The Pancake Bake

Chapter 1:

It's a Saturday afternoon and Reverend Alden is paying a call on a friend, Jeremiah Jones a elderly gentleman who is a wheat Farmer at Grays Corners. Jeremy tells his friend Reverend Alden about the Town's devastation as well as his own, "Rev. friend the Town of Grays Corners had a severe tornado and has lost everything."

Reverend Alden after his visit rides out to see the tragedy. Field after field after field of destroyed wheat, corn, barley. All of it gone! Farmers in debt and can't pay their bills, Miller's having to shut down with nothing to mill. Bank closures with no money. Families deciding to move away. The Reverend is touched by what he sees and prays through the night into Sunday.

It's Sunday in Walnut Grove. The Church Bell is ringing. Families walking or riding into Church, dressed in their Sunday best. Reverend Alden addresses the Congregation and says, "Did not our Lord say in Matthew's Gospel Chapter 25 that when we give meat to the hungry and give drink to the thirsty, take the stranger in and take care of destitution we do it for Jesus? I was paying a call on a friend in Grays Corner. The whole Town's crops are wiped out by a tornado. I think we can find it in our hearts to raise money to help that community in their time of need."

Caroline Ingalls asks, "Do you mean like a Bake-Off sale of cakes, pies and such like?"

Jonathan Garvey interjects, "I sure could use some hearty flapjacks!"

Charles agrees, "Me as well, pancakes!"

The Reverend asks, "Ladies, I guess it's up to you, pancakes?"

Alice Garvey says, "My husband wants flapjacks, flapjacks it is."

All the ladies agree to make pancakes and have a judging contest and a pancake sale to raise the money.

The Church service dismisses after the pancake discussion and the Reverend's message on the blessings of loving those who can't love you back.

The Town of Walnut Grove has Sunday dinner and relaxes in there homes. Almanzo and Laura are sitting on the front porch sipping lemonade it was a warm day about 85 degrees. Almanzo says, "Beth, I've been thinking about the pancake bake off, you can use Royals recipe for flapjacks. I used to eat alot of them when we lived together for a spell."

Laura responds, "And what's wrong with my recipe for pancakes don't you like them?"

Almanzo answers, "Yes I like them but Royal's tastes better."

Laura raises her voice, "If you like Royal's better why don't you let him cook for you and what do you mean his tastes better?"

Almanzo speaks, "Beth, you are over reacting. Calm down your food is good."

Laura asks and is screaming, "JUST GOOD?"

Almanzo apologizes, "I mean great."

Laura says, "Maybe you don't know what you mean."

"Laura," Almanzo starts off, "Cool off, you are blowing this discussion out of hand."

Laura yells, "COOL OFF! COOL OFF? Here you cool off!" and splashes Almanzo's face and chest with the rest of her glass of lemonade.

Almanzo hitches up the team of horses and drives off. Laura's anger turns to weeping when she realizes she drove Manly away.

Almanzo goes to the Ingalls place and after driving around on the Ingalls place for a bit knocks on the door and says to Charles, "Mr. Ingalls can we talk?"

"Of course, "Charles says as he sees the wetness of Almanzo's face and shirt.

Almanzo mentions, "Your daughter did this to me over pancakes."

Charles asks "Pancakes?"

Almanzo assures, " Yep pancakes!"

Charles says, "Pancakes...hmmm."

What is happening in Walnut Grove over pancakes?

To Be Continued