“Looks like a letter from Ike,” Billy said as he sat down and opened the letter.  A bit of sawdust fell from the cuff of his pants.  He was a carpenter and sometimes he brought a little of his work home with him.   

“Billy, you didn’t brush off very well before you left your job,” said his wife, Easter.  Her name was Esther but everyone called her Easter. 

“Sorry ‘bout that,” Billy said as he headed for the door to rid himself of the sawdust. 

“What does Unc have to say?” said Lillian. 

“Well, let’s see,” said Billy who hadn’t a chance to read the letter yet.  When he finished reading he said, “He’s coming to stay with us for a while.” 

“Unc’s gonna stay with us?  That great!  I just love him.” Said Lillian. 

“Me too,” added Mable, in agreement with her sister.  “How long is he gonna stay?” 

“He’ll stay for a while.  You know that when he got out of the Navy he went to a business school in Knoxville and then got a job with a hardware store there doing their bookkeeping.  Well, the railroad is hiring people here at better pay.  The L&N hired him and he’ll start there next week.  That’s why I asked him to come and stay with us until he gets settled in.  A fellow needs to look out for his baby brother.” 

“Good,” said Easter, “I’ve always liked that young man.” 

The next Sunday Ike arrived in his Model-T Ford, parked and knocked on Billy’s door that opened with much fanfare.  “Howdy folks,” he said. 

Following a lot of hugging and a few kisses, especially from his nieces, Ike was able to enter the house with the family.  He was tall and slender like Billy, both with blue eyes and curly hair.  Ike’ nose had a definite hump in the middle as a result of his stepping on a rake that reacted by rising to strike him in the nose.  Billy having had no such experience still had a straight, unblemished one.  Standing side-by-side it was easy to see the resemblance though Billy was twenty years Ike’s senior, and one might take Billy as Ike’s dad.  In fact Billy was much like a father to Ike.  Everyone sat down and chatted for a while, recounting what had happened since the last time they talked. 

“Well, you’re looking good,” said Billy as he lit his corncob pipe.  “What have you been doing in the city to entertain yourself?” 

“Oh, this and that,” Ike said.  “I joined the Presbyterians, met some nice people there.  One talked me into joining the Odd Fellows lodge.  Then if that weren’t enough, another guy got me to join the Moose lodge.  Both raise money for orphaned and other needy children.  The Moose have a farm in Mooseheart, Illinois where they look out for a few hundred children.  Both lodges have lots of benevolent projects.  There’s lots of fellowship, too.  So I stayed out of trouble.” 

“Good boy,” Billy said relighting his pipe. 

After more conversation, Lillian showed Ike to his room and said, “I’m sure glad you came to stay with us, Unc.  Make yourself at home now.”  Ike made himself part of the family as a working member. 

Several months later Ike let it slip that he had met a young woman, a school teacher, and was seeing her occasionally.  In fact he was courting her. 

“What’s her name?” 

“Ivo,” Ike said, “Ivo Wells.  She lives with her parents near East Stone Gap.  She’s a real nice girl.  Good looking too.  I’ve been thinking about asking her to marry me.” 

“What’s holding you up?” 

“Oh, I don’t know.  Maybe I’m afraid she’ll turn me down,” Ike said. 

“She’ll be mighty doggone lucky to find a better man than you,” chimed in Easter, “You’re kind and gentle like my husband, and a lot younger.” 

“Bring her here some time.  We would like to meet her,” said Billy. 

It came to pass that in a few more months they were married and moved into a little house not far from Billy’s.  In due course Ike and Ivo begat a fine baby boy and called his name Ralph Donald.  This made them very happy.  It also made Mable and Lillian happy.  Here was someone to go goo-goo over and they, especially Lillian, made frequent visits to play with the baby.  The euphoria lasted about two years, until Ike moved his family to a house he built in “Bum Holler” close to East Stone Gap. 

During the next forty years or so Ike’s family visited Billy and Easter occasionally.  Ike visited more often, of course; he made many trips to visit many of his brothers.  At some point during this time Billy retired from carpentry and moved to Big Stone Gap to take over operation of the hardware store left to Easter by her father. 

Billy was in his mid-nineties the last time Ralph Donald saw him on his way to a hundred.  He slept upstairs.  He shaved, dressed himself and came down each day where Mable fixed his meals and attended to his other needs.  Mable and Lillian were both widows by this time.  Billy’s most prominent features were his pleasant demeanor, his long face with slightly hollow cheeks, and his oversized ears.  He seemed like the Billy of former years, just a little slower.  Most days he still spent some time tending the store. 

“Ralph Donald honey, it’s so good to see you,” greeted Mable with a hug. “Poppa, it’s Ralph Donald.” 

“Hello son, I don’t believe I’ve seen you since you were here with your daddy,” Billy said as he laid his paper aside and took a puff on his pipe. 

“Yeah, it’s been a while.”  Said RD. 

They all chatted for quite a while, filling in one another of what had happened lately.  When RD was about to take his leave Mable said, “Stop by and see Dee-Dee before you leave town.  She lives just two doors down the street.” 

“Who?” queeried RD. 

“Dee-Dee.  Lillian.” 

“All right.  Bye-bye,” he said and made his way down the street and knocked. 

“Gasp! Ralph Donald!  You’re looking good, come in,” and Lillian smothered him with hugs and kisses.  “What brings you to this part of the country? How’s Unc?” 

“I’ve not seen Daddy yet.  I’ve been touring Virginia and decided to come this way to see some kin folks.” RD said, and they continued in conversation for a long time.  “Before I go there’s one thing I want to ask.  Why does Mable call you Dee-Dee?” 

“When you lived in Appalachia you were just a baby.  I thought you were such a sweet little thing and I visited Unc’s place just so I could play with you.  When you were just learning to say words and say names you tried to say Lillian, and it came out Dee-Dee.  Everybody thought it was so cute that it became my name.  You named me Dee-Dee.” 

“Well, I’ll be durned.”