A Way Out Of The Night

Mayberry was simply aglow with the Season. The Town Council, by a vote of 6 to 1, decided to put red and white candles in the storefronts and other buildings along Main Street because decoration funds were low. The one abstaining vote was by Mayor Pike. He thought it was a bad idea at first, but the fat little Mayor flip-flopped so many times during the meeting that Arlene Hudgins, recording and changing the Mayor's vote many times, finally gave up trying to decipher the marks on her scorecard. When Fred Sterling, the owner of Sterling's Fine Jewelers, complimented Mayor Pike last week on the candle idea, the proud little fat man told Fred it was his idea. Standing at the southeast corner of Central Avenue and Main at night, the soft row of flames danced in unison. Everything was ok in Mayberry…….well, not quite.

Quiet Sam Becker was at the end of his tether. A bad harvest from the dry summer combined with an unknown disease that wiped out his livestock, left him in a bad way. He was about to lose the farm after the second bad year in a row. The whole town knew about his dilemma and wanted to step up for him. Even his war-story-buddy Barney alert senses knew the sullenest had returned. Tensions also rose high when Lily kept asking him what was wrong as Sam drew deeper and deeper into his silence. On Christmas Eve, she asked him for the last time.

After Lily and little Andy had retired for the night, Sam quietly slipped out into the night. He jumped in his truck and started to drive. So many things were weighing on his mind that he didn't really know where he was heading. A light rain began to fall as he turned on to Crystal Creek Road near Myers Lake, and a ways up the road a deer darted out in front of him. Sam swerved to avoid it and left the road for a moment before bringing his old truck back under control. But as he did his right front bald-tire blew and he slid back off and his truck tipped over and tumbled onto the slope of the lake. Sam was thrown into the dark waters.

There was no wind. The trees were shivering though it was still. The rain fell harder now. Sam, barely conscious, couldn't swim and was flailing in the cold water. Thoughts were fleeting in his mind. By the milliseconds…Lily.Andy.Farm.Lily.Foreclosure.Son.Rainstorm Birth. Lily.Posse.War Story Number 17.Lily.Home. Did he yell these words out loud too? Or maybe he just cried out. He was cut on the forehead and his left ankle was shattered. He went under. His body was not buoyant. Water was filling his lungs. But then…..suddenly….an arm reached under his arm and grasped him around his neck and brought him up. Within moments on the banks of Myer's, the air of life was heaved into his flooded lungs.

Andy Taylor and Miss Peggy were returning from a dinner outing in Raleigh, and heading back by the shortcut of Crystal Creek Road, saw the headlights of old truck turn over violently. Andy skidded the patrol car to a halt on the gravel, and despite being in his nicest blue suit with the trousers that only hours earlier had hot knees, took a few long quick strides and dove into the lake. Peggy turned the car spotlight on the scene as Andy towed Sam to shore. She took charge and breathed a new life into the quiet and shattered man.

The unconscious and limp soul was wrapped in all quilts that were available at Doc Andrew's place. The good doctor had put Sam right on his sofa when Andy carried him in. The Sheriff stepped back and let the two work diligently on the victim. He was regaining consciousness slowly but surely. He was in and out, and at one point saw a vision of the skinniest Santa Claus looming over him. A delusion?
Andy let out a deep groan and slumped into a chair. Through all this excitement he hadn't noticed until now the sharp pain. Miss Peggy could tell by looking…..his left wrist had swollen and he would need a cast.

Sam was now sitting up, taking sips of broth from the delicate hand of Beatrice Taylor.

"Easy….easy…easy…that's it," Bee said quietly.
His face flushed as a combination of quilts, broth, and Doc Andrew's fireplace soothed his spirits.

"Thanks, Aunt Bee," he rasped quietly.

A Santa Claus wearing a baggy suit, like someone had let the air out of a Macy's Day St. Nick balloon strode in from the adjoining kitchen. A few moments earlier this guy was the main attraction at the party at Thelma Lou's.

"How is he, Aunt Bee?" Barney inquired.

Sam was now wide-eyed after one more glimse of the red-clad Deputy.
"Fine," Sam said slowly. "Uh….Andy?"
"Yes, Sam?" Andy replied as Opie finished being the first to sign the new cast.
"I can't tell you….enough….thankyou….for….saving my life," he said, in a broken voice.
Andy smiled broadly. "Well now, Miss Peggy is the one who breathed new life….." he started.
"Miss Peggy!?"
"Yes….you know, Nurse Peggy."
"Peggy Mcmillan?"
"Yes….you know, slight overbite, according to Floyd."
Sam took a deep breath and said 'Oh, my' under it and smiled as he felt his face burn.

Lily Becker stood at the front doorway of Doc's. Her chestnut-colored hair was tied back into a long ponytail and her face was pale. A petite woman, she held the small hand of two year old Andy by her side.

"Lillian?," Sam said at last.
She rushed forward and buried her face in his blanketed chest. She wept quietly. Sam held her close and softly stroked her hair. Little Andy's eyes were affixed on big Andy's white wrist-cast. He walked over, touched it and giggled. The room was now silent except for the sparkling and short snaps from the fireplace and the rain pelting the roof above. Peggy looked at the ceiling, and struggling to keep her eyelids open, imagined the sound of the rain as reindeer dancing on the roof.

"Andy! Sam!" Gomer Pyle had stormed in and was breathing hard.
"Easy, Gome….catch your breath!" Andy said, as he set down his cup of simmering coffee.
Everyone had come back into the room after hearing the man-studying-to-be-a-doctor had entered.
"Have ya heard?….Have ya heard?…Shazzzzzaaaammmm!"
"Easy, Gomer!" Andy pleaded.
"I just came from the Mayor's house….they all had gathered…..Mr. Meldrim says…..," Gomer started and took a gulp of coffee that Aunt Bee handed him.
"Mr. Meldrim, from the Bank....says enough was collected to save……the farm….and more!!"

Sam held Lily tighter now. A few minutes later, Mr. Meldrim, Ben Weaver, the Mayor, and other generous townsfolk, had crowded into the little house to repeat the wondrous news over and over. The raindrops and streaks on the windows on Main Street glistened and shone even brighter by the gleaming candle light. The Mayor's idea was a good one. The clock on the mantel chimed. It was Christmas Day. Sam Becker was buoyant.

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