MONDAY, JUNE 5, HIRAM BEAM STORY - PART I

 MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2023 JUNE STORY - DAY 1

This week (Monday through Thursday) I’m going to have a story.  And, true to form, this will probably be a Pollyanna story.

*****

Hiram Louis Beam had a tough life.  

His mother died of pancreatic cancer when he was seven.  His dad, Archibald (or Archie) Beam was an undertaker in Maquoketa, Iowa.  Taking care of a seven-year-old boy was pretty tough on Archie.  Lucille had been a great and loving mom, but pancreatic cancer is one the most painful cancers, and in her last six months, she had lost weight - down to 94 pounds at the end and was bedridden.  Hiram had an older sister, Elizabeth who was 15.   Lizzie coped so well with her mother’s death.  She had a special friend, Nancy Lupkin, who lived two houses to the east on Quarry Street.  Nancy and the Lupkin family had taken Lizzie in for the past six months.

Lucille had been in a nursing home for most of those last months.  Archie sat with her most days when he didn’t have a funeral or embalming.  Hiram tagged along and entertained himself with his Legos, and Slap Ninja game.  His iPod tablet had videos and movies, and already Hiram knew all the characters from Star Wars.

His environment consisted of the back room at the funeral home, a waiting room at a nursing home, and a home where the absence of a mother pushed an active, happy child into a quiet child.  

After Lucille’s death and funeral, Hiram almost became mute.  He spoke little and withdrew into his world of Legos and tablet games.

Unfortunately, some of the boys, most notably Tim Grisdale, had started to call Hiram “Low Beam” on the playground.  Hiram went to the Briggs Elementary library instead of the playground during recess and lunch hour.  

Jillian Casey was Hiram’s second-grade teacher that year.  She knew Lucille Beam from PTA events.  She was worried that Hiram was becoming a loner, and was isolating himself from others.  She called Archie Beam one day to talk about what could be done for Hiram.

Archie Beam answered the call, “Peterson and Beam Funeral Home.  May I help you?”

Jillian said, “Hi Mr. Beam, this is Jillian Casey from Briggs Elementary School.  I’m Hiram’s teacher and I’m worried about him.”

Archie asked, “Is he doing okay?  He seems to get his homework done.  Is he bothering others?”

Jillian laughed, “No Mr. Beam, Hiram is a wonderful boy.  I’m concerned that he is pulling inside himself because of his mother’s death.  He rarely talks.  I try to involve him in class activities, but he pushes back.  He doesn’t play on the playground with others.  Today in class we were in our reading group, and he didn’t even want to read his paragraph and just mumbled so softly that nobody heard him.  I just wanted to talk about what we can do to make him smile and be happy.  He seems just so sad.”

Archie paused and answered, “I know Lucille’s death has been hard on Hiram.  I have an unusual schedule and can’t always give him the attention he needs.  What can we do?”

Jillian replied, “I’ve been thinking about this for a while.  I had a young man a couple of years ago that was really into Legos and I think Hiram likes Legos as well.  I was thinking that might help.  If he was a couple of years older, I might suggest that he learn to play chess.”

She continued, “What does he do after school, maybe especially on days that you are busy with your work? Is he in Cub Scouts or in 4H or other activities?”

Archie answered, “He comes to my shop.  I have bins of Legos or he watches videos. I have a snack for him.  If I have a viewing in the evening, he comes with me to the funeral home and sits in my office. His sister, Lizzie, is good friends with Nancy Lupkin and already is with the Lupkin family.  He is in Cub Scouts but has been meeting on Saturday mornings at Mary and Dan Baskerville’s house but hasn’t wanted to do that since the funeral.  His sister was in the children’s choir at our church, but he didn’t want to be the only boy in that group.”

Jillian asked “Are either your parents or Lucille’s parents in Maquoketa?  Or any other relatives?”

Archie said, “No.  We both grew up in the Freeport Illinois area.  Both sets of grandparents are there.  Both have said they would love to help with Hiram and Lizzie, but that might be for him to stay with them over the summer.”.

It seemed like Jillian Casey had something on her mind. She asked, “Excuse me on this, but I’m thinking you attend First Lutheran Church, is that right?”

Archie says “Yes, that’s right.  Why do you ask?”

Jillian was a bit vague in her answer, “Just an idea that I want to research.”

She continued, “Mr. Beam, it’s been a pleasure talking to you.  I really do want to help Hiram.”

Archie Beam said “Thank you, Miss Casey.  Yes, I hope we can help Hiram through this.”

They hung up.

*****

Archie was thinking of his conversation with Jillian Casey for the rest of the day.  What could he do better with his son?

******

Jillian had an idea.  So, she looked up the number for Ella Draughton and called her.

ll*****

After four rings, Jillian figured that Ella was out, but then Ella answered.

“Hello,” said Ella.

Jillian said, “Hello, is this Ella Draughton? This is Jillian Casey at Briggs Elementary School.  We’ve met a few times at the AAUW group.” [American Association of University Women”]

Ella answered, “Oh yes, Jillian.  I remember you.  You are the tall girl, originally from Anamosa.  Did I have that right?”

Jillian laughed, “Ella you got that right.  How are you?”

Ella laughed too, “Well for 81 years old, I’m doing pretty well.  What can I help you with?”

Jillian went into her request, “Ella, I have a young man in my second-grade class. You probably know his father, Archie Beam, the undertaker.  The young man is Hiram Beam.  You might also remember Lucille Beam from AAUW - she died of cancer about six months ago.  Since then, Hiram has grown very quiet and doesn’t want to talk.  He is a good student, he likes to make things with Legos and has an iPad tablet for videos.  I was hoping you could kind of take Hiram under your wing for a couple of months for some after-school time.  His dad is a nice man but doesn’t have a clue about being a good mother as well as a good father.

“Do you still live on North Niagara, across from the park?”

Ella paused, “Yes, I’m still in my house on North Niagara.  And, yes, I know Archie Beam from my church.  He also did the funeral for my husband Wallace a few years back.  What can I do for Hiram?”

Jillian said, “Well, I’m not sure, but when I thought of a motherly figure that might help Hiram, you popped into my mind.  Maybe God put you there in my brain?”

Ella laughed, “Well, I know that God’s ways are not our ways, but I’m not sure I can do much for Hiram. What might you be thinking about?”

Jillian, “I know you always make things for the AAUW bake sale and for some of the school activities.  I’ve heard you play the piano.  I’m thinking you can let Hiram come to your house for an hour or two after school, maybe two days a week, help with baking a cake, or give him just a simple orientation to the piano, maybe let him build something with his Legos.  But, really, I’m thinking he needs a surrogate grandmother or a surrogate Mom for a while.  I know that I am expecting a lot from you.  What do you think?”

Ella again laughed, “You must think I’m a miracle worker.  Okay, let’s try it out.”

They talked longer.  Jillian Casey would need to check if this was okay with Archie Beam.  

*****

Jillian Casey called Archie Beam back.  At first, Archie was opposed to having Hiram go to Ella Draughton.  He didn’t want others to think he was a lousy father, or that he needed help.  

He knew Ella Draughton fairly well from church, (where they had been on a couple of boards together), and from handling her husband’s funeral.  Yes, she was a very nice old lady. 

Jillian reminded Archie that this would be temporary and would put a mother figure back into Hiram’s life.  Finally, Archie Beam agreed that Hiram could go to Ella Draughton’s twice a week.

*****

After hanging up with Archie Beam, Jillian grabbed another cup of coffee from the teacher’s lounge at Briggs Elementary School.  She reflected - here she was trying to help a seven-year-old boy get back into life after the death of the boy’s mother.  This wouldn’t ever show up in her paycheck, it meant she would have to take papers home to grade that she could have done on this her preparation time.  She also was thinking that very few people went into teaching for the pay.  

She called Ella and they agreed that Ella could come over to school tomorrow and walk Hiram the block back home to Ella’s house.  

*****

Ella went into “grandmother mode”.  She cleaned the house, dug at the back of the hall closet, and got out the toys the grandchildren used when they came over - but her grandchildren were older now.  The youngest grandson was graduating from Dubuque Hempstead High School next spring. And, her oldest granddaughter was a principal at an elementary school in Sabula, Iowa - and with her husband expecting their first child next spring.  No, her grandchildren probably had forgotten the happy times with Nana.

Ella also planned a treat for Hiram for after school tomorrow - cupcakes.  Hiram could help mix the batter and help fill the cupcake papers.  It would be a good experience for the two of them.  She knew that milk went well with cupcakes, but that most kids would jump at having chocolate milk, so she went to HyVee and got some chocolate milk.  

*****

August Kieffer died and Archie had his funeral tomorrow.  He worked with Helen Kieffer and printed up holy cards and planned a rosary and a funeral Mass.  In a town like Maquoketa, Archie Beam generally did the Lutheran and Catholic funerals, and Robert Sims did the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and other funerals.  

As he was running the funeral program through his press, he suddenly remembered that Hiram would be with Ella Draughton tomorrow and he smiled.  “Lord bless this relationship with Ella Draughton and Hiram”.  

*****

Ella Draughton walked the block across Little Bear Park to Briggs Elementary School at 2:00.  She slipped into the back of Jillian Casey’s classroom and picked out Hiram Beam.  He was doing a math worksheet.  She casually walked up and down a few rows smiling at different students and stopped at Hiram’s desk.  

She said, “I think you have all of them right”.  Hiram looked up.  While he didn’t really know Ella Draughton, he knew her from seeing her at church.  Sometimes Ella played hymns for the Sunday School hour.  Ella smiled at the boy, and Hiram smiled back but didn’t say anything.

When the buzzer sounded ending the class day, Jillian Casey had the students stay in their seats.  The intercom said when buses were ready to load, she dismissed those bus students.  Then she dismissed the students who would have parents picking them up and finally those who were walking home.  

As the group that was walking home was getting their backpacks, Miss Casey said to Hiram, “Hiram, your Dad has a funeral today and we arranged for you to go to Mrs. Draughton's house for a few hours.  I think you know Mrs. Draughton from your church.”.

Ella flashed her best Grandmother's smile and walked out with Hiram.  They passed through Little Bear Park to Ella’s house.  Ella had made one batch of cupcakes but hadn’t frosted them.  She got a stool for Hiram to stand on and he helped her put the frosting on the cupcakes.  Ella poured him a glass of chocolate milk and he picked out a cupcake with the most frosting and sat at the kitchen table.  He had said much, but Ella was patient.

Ella asked, “Hiram, would you help me make another batch of cupcakes?” It wasn’t a request, but it sounded like a request rather than a task.

Hiram answered, “I don’t know how to make cupcakes.”

Ella feigned surprise.  “You don’t know how to make cupcakes?  Oh my, I’ll have to teach you won’t I?”

*****

Okay, day 1 of Hiram Beam's story for the week of June 5th.