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On a rain drenched night, and with the Golden gate Bridge hidden behind weather, New Year’s Eve is approaching. Sharp winds and freezing air sweeps through the whole area, uprooting trees and in general making things a mass. At this time, the entire Barber family except the youngest generation are gathered to welcome the new year. The family speculate on the dark cruel ending to a dark cruel year. The discussion turns towards people miss behaving badly in reaction to the war in Europe. Hazel brings up the topic of volunteers who watch the skies for airplane traffic. Being alert to unusual patterns or aircraft. What kind of help might the family give to their country? The suggestion is to buy war bonds. As bad as the war is, a dictators ideology is worse. Mother has had enough of the somber discussion, and what’s the family to turn their attention to celebrating the new year. Betty thinks she hears the sound outside, but when the doors open, the sound of rain is overpowering. Cliff tries to scare her with the story about rain devils you come out on stormy nights. When mother brings the plates of food in, the only care in the world the family has is in sharing a meal together. Teddy shares a secret about her adopted father, Paul. He is unwilling to admit is been having a stiff elbow lately.
Father directs the topic away from gloominess and encourages Paul to talk about the story from his days in World War I. It didn’t happen exactly at Christmas time, but it involved peppermint sticks. It turns out the supply sergeant had been dipping into the candy supply to lure the ladies. What ever became of that supply sergeant?
Father begins to share a story about the wonderful stock of the Barber family. But the family has more interest in having Paul share his popcorn ball story from his days in France. Popcorn was a novelty to their French chef. Having trouble making this up to hold the balls together, he found a bottle of glue instead. Not wanting food to go to waste, the soldiers ended up in line at the medical aid station.
With attention back on father, he claims he had an uncle named Brutus Barber. On one of his annual Christmas visits, even mother is skeptical of the existence of the mysterious relative.
Brutus is said to be a cantankerous old grouch, and Zoe had excellent hearing he pretended to be deaf. He would use the gossip he learned on his Christmas visits to spread it all over town. He would also entirely run the show of trimming the family Christmas tree. His demise finally came at the age of 91, and a kicking match with a mule.
Father also describes how I used to hang their Christmas gifts on the tree without wrapping them. The old gent never bought a Christmas gift in his life. It was always something he cobbled together from giant piles.
Though the family grazes on leftover treats, it became explained that Betty isn’t feeling well. What has been making her so sick to her stomach since the war started just a couple weeks ago.? It wouldn’t be morning sickness, what it?
