I don’t know what you are doing,” she said, “but we need you to get up here right now! Things are getting organized and it won’t be long before the parade starts.”
In fifteen minutes, Lou still hadn’t shown. Hope called again. No answer. She started to be anxious.
“He’s not answering his phone,” she said to Katye. “It’s a busy day in town. I hope he’s okay.”
“He’s probably down at the waterfront glad-handing again and has forgotten the time,” said Katye.
The truth was more concerning. Lou had collapsed. A crowd had gathered around him now. Hope heard the sound of an ambulance in the distance and hoped it wasn’t about Lou.
“Somebody call Hope! Somebody call Doc Bailey! Call 911!” Voices could be heard through the crowd.
“Doc will meet the ambulance at the hospital,” said Carmelita, who arrived within five minutes. “Stand back out of the way! We need your cooperation here.”
The two ambulance attendants rushed to his side and took off quickly for Harbor View Hospital where they were met by nurses and Doc Bailey.
“Hello!” answered Hope, a bit loud and sounding frightened.
“Hope, this is Carmelita.”
“Is this about Lou? Is he okay?”
“Hope, Lou’s at the hospital and he’s in good hands.”
“Oh, no!” Hope answered. “I was afraid this would happen. There’s so much excitement and he likes to think he’s still sixteen! He hasn’t slept well all weekend.”
“I am sure they will want you at the hospital,” said Carmelita. “Marshall will come and take you there.”
Cold fear and anxiety shot through Hope. It could be a lot of things at Lou’s age. Marshall escorted her inside.
“We’re here to see the mayor,” he said in an officious tone.
“Oh, hello, Hope,” said the receptionist looking right past Marshall. “I’ll see if Doc Bailey’s available.”
Eternity seemed to come and pass away. Hope had time to rehearse every possibility in her mind. Finally, Doc Bailey appeared.
“Hope, I believe he is going to be all right.”
She sighed and shivered and then fell back in a chair.
“What’s the matter with him, Doc?”
“It may be just exhaustion,” he said. “I’m going to have to keep him and run a few tests. I’ve got to rule out a few things.”
Lou was awake when Hope went into the hospital room and was fit to be tied.
“You’re not going to any parade, Lou Schofield, and that’s final!”
He slumped down in the bed in despair.
“Lou, quit treating this as if it were a cold,” she said. “This could have been serious. Okay, if you won’t listen, I’ll tell you in no uncertain words. You could have dropped dead out there. Then, your people wouldn’t have a mayor at all. How would you like that?”
Lou smiled faintly. “I wouldn’t like that, but a few people might.”
Hope’s cell phone rang. It was Susanna.
“How is Lou?”
“Well, he’s fine but he’s not coming home any time soon.
“I’m sorry, Hope,” said Susanna. “I know what it’s like.”
“I know you do,” she replied. “I know you do.”
Susanna offered no “He’s going to be okay,” comments. She knew that, sometimes, it was better not to say anything to those in crisis. She knew that, too often, those who couldn’t think of anything to say and made something up, ended up speaking words that were most regrettable.
“I’ll come up and be with you, Hope.”
A tear rimmed her left eye. “That is kind of you, Susanna, but you have the parade.”
“Don’t worry. My staff will take care of the float. I’ll come. You’re going to need a ride home anyway.
“Thanks, Susanna,” she said. “Thank you.”
Chapter 23
“What would I ever have done without her?” Katye asked herself.
She didn’t realize she had been talking out loud.
“She’s good at what she does, isn’t she?” asked Sally.
Katye hadn’t noticed her approaching.
“She was the principal when I was in high school. She’s been here since anybody around can remember!” she said.
“Where are the kids?” asked Katye. “Nate said you had them!”
“Oh, they’ve had an offer to ride on the Joe’s Fine Dine-ing wagon,” she said. “They are really excited!”
“Who’s driving,” asked Katye. “Johnny isn’t driving, is he? You never know if he’s sober!”
“As a matter of fact, I am driving!” she said. “Johnny and Hobe are riding on the float!
“Of course! What a wonderful idea! After all, you are running Joe’s right now. Who is more appropriate than you?” She looked down at her watch. It was two o’clock exactly.
Marshall was doing a last-minute check to see if the orange traffic cones were still standing in place to keep the side streets blocked going onto Main Street. There were always a few missing after the parade. He reported back that all looked good. Carmelita called Katye on her cell and told her that it was a go.
Katye gave Mrs. Saugus a thumbs-up and the principal blew her coach’s whistle. Katye hadn’t noticed a whistle before this, but there it was. That woman came equipped for all contingencies.
“Okay, people, we’re going to begin now. Keep your chins up and look at the crowd. Wave and smile. This is a parade, people! This is for your town, our town, Safety Harbor, and for the Unsettlement too!”
It was as if she were giving the school cheer. This electrified the crowd, already full of anticipation, and brought a roar of response from all of the participants.
Stewart had quietly made his way down the street to watch the parade on his own. He had not found a place in which he could fit or be useful. He decided to look for a good place where he could watch the parade in privacy.
The old lighthouse! Yes! That was it! He would go to the lighthouse. This he did. He climbed the stairs to the first landing. He looked out on the little harbor town. From there he could see everything and everybody.
The parade had begun to wind its way out of the school parking lot and onto Main Street.
Chapter 24
Back at the hospital, Lou, Hope, and Liz were delighted to learn that the local cable access station, KSHO, was broadcasting the parade this year. Now, here they were in a place they never expected to be, watching a parade they could not have imagined could happen in their little hometown.
It was good for Lou, thought Hope, to know that he didn’t have to be in charge of everything, or appear to be, as was more often the case. The parade could go on without him, even if most of his constituents would want him there!
It wasn’t long before Wendell made an appearance.
“Wendell!” exclaimed Lou. “What are you doing here?”
“I just had to come and check up on my golfing buddy to make sure he hadn’t sneaked off to the country club while