to be  replaced and to show you where everything goes, as I suppose you and Morrie seem to be a bit lost about now.”

                                                        

Giggling. “ ‘Lost’? Mo, uh, Morrie and me, we’ve been dropping bread crumbs to find our way back.”

 

“Figured. Okay, got to call the warehouse now. Tell me how everything worked out in a couple of weeks.”

 

“Will do! Bye, Charlie, and thank you!”

 

 

This morning, asking Morrie to do it because she was not sure of his reaction to spending so much money for a cash register. 

 

Having the Cincinitti Bell operator search the number for the  ‘National Cash Register’ Company— telling his wife it was a wedding gift, Morrie Pink purchased a top of the line ‘National Cash Register’ — which really was for the store, but Agie, knowing every bell and whistle function of her new machine, could not have been happier no matter what her husband might have gotten for  her.  

 

With the exception, possibly, although much too early in their marriage to even consider a baby.

 

 

Though there was half a bin left, and none was needed at this time, once again there was the clatter of a horse drawn wagon before the stores entrance as Horace Feldman, the City of Loveland’s Coal-Man stopped by to introduce himself to the new owners of Procter Hardware and, if possible, duplicate the prescheduled coal deliveries and his payment                                                          

thereof — which were readily agreed to.

 

 

The erroneous appearance of the start of this first day of business since the complete closure after Olivia had been taken to the mad house bringing occasional customers into the store looking for merchandise that in most cases, thankfully knew where to look and, counting on their honesty, the cost. But in any case — besides the knowledge of the, including Mazie’s sixty-five cents, accumulating coins and bills in the counter’s top drawer signifying the first money Agie had actually ever earned, happy to greet and meet some of Lovelands population.

 

 

‘Mazie’! “Operator, would you please connect me to ‘Mazie’s’. ”  

   

Mazie’s, good morning!”

 

“ ‘Morning! It’s me, uh…” still becoming confused over their private and public names “...Agnes. Thought now might be a good time to catch you. You busy?”

 

“Naw, taking a break with a mug’a coffee; got your telephone, huh!”

 

“We did. Want the store’s number now?”

 

“Hold on, let me get to the desk… Okay, shoot!” Repeating as she wrote  ‘Ci. 5972’. Got it!”

 

“Before I met Morris, I lived in New York City with my aunt and we’d both planed on marching up Fifth Avenue right in the middle of all those women and simply cannot wait to be part of whatever you’re planning!”

_________________________________________________________________________

                                                            249

                                                 Chapter Twenty Three

 

 

Notation:  Suffragettes expressed themselves by breaking away from traditional expectations and this was reflected in their fashion choices. Some women's rights activists were anti-fashion, and claimed that to be fashionable was to accept female oppression. Also, throughout the nation— excluding the most southern states, Negro women were likewise marching for the ratification of the 19th amendment, giving ‘all’ women the right to vote and in order to keep these women from standing out, black or dark purple became the Suffragettes uniform of choice.