Changing Reflections

Part I

Trixie Belden awoke and stretched blissfully in her bed.  Pulling one leg out from under the sheet, she vigorously scratched at a spot where an ambitious mosquito had bit the night before. An early summer breeze blew in softly through the open window causing her curtains to sway and dance.  Her bedroom had the delicious smell of June: the freshness of a new day, the smell of roses blooming in the garden beneath her window and the excitement of a summer that lay ahead.  Trixie’s gaze traveled around the room, pausing at the prized collection of resin horses that resided proudly on a shelf and her dresser that was piled with boxes and cards.  A balloon was tethered nearby.  “I absolutely love that I am no longer a student at Sleepyside Junior/ Senior High School,” she sighed contentedly, pleased she had a plan that would help her achieve her desired goal.

The day before, Trixie and her best friends, Honey Wheeler and Diana Lynch,  had received their diplomas at a sun-drenched ceremony that was held in the high school’s football stadium.  Afterwards, there had been a large gathering at Crabapple Farm to celebrate the occasion.  Trixie glanced up at the single red rose in a slim vase that was perched on her night table.  She smiled, glad that she could count Jim, the giver of the rose, as one of her best friends.  Earlier in the year, the two had started dating but by Memorial Day it was obvious that a romantic relationship between the two wasn’t a good idea.  Not only did Jim try to rein in his girlfriend’s impulsiveness, but he also became frustrated by Trixie’s anger and disappointment at having to attend the community college instead of going away with her friends.  When Trixie announced she had secured  summer employment, Jim’s aggravation at Trixie’s busy schedule was evident.  Before they could tear their deep friendship apart, they decided to stop dating.  

“And today, I start my new job,” thought Trixie nervously.  She had been lucky enough to secure a position at the Sleepyside Country Club as a concession hostess for the golf course.  Although Trixie was  excited to have the opportunity to earn some steady money, Honey was upset that Trixie wasn’t going to be as available during the summer months as she had been in previous years.  Although stretched finances made it impossible for Trixie to go away to college with her best friend, she still harboured the design that if she made enough at her job she would be able to join Honey the following year.  Hearing stirrings in the kitchen below, Trixie kicked off her covers and got ready for the day.

“Morning, Moms.  Morning, Daddy,” called Trixie as she entered the family kitchen.  The sun, shining through the large windows, illuminated the table that was already set for breakfast.

“Good morning, Princess.”  Peter Belden glanced up at his daughter as she sailed past.

“What can I do?”  Trixie peeked over her mother’s shoulder at the golden pancakes that were  cooking on the griddle.

Moms nodded toward a bowl of fresh fruit.  “You can put that on the table.”

“Are you ready for your first day on the job?” Peter folded over his newspaper and set it aside.

“As ready as I'll ever be,” answered Trixie.  “I’ve got my uniform and my schedule.” She fidgeted nervously.  “I hope I don’t mess up.”

“I have faith in you and so does the country club.  They hired you, didn’t they?”  Peter smiled encouragingly at his daughter.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Trixie’s brothers, Mart and Bobby.  Mart was dressed for his summer job as a landscape and yard specialist while Bobby, yawning broadly, had on shorts and a very wrinkled shirt.  The two sat down at the table and waited for Moms to join them.

“You know, Trixie,” said Moms as she passed around a platter full of fluffy pancakes, “you’ll need to write thank you notes for all the gifts you received yesterday.”

Trixie groaned.  “Why did you have to remind me of that?”

“Because it’s important that get them out in a timely fashion.”  Moms sent a bottle of syrup around the table.  

“Okay.  I’ll pick up some stationary next time I’m at the store.”

Moms smiled knowingly.  “I already got you three boxes of thank you notes.  They’re right behind you on the counter.”

“Thanks.” Annoyance registering on her young face, Trixie forcefully stabbed several chunks of pancake and stuffed them into her mouth.

“You don’t have to write me one,” piped up Bobby, “cuz I’m here and you can just say ‘thank you.’”

“Thank you.” Trixie made an imaginary check in the air. “One down and only 500 more to go.”

Peter shook his head.  “I’m almost certain you didn’t get that many gifts yesterday.”

“500 or 25.  When it comes to thank you notes, what’s the difference?”

Mart held out his plate for seconds.  “You know, sibling, I could make the sincere offer of being your ghost writer for a handy sum of…”

“Mart.” Helen’s voice held a warning tone. “You’ll do no such thing.  As I recall, your thank you notes didn’t go out until the end of summer.”

Ducking his head, Mart cleaned the food off his plate and went in search of more milk.  Peter finished his breakfast  and, after kissing his wife, left for his own job as Vice-President of the Sleepyside Citizens’ Bank.  Helen gathered the silverware and put it in the sink to soak.  

“I’ll help.”  Trixie stood up and slid in her chair, but was stopped by Mart.

“And what’s on your helter-skelter agenda today?  Riding horses? Lounging by the lake while I’m toiling in the hot sun?”

“Did you forget about my job driving the concession cart at the country club?”

Mart scoffed.  “That’s right, you’re a beer wench.  Trixie, the idea is for people to buy from you, not run away screaming.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “That’s right, Mart.  I’m a beer wench. I travel back to eighteenth century England and sell refreshments to the golfers there.”

“Still doesn’t sound like much of a job to me, not like my job.”

Pausing, Trixie placed her index finger on her pursed lips.  “Hmmm...let me think about this.  I get to drive around in a golf cart and sell sandwiches and drinks, while you get to work out in the hot sun , mowing lawns and spreading mulch.  Yep, I’ll take my job any day!” Carrying her dishes to the sink, she added, “By the way, Moms, I’m going to do my chores then help Honey and Regan with the horses.”  As Trixie passed by her brother who was still sitting at the table, she couldn’t resist whispering into his ear, “Have fun playing in the dirt today, dear brother.”

As she skipped out of the kitchen, Mart sent her a withering scowl.

“Mart, isn’t it time for you to go to work?” With a pointed look at the old clock on the wall, Moms gathered the last of the dirty dishes.

“Yeh.  Yeh.  I’m leaving.”  Mart stood up and grabbed a large bottle of water from the counter then left, slamming the door behind him.

 

*****

A short time later, Trixie and Honey were cantering across an open field dotted with Queen Anne’s Lace and chickweeds. The light breeze created rippling waves across the top of the tall grasses and the birds swooped and soared across the blue sky.

“I love mornings like this,” exclaimed Honey as the two settled their horses and began to walk them.  

“Me too,” agreed Trixie, taking in a deep breath of the fresh morning air.  “I think June is my favorite month.”

“Hey, let’s get Cook to make us a picnic lunch and we can eat down by the lake,” suggested Honey.

“No can do.  I have to be at work at 1:00 today.”

“Oh, yeah.” Honey exhaled loudly. “Trixie, I wish you didn’t have to work.  Since I’m going away in the fall, I wanted us to spend the whole summer together.”

“Me too.  But I really want to earn some decent money.  If I do, maybe I’ll be able to join you next year.”  Trixie pulled up the reins and looked at her friend.

“I know I’m being silly but I’m kinda scared to go to college without you.  Are you sure you can’t come to Cornell with me?”

“Only if you pack me in a suitcase and sneak me in,” grinned Trixie.  

“I was hoping things were going to work out differently when you got that $500 from the Rotary Club.”

Trixie laughed.  “Honey, do you know how far that $500  would take me?  Not very!  No, as much as I hate it, I’m going to spend this year at the community college so could we please not talk about this any more?  It’s going to ruin this beautiful morning ride.”

“Okay, but I still don’t see how we’ll be able to get all the stuff done that we wanted to.”  Honey flipped her ponytail away from her face.

“Don’t worry, Honey.  After I get off work and after I do my chores, which include watching Bobby, then we’ll be able to hang out.”  Trixie grinned at her friend.

“My point exactly.”  Honey shook her finger at Trixie.  ‘You’re not going to have much free time.”

“I’ll make our plans a priority,” promised Trixie.

The girls turned their horses toward the Preserve then followed a shaded path back to the Manor House.  When they returned to the stable, they sat side by side and cleaned their tack while discussing  the previous day’s party. When her grooming tasks were complete,  Trixie bid her friend good bye then jogged down the hill to Crabapple Farm to get ready for her first day of work.

**********

Shortly before one o’clock, Moms dropped Trixie, sporting a fresh pair of khaki shorts and a white shirt with the country club logo attached, at the side door of the Sleepyside Country Club’s main dining area.   With her heart pounding, Trixie hesitantly made her way inside and to the bustling kitchen. Seeing a young busboy carrying a tray full of dishes,  she tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

“Excuse me.  Do you know where Angela is?” Trixie asked, referring to the person whom she was told to ask for.

The busboy pointed toward a nearby counter.  Thanking him for his help, Trixie approached a young, slim woman.  Her long dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail and each earlobe held several small diamond studs.

“Angela?” Trixie asked nervously.  

The woman whipped around, causing the end of the ponytail to slap against her cheeks.

Trixie smiled and held out her hand.  “Are.. are you Angela?  I’m Trixie Belden.”

“Yes, I am and boy, am I glad to see you.”  The two briefly shook hands then Angela turned and motioned  for Trixie to follow her.  “I was afraid they wouldn’t find somebody for this job,”  Angela said over her shoulder.  “As much as I enjoy it, I wasn’t looking forward to working everyday.”

They walked into the kitchen and to a huge island, where there were several piles of drinks and food  “Right now,  I’m in the middle of loading the coolers.  We usually do it once in the morning and again after lunch.  I’ve already done the prep work so you can learn that another day.”

Trixie noted a large golf cart with refrigeration units attached to either side parked by the back door.   In the basket behind the driver’s seat were stacks of cups and napkins. Feeling a momentary sense of panic flood through her, Trixie chewed at her lower lip and  listened carefully as Angela showed her a list that indicated how many of the various items should be placed in the coolers and where the condiments were.  Angela grabbed  a zippered bag full of change then the two got into the loaded cart and began their trip through the golf course.  As Angela drove along, she explained the layout of the course and the locations of the eighteen  holes.   When she spotted  a member of the grounds’ crew,  she beeped the cart’s horn.   The  groundsman dropped his trimmers and ran over to Angela.  

“It was here!  It was here!” he yelled excitedly.

“That’s about ten times!” exclaimed Angela.

“What are you guys talking about?”  asked Trixie, her curiosity piqued.

“Trixie, this is Chris.  Chris, this is Trixie.  She’s our new cart concession hostess. That’s quite a mouthful of words for what the job actually is,” laughed Angela.  Turning back to Chris, she asked, “Did you see anything or anybody?”

“No.  The shot was sitting there, right on the eighteenth hole when I got here around seven o’clock.   This is really weird.”

“What’s going on?” Trixie demanded, feeling a wave of excitement roll over her.

Angela turned  to Trixie.  “On several  mornings, we’ve found a shot glass full of whiskey sitting on the eighteenth hole.  We have no idea how it gets there or who puts it there.  It just shows up mysteriously.”

Trixie’s eyes lit up at the tale.   She wanted to ask more questions but a nearby golfer’s whistle ended the conversation amongst the three.  Chris retrieved his trimmers and got back to work while Trixie and Angela headed toward the golfers who had signaled for them.  After completing that transaction,  the girls continued on their journey through the course.  Trixie, struggling to maintain an air of professionalism, refrained from asking questions about the shot glass and instead listened to Angela’s ongoing instructions about the job.   As they approached a group of golfers, Angela motioned Trixie to watch.  Angela slowed down and waved cheerily at the golfers.  They waved back, shaking their heads.  Speeding up the cart, she continued down the path.

“Those men didn’t want anything.  We’ll check back with them later.”

Rounding a curve, the girls came upon a foursome.  When one of the golfers waved, Angela stopped the concession cart and hopped out, a friendly smile on her face.

“I’ll have two lemonades and two beers, please,” said the customer.

Angela got the beers while Trixie grabbed two lemonades.

“Would you like a cup of ice to go with the lemonade?” offered Trixie.  

“Absolutely!”

Trixie quickly scooped ice into two styrofoam cups, added lids and straws and handed them to  him.  Angela finished the transaction and  the two got back into the cart.  

“Here, this is for you two,” said the man.

Angela looked at the five dollar bill the man was holding out.  Smiling,  she accepted it and thanked him.  Business concluded, the man strolled back to his group and Angela started the cart.  

“Did you just get a tip?” asked Trixie.

Angela shook her head.  “No, We just got a tip.  Good thinking on the ice.”

Trixie shrugged.  “Those men looked pretty hot. I’d want some ice too if I was sweating all over the place.”

The two girls kept going along the asphalt path,  stopping along the way as golfers indicated a desire for a drink or a sandwich. Angela closed the cooler after selling a beer then pointed to the driver’s seat.   “Your turn, Trixie.”

“Really?  Gleeps! This looks like it’s going to be fun.”

“Gleeps?” puzzled Angela.

Trixie laughed.  “Yes, ‘gleeps!’”  

Angela and Trixie traded places.  Pushing the pedal all the way to the floor, Trixie steered the cart as it bounced along the path.  

“Whoa,” yelled Angela, grabbing the sidebar,   “Who taught you to drive?”

Trixie laughed.  “I had lots of teachers.  And don’t worry, they all stressed safety!”  

The two girls couldn’t resist yelling out a soft “wheeee” as the cart flew down a small, secluded hill.  When Trixie brought it to a rest under a tree, Angela turned to her, a big grin on her face and her dark eyes sparkling.

“I knew there was a reason I liked you, Trixie.  I think you and I are going to have fun together.”

“I agree.  So far, my job is proving to be better than my brother’s and I aim to keep it that way.”

“What does your brother do?”

“Landscaping.  You know, as in mowing and mulching.”

“Ick,” grimaced Angela.

“My thoughts exactly,” grinned Trixie.

Moving along, Trixie slowed down when she saw a group of golfers.  Hoping they were hot and thirsty, she waved her hand, pleased when they responded.  Trixie chatted and smiled while she grabbed the cold beers the group had requested. After taking care of the money and the change, she slid behind the wheel and started off again.

As the afternoon passed, Trixie found herself comfortably engaging with the customers and feeling confident enough to make suggestions when a golfer wasn’t sure what he wanted to drink or eat.   As the golf cart carried the girls along, Trixie found herself not only enjoying Angela’s company but also the beautiful surroundings of lush flowerbeds and majestic trees that provided a welcome relief from the hot afternoon sun.

At the end of the shift,  Angela and Trixie returned to the clubhouse and unloaded the cart, making sure to count all the drinks before stacking them by the door and taking the unsold sandwiches to the kitchen.   Angela showed Trixie how to count the money and fill out her sales log.  When they were done, they clocked out then walked out of the building together.  

“So, did you enjoy yourself today?” asked Angela.

“Gleeps! I can’t believe they actually pay you to do this.  I had a blast,” answered Trixie happily.

“Good.  With your bubbly personality, you’ll do just fine.  And let’s be honest:  this job isn’t rocket science.  Still, you’d be surprised at the number of people who can’t do the simple math required.  If you have any questions, ask. Everybody is eager to help and wants the guests to have a good time”

Trixie fidgeted a bit before asking, “Angela, what about those shot glasses that you said keep showing up?  Do you know anything else about them?”

“All I know is they randomly appear on the eighteenth hole.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason and nobody ever sees anything.”  Angela shrugged.  “And that’s all I know.” The two, deep in conversation, walked slowly to the parking lot.

“And nobody has any idea why they keep showing up or who puts them there?” questioned Trixie.

Angela shook her head.  ‘It’s very odd.  On mornings when there has been dew on the grass, there aren’t even any footprints.”

Trixie’s eyes widened.  “Then how does the glass get there?”

Angela shrugged again.  “No idea.  But it sure makes things more interesting around here.”

Before Trixie could ask any more questions, she was distracted by a persistent honking. Looking around, she saw a familiar car parked in the corner of the lot.  

“I see my ride,” said Trixie.  “I’ve gotta go. Thanks for everything, Angela.”

“No, Trixie. Thank you.  You did great today. See you tomorrow.”

“Okay.  Bye.”  Trixie jogged across the hot pavement to her ride.  “Hi, Jim,” she said as she opened the door and slid into the air conditioned vehicle.  “Why are you picking me up?”  

“I saw your Mom earlier and she was trying to cram a little too much into her afternoon so I offered to be your chauffeur.”

“Thanks.  I bet she really appreciated that.”  Trixie clicked her seatbelt as Jim drove slowly out of the lot.

“So?  How was your first day of work?” asked Jim.

“Great.  I can’t believe I’m getting paid for something that is so much fun.  And even better, I found a mystery today.”

Flipping on his turn signal, Jim groaned softly.  “A mystery?  Trixie, this is your first job.  Do you really think you should be getting involved in a mystery? I would think you wouldn’t want to do anything that might affect your employment.”

“But everybody at the golf course is all excited about it but nobody can figure it out.”

“Still, you don’t want to do anything that will distract you.  Maybe you should just forget about the mystery for now.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes. “I think I can handle things.”

Jim shook his head.  “We already don’t get to see very much of you and I know how you are with mysteries.”  

“As I recall, this was one of the reasons why we stopped dating. You always try to tell me what to do. Working on this mystery won’t take me away from you or the Bobwhites.”  Irritated, Trixie shoved her hair off her forehead and flopped back in her seat.

Jim kept his eyes focused on the road in front of him. “Look, even though we’re no longer dating, I still like to spend time with you. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that you have a tendency to get in over your head.”

“I’ll be fine.  Don’t worry.”

No more words passed between the two until Jim deposited Trixie at the back door of Crabapple Farm.

“Thanks again, Jim.”

In a flash, Trixie was out of the car and bounding up the back steps to the kitchen. “Moms!  Moms!” she hollered as the door slammed behind her.

“I’m right here, Trixie.  You don’t have to yell. And what have I said about that door?”

“I can’t wait to tell you about my day.”  Trixie rushed to the refrigerator in search of a snack.

“Don’t bother eating, young lady.”  Moms shut the refrigerator door.  “Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, which gives you enough time to put away your clean laundry and get washed up.”

“Okay.  But I’ll tell you all about it over dinner.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Trixie dashed out of the kitchen and thundered up the stairs, happily relieved to have her first day behind her. Changing out of her work clothes, she frowned when she remembered Jim’s admonishment.  “I know he means well, but I think I can handle whatever comes along.”  After stuffing her clean clothes into her dresser, she returned to the bustling kitchen in time to greet her father when he came through the door. Trixie, eager to share her day with her parents, couldn’t wait for the family to sit down to dinner so she could tell them all about it.  

When dinner was over, Trixie surrendered herself to the kitchen sink and started on the dishes but a familiar rapping at the back door interrupted her.

“Come in, Honey,” she called.

“I couldn’t wait another minute. I’m dying to hear about your first day.”

Trixie flung a dish towel over her shoulder while she attacked the counters.  “It was great.”

“Details, please.”  Honey sat down at the kitchen table, twisting her body so she could watch her friend.

“Hmmm, let’s see.”  Trixie rinsed the dishcloth and went over the counters again.   “My boss, so to speak, is Angela Barillo.  Do you remember her?  She graduated with Mart and Dan.  Anyway, she showed me the ropes.  Honestly, I can’t believe I’m going to get paid for what I do.  It’s so much fun.  And I get tips.  Driving around a beautiful golf course, chatting with the golfers and selling them stuff is perfectly perfect.”  Trixie pulled the plug in the sink and watched the water drain, then grabbed the sprayer and rinsed everything down.  

“Oh, Honey,” she ran to the table and sat down next to her friend.   “I actually found a mystery there too.”

“Oh?”

Trixie, her eyes sparkling with excitement, quickly told Honey what she had learned about the eighteenth hole and the shot of whiskey.  

Honey’s eyes grew round.  “That is mysterious.  Lucky you to find a job and a mystery.”

“Jim warned me to not do anything to ‘affect my employment.’” Trixie made air quotes with her fingers.  “Those are his words, not mine.”

Honey rolled her eyes.  “I guess some things will never change. He’ll probably be trying to rein in your inquisitive nature for the rest of his life.”

Trixie sighed dramatically.  “And I had such hopes.”  

“It sounds like you had a great day.  We’re still on for Thursday, right?”

“Thursday?” Trixie grasped to remember what she had planned with her friend.

“You, Diana and I are going to spend the entire day at the lake. I’ve even asked  Cook to make us a nice, gooey chocolate cake.”

“Oh, Honey.”  Trixie chewed at her bottom lip.  “I can’t.  There’s an orientation class at the country club. I had forgotten about it until Angela reminded me.”

“Oh.”  Honey’s eyes dropped and she played with fringed placemat beneath her neatly manicured fingers.

“Maybe we can do it Friday.  No, that won’t work because I have to work.  Hey, what about next Monday?”

Honey shook her head.  “Mother and I are going to work on arrangements for one of her charity functions.”

“Can’t you do that Thursday?  That’d be perfect.  You’d be working and I’d be working.”

“No.  Mother and Daddy will be in San Francisco until Sunday.”

The  ticking of the old clock on the wall was the only sound in the room as the two friends sat silently at the table. Finally, Trixie, unable to bear the disappointed look on Honey's face, got up from her chair and finished the dishes. After hanging up the damp dishtowel, she returned to the table. “I’m sorry about Thursday.”

Honey sighed. “It’s okay, we’ll do it another day. How about we head up to my house?  I’m pretty sure Cook made ice cream this morning.”

“Gleeps!  Why didn’t you say something earlier?”  Trixie jumped up and led Honey out the door.  

Climbing the hill together, the two friends chatted about other parts of Trixie’s day.  At the Manor House, they fixed themselves heaping bowlfuls of rich, vanilla ice cream then went up to Honey’s room where they giggled and talked until it was time for Trixie to go home. The stars were twinkling overhead by the time a tired Trixie tumbled into her bed, too exhausted to think about anything except how comfortable and welcoming her bed felt.

Word count - 4342

Author’s notes:  A big thank you to my DD Katie who has read various versions of this story for two years.  Her patience is impressive!  Another big thank you to my sister Judith for her keen editing.  Picture courtesy of Pixabay Images.