Birds chirped and twittered, displaying newfound energy as they heralded the awakening of another day.

Simon and Ruth walked toward the station, hand in hand, smiling at each other as if they were newlyweds. However, as they reached the familiar environment of the station platform, it was time to face reality.

Simon surveyed the empty platform. “Well. Wherever my father went off to, he ain’t here, I guess that means I’m gonna hafta try to talk some sense into that banker myself.”

“And I’m sure you’ll do just fine at it too. If Mother stops being such a busybody.”

“That’s just how the world is, ain’t it? The people who should be busy ain’t and the people who shouldn’t be busy are busier than a hen-house at butcherin time.” Simon broke free from Ruth and then headed toward the door of the station. He jiggled the doorknob and then turned away in disappointment. “Huh. Doors locked. I was hopin we could get in there an have a word before your mother gets here.”

Ruth scanned the horizon for threats. “She’ll be here alright. I tried to talk to her out of it last night before I came to see you but she wouldn’t listen to anything.”

Simon moved to a nearby bench. “I don’t get her line of thinkin at all. If she’s so worried bout what we’re doin, why doesn’t she just give us the money we need ta pay everythin off an be done with it?”

Ruth moved to sit beside her man. “Mother isn’t worried about making sense. She just wants to be in control of everything, all the time. Why do you think I jumped on that train with Naomi?”

Simon stroked his newly shaven chin. “I can’t say I blame ya for runnin away from a home like that. I just hope I can talk that banker fella into lettin us stay in the home we got now.”

Ruth took his hand in hers and gazed into his deep blue eyes. “Don’t worry. When Mother shows up, I’ll talk to her. You just worry about talking to the banker.”

On the other end of the platform, Naomi hobbled forward as her two ducklings, Bill and Betsy, followed along behind her.

“So Bill, what do you think? Are you and Betsy ready to get crazy this morning?”

Bill shrugged. “Not really. I’d rather be working.” He gestured toward the crowd sitting out before the station. “Those people out there have been waiting all night for this luggage and I should really deliver it to them.”

“No you shouldn’t,” Betsy interjected.

Naomi waggled her finger as the fire of mischief flashed in her eyes. “For once I agree with Betsy. You two should be getting into position.”

Bill hung his head. “I don’t know. I still think we should just leave Patricia alone.”

Naomi shoved him forward. “Sometimes you can’t just leave people alone. Sometimes you have to stop people from hurting themselves or someone else. Now get out there. She’s going to be stomping up that walkway any minute.”

Bill stumbled toward his assignment in front of the station. “All right, all right.”

“What was it you were you tell me this morning?” Betsy said in a cheerful voice as she scampered alongside her brother.

At this Bill’s face seemed to brighten a little. “Ha. Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Actually I would. That’s why I asked you.”

Naomi placed her hands on her hips as she watched her minions. “And remember, whatever you do, don’t let Patricia get up to this door.“ With that, Naomi turned her attention to Simon. “I hope you’re ready to do your part in this.”

Simon tore his gaze away from his beautiful wife. “I’ll do what I can ma’am, that’s all I can do.”

“And that’s all I expect you to do,” Ruth said with a smile.

Naomi cocked an eyebrow. “Well. Well. Whatever else happens on this grey cloudy day. I must say it’s good to see you two working together again.”

Simon laughed as he ran his arm along Ruth’s shoulders. “Well, ma’am. The way I figure it. We’re goin into this here fight with nothin to our names but as long as we’re fightin together we still got somethin.”

Naomi nodded as a faint smile danced across the corner of her lips. “That’s the attitude I like to hear. When that door opens, you just march in there and do your best. We’ll deal with Patricia.”

Sensing that her moment of triumph was at hand, Patricia began striding up the sidewalk toward the train station. “Well, well, I see that everyone came out this morning. I suppose in a small town like Gladstone finding excitement is a constant struggle.”

Ruth moved to the edge of the station platform and crossed her arms. “Mother. Do you remember our little discussion last night? You’re more than welcome to stay with us and visit but this simply isn’t any of your business.”

Patricia waved her white-gloved hand, dismissing this argument. “Ruth. Don’t be foolish. My family is always my business.”

“No it isn’t,” Betsy chirped as she grabbed Patricia’s bag.

“Of course it is,” Bill snapped back as a familiar expression of mischief filled his freckled face.

Upon the station platform, Naomi hobbled forward to stand beside Ruth. “That is a noble sentiment but you seem to have forgotten that Ruth is a married woman now, you need to respect her and her husband’s wishes.”

“Fear not Naomi. I’m giving that pathetic man all the respect that he deserves.” Patricia swatted at the greedy hands attacking her bag. “And you two are always a few bags short of a full baggage cart aren’t you?”

“Not for long,” Betsy said as she snatched the bag.

“We just need one more bag. Then we’ll finally be full, ” Bill agreed with a laugh.

Ruth felt a vague pang of guilt as she watched the game of keep-away unfolding below her on the ground. “Mother. Why are you being so unreasonable? You’ve only made things worse so far.”

Patricia continued grumbling as she stomped toward Betsy. “I’m being unreasonable, am I? I simply made a few things clear to that banker and I have full intentions of making things even more clear to him today. Now, please give me my bag!”

Bill waved his hands, making it clear to his sister that he was open for a pass. “Like they always say, there’s no time like the present.”

“And the best present you can give is your time,” Betsy finished as she hurled Patricia’s bag toward her brother.

At that very moment, the door of the train station swung open, signaling that the banker from Winnipeg was at last ready to conduct business. Simon jumped from his position on the bench and headed toward the open doorway.

Naomi nodded her approval and then turned her attention back to the game going on below them. “Patricia, why don’t you give Simon a chance to deal with this? After all, he’s from Gladstone.”

“You said it, Naomi. Gladstone! That’s Simon’s whole problem in a nutshell.“ She switched her course, aiming toward Bill. “You two have been trying my patience for a long time. Now, give me my property, or I shall be forced to summon the police!”

Bill held the bag over his head, just out of reach of Patricia’s grasping hands. “I have good news for you, Patricia. After trying your patience for all these years we’ve found out that it actually works!” With that, he tossed the bag back to his sister.

Patricia had reached a state of fury. Every part of her body trembled with rage as she stomped toward the impudent young woman. “You found out that it works, did you? Too bad you two won’t be working anywhere anytime soon.”

“Of course we will,” Betsy said with a musical laugh as she handed the bag in question off to Naomi.

Patricia’s eyes flashed with hatred as she raced after her property. She was in reach of her goal when her daughter stepped into her path.

“Mother, I think we need to sit down and talk this over like reasonable people.”

Patricia shook off Ruth’s grip like water from a hogs back. “Oh. We’ll talk about this alright but not right now.“ She shifted her glare toward her former neighbor. “You are holding something that belongs to me. I would like it back.”

Naomi held the plain brown purse to her face and began to study it. “This is a very interesting bag. Did you pick it up back home in the United States?”

“It’s none of your concern where I picked it up. Give it to me!” On that discordant note, Patricia tore her handbag from Naomi’s clutching hands.

“Of course Patricia. You just needed to ask politely.”

“Huh. It’s my property. I shouldn’t have needed to ask for it at all!”

Ruth took her mother’s hand again and began guiding her toward a nearby bench. “Why don’t we just go over here and…”

Patricia shoved her daughter to the side and then headed toward the doorway of the train station. “Get out of my way Ruth. I have important business to attend to inside.”

“Monkey business,” Betsy offered.

“No wonder she’s going bananas,” Bill remarked glibly, aping his sister’s mischief.

Patricia turned and shook a fist at her two tormentors. “I’ll deal with you two when I get back. I’d start looking for other employment if I were you.”

As she continued on her way to the station entrance, the door swung open and the figure of Simon appeared before her.

“Hold on a minute Patricia, I already been in there an did everythin that needs doin.”

“Let me guess, you’ve gone and made a big mess of everything haven’t you?”

Ruth took a step forward. “Mother.”

“Don’t you mother me,” Patricia snarled as she shook a finger in the face of her disobedient daughter. “If you had married Patrick like I arranged this wouldn’t have happened.”

Simon placed a comforting hand on the shoulder of his mother-in-law. “It ain’t what ya think. That banker is actually a pretty nice fella but there’s just nothin he can do fer us. My Father wasn’t makin his mortgage payments, so the bank has ta foreclose. That’s just how it is.”

Ruth lowered her head, defeated. “So that’s it then. We’re homeless.”

Simon took a breath. “I suppose that’s just what we are but don’t you fret none, we’re gonna get through this somehow.”

Patricia began shoving her way past her son-in-law. “Just you watch. After I tell that banker what he needs to hear he’ll be on the first train back to Winnipeg where he belongs.”

Simon resisted the efforts to remove him from her path. “Look! What’s done is done! There ain’t no need for ya ta go bargin in there an makin anymore trouble about all this!”

Patricia placed her hands on his chest and shoved him backward. “I’ll barge in wherever I please thank you very much!”

Something snapped inside of Ruth and she began to yell like she never had before. “Mother! You are the most arrogant, disrespectful person I have ever met!” Everyone on the station platform gasped at this explosion. Then as if catching herself, Ruth continued in a much softer tone as she threw her arms around her mother. “But I love you anyway.”

Time seemed to stop as everyone watched Patricia, wondering how big the explosion would be when it came.

A few moments passed before Patricia spoke again, this time in a very quiet and humble voice. “I don’t know what to say.”

Ruth smiled. “Good.”

Everyone exhaled, relieved that the danger had passed.

Just outside of this happy gathering a tender female voice could be heard clamoring for attention. “Pardon me. Um. Simon, my father sent me out here to speak to you, he was quite impressed with your attitude and your story.”

Simon moved toward the young woman clad in a fancy blue dress. “It ain’t no story ma’am. Father is a good man but he just ain’t that good at business an me an the wife here are gonna get kicked off the place we’re livin cause of all his dealins.”

The young stranger nodded, her long blonde hair caressing her slender shoulders as she spoke in an animated tone. “Yes. My father read that in your file. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find a legal way to stop the foreclosure process but what he can do for you is this.” She coughed and then continued. “After the foreclosure is complete, he is willing to sell you the foreclosed homestead for an initial down payment of fifty cents.”

Simon looked as startled as Patricia had been only a few moments earlier. “I’m sure glad ta hear that ma’am. Like I told ya before, that’s all we got to our names.”

“Followed by a standard schedule of mortgage payments and interest of course.”

“Of course,” Simon muttered.

Ruth moved to join them. “Does this mean that the homestead will now be our property? Despite everything that has happened? Despite how my mother treated you?”

“Of course. It’s called grace.” The refined young woman laughed to herself. “Besides, things are looking up for this area. I just heard word this morning that your new MLA, T.L. Morton, has finally persuaded the province to assume all the loans that were made to build the railway through the town.”

“So Gladstone will finally be free from all that railway debt C.P. Brown talked us into?” Naomi blurted.

“Yes! And without all that debt weighing you down, I’m certain that this town and its people will soon prosper again. Even the R.M. Of Westbourne has had a change of heart. I think you’ll be an excellent credit risk.” The young woman glided across the platform toward the bench where Bill and Betsy had seated themselves. “Bill, it’s good to see you again.”

As Bill moved to embrace the young woman, Betsy jumped to her feet. “Wait a minute! You two know each other?”

“Very well and soon, a whole lot better, isn’t that right darling?” The young woman fluttered her long eyelashes at her man.

“Um. That’s what I was going to tell you this morning.“ Bill loosened his shirt collar as if he were attempting to cool off. “Me and Grace here are planning to get married. That’s why I need that homestead and all that money. She’s planning to move down here from Winnipeg and…”

“You want to get married? Are you crazy?” Betsy’s face was full of confusion.

“Have you seen what is considered normal these days? I’d rather be crazy.”

Betsy’s tone grew desperate. “But where does that leave me? Leave us? We used to…”

Bill placed his hands on his hips and began to speak with a firmness his sister had never heard before. “Betsy. Listen. We’ve had a lot of fun together but I’m afraid I just can’t do the sort of things we used to do anymore. I’m going to be a married man, I have to learn how to settle down.”

“No you don’t,” Betsy protested.

Bill shrugged and then returned his attention to his fiance.

Naomi walked up behind Betsy. “Oh honey, you’ll be okay. You aren’t losing a brother, you’re gaining a sister.”

“No she isn’t,“ Grace said with another mysterious chuckle. Betsy swiveled her head, sensing a kindred spirit. As if confirming this Grace gave Betsy a high five. With that done, Grace began to move toward the entrance of the train station. “Anyway, if you’ll follow me inside we can prepare the paperwork.”

Everyone began chattering with excitement as they followed Grace into the train station. As the noise faded Ruth moved toward her mentor.

“That turned out a lot better than I expected.“ Ruth paused, taking in Naomi’s dampened spirit. “What is it? Is something wrong?”

“Oh. It’s just that my charge, William Bailey passed away early this morning.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I’m sure going to miss him. He was the most honest man in town and the richest too.”

“No wonder with the amount of interest he charged,” Ruth muttered to herself.

“I must say, whoever has the job of distributing all his money and land will have quite the task ahead of them.” Naomi sighed. “But enough of this melancholy, this is a day to celebrate, you finally own your own homestead!”

“Thank God!”

“And who knows, if the weather continues to improve around here, by this time next year you may even be blessed with little sun.” Naomi paused and then let out a little chuckle. “Or a daughter.”

“Ha. You sound like you’ve been spending too much time with Betsy.”

As Ruth shook her head Naomi entered the station. Ruth glanced both ways, then seeing that no interference was at hand, she moved to a bench and seated herself. It wasn’t long before she had pulled a paper and pencil from her purse and returned to her writing.

As she wrote the present world faded and the restrictions of the time faded with it.

“So there you go Father. William Bailey never did help us out but in the end, he did help a few others. His last business dealing on record is that he divided a quarter section of his land between the four churches in Gladstone. And his money, well, William came to Gladstone with 1,000 dollars and after he died he was found to be worth about 250,000 dollars. As you might imagine, dividing all this money turned out to be quite the challenge, a challenge I wouldn’t mind having myself, but that’s a story for another day. Eventually, the Bailey fortune was divided between fourteen relatives down in Richwood County Ohio…including a certain Helen Whitmore. Back here in Gladstone, the W.S. Bailey banking business managed to live on in different forms, first, it was sold to the Merchants bank and then, much later the Merchants Bank was sold to the Bank of Montreal. ”

Patricia left the station and moved to stand beside the bench. Her arms were crossed and her lips were twisted into a familiar scowl as she glared down at her daughter.

It was a sight to snap anyone back to reality and Ruth was no exception. Still, she hadn’t quite finished her piece, so she continued writing.

“I must say, Gladstone has had a lot of characters in it. It still does. But one thing I’ve learned is that no matter what kind of characters you have to deal with, even characters like my mother, a little grace really can make a big difference.”

Simon seated himself beside his wife and ran a muscular arm around her shoulders. As he pulled her into an embrace he whispered into her ear. “Ain’t that the truth.”

Never people to miss an opportunity to spoil a tender moment with mischief, Bill and Betsy galloped from the train station.

“But what about all that luggage?“ Betsy gestured toward the baggage cart that was still loaded down with battered bags. “We never did deliver it to those people out there.”

Betsy peered out at the crowd before the train station as if expecting them to riot.

Bill took the hand of Grace in his and then he began to laugh. “Well, Betsy, I guess all those people out there will just have to give us a little grace too, won’t they?”

Epilogue.

Some years passed, times changed and life moved on. As we revisit Naomi, we find her sitting in the living room of a darkened house. Her wrinkled face illuminated by the soft yellow of the flickering candle sitting on a table beside her. At the foot of her wooden rocking chair sit two well-groomed grandchildren, her pride and joy. Naomi smiles at them and continues on with her story.

“Well, after the dust cleared on that big real estate crash and everything that came with it. The town of Gladstone started getting back on its feet. We got gas lighting in 1904. New skating rinks were built, new stores went up, including the Galloway’s General store. You know, in those days, the Galloway’s General Store was the biggest general store west of Winnipeg!

A new Opera house was also built in those days and I tell you, there was a concert or play in town pretty much every week in those days.

That wasn’t the end of it though! Our first hospital was built in 1912, meaning our healthcare got a whole lot better than it was back in the days when we had women tramping miles through the snow to deliver a baby.”

Naomi pauses for a moment as she relives the struggles of her long long life. When she finally continues, her voice is reflective, weighted with the wisdom earned through countless sorrows. “People these days tend to forget that we’ve got a whole lot to be thankful for up here in Canada and one of the things we should be thankful for is that despite all the things that have gone on around here, the story of Gladstone isn’t over yet. The big question people around here should be asking themselves is, what part are they going to play in the continuing story of Our Town, Gladstone? It’s our home after all, if we don’t take care of it, who will?”

***Historical note.

For the purposes of having a play that was both entertaining and could be performed in a reasonable length of time. I condensed events so that they could all fit together into one short play. For example, the Gladstone real estate crash was a real event and came about because of all the reasons that I have described. However, the consequences of the crash lingered for years afterward. As described, the main reason Gladstone began to pull out of the slump caused by the crash was through the efforts of a new MLA, T.L. Morton.

Mr. Morton was concerned about what had gone on during the railway building process and began lobbying the provincial government to absorb the railway debts of many communities who were struggling under their weight. Thankfully, he succeeded.

William Bailey was around and active during those days and passed away after a long struggle with illness in the year 1916. The biography of William Bailey follows on the next page.