Andy was filled with a mix of relief and guilt as he made his way home. Relief because he finally had proof that this Mr. McBeevee was real, but guilt because he
had been disappointed by his son. He should have known that Opie was telling the truth.
He couldn't help but laugh when he remembered the look on Barney's face when he took Mr. McBeevee's call at the station about coming to dinner. There
was no doubt in his mind that Barney was coming to dinner as well. With Barney, seeing was believing, even if the man had told him he'd accepted Andy's dinner
invitation.
As soon as he got off work, Andy rushed home and smiled when he saw Aunt Bea sitting in the living room. He kissed her cheek, feeling so happy he could have
danced the Charleston with her.
"Andy, what has gotten into you?"
"Not a thing, Aunt Bea. Now I want you to make the best dinner you've ever made in your life, you hear? We have company coming!"
"Oh Andy, Barney doesn't care what I make! Why, he'll eat anything!"
"I'm not talking about Barney, although I know he'll be here! I'm talking about someone else. Someone special!"
"Well, who pray tell is coming? The President?"
Andy laughed. "Someone even better than that! Now you just get on with your cooking and I'll get cleaned up for dinner. Where's Opie?"
"In his room, I imagine. He looked pretty down when I saw him earlier. Oh Andy, can't you go in there and talk to him again? Seeing him so upset breaks my
heart!"
"I won't have to talk to him, Aunt Bea. When he sees who'll be sitting at the dinner table tonight he'll be so happy he will have forgotten all about it."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that."
"Well, I am! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready."
Before Aunt Bea could say another word, Andy rushed upstairs, intent on cleaning himself up for dinner. But he paused at Opie's door, which was slightly ajar. As
quietly as he could, Andy pushed the door open and his heart broke when he saw his son sitting by the window, just as he had been when Andy talked to him
earlier. He wanted to go in and hug the boy as hard as he could. Oh, how he wanted to do that. But he couldn't. Not just yet.
"Dinner's ready!"
Aunt Bea's voice floated upstairs from the kitchen and Andy put the finishing touches on his appearance. It wasn't as though he had to look all spiffy for
someone he barely knew, but it was by all accounts a special occasion.
"Opie! Supper's on!"
Andy hurried downstairs, eager for the guests to arrive. Barney, of course was first.
"Something sure smells good, Aunt Bea!" he remarked.
"Well, thank you, Barney! I made something special for tonight. It seems we have a special guest."
Barney smirked and rocked back and forth on his heels. "Uh huh…"
Andy shook his head. "Now Barn, don't tell me that you still don't believe it; even after the phone call and everything!"
"Believe what?"
"Um, never mind, Aunt Bea. Barney's right. Supper smells mighty good. As soon as the guest of honor gets here we can eat. Opie! Supper!"
"I'm not hungry, Pa." A small voice called from upstairs.
Andy's heart sank. He should have known this was going to happen. "Um, Opie, you might want to come down! Aunt Bea fixed your favorite. Spaghetti and
Meatballs!"
"So that's what smells so good!" Barney remarked.
"I'm not hungry!" Opie yelled back.
"I'll make that kid eat!" Barney said. "Boy, how ungrateful can you get? Someone fixes your favorite dinner and you don't even bother to-."
"Barn, just a second. I'll go talk to him. I-."
A truck's tires crunched on the dirt and gravel driveway, causing Andy to turn around. "I'll get that."
"I'll get Opie."
"No, Barney. I'll do it." Andy said. "Just give me a minute. Y'all can go ahead and eat."
"Nonsense! We're not eating till everyone's at the table!"
Andy laughed. "You're right, Aunt Bea. This won't take long."
The truck came to a stop and footsteps could be heard coming up to the porch, along with jangling. The sound was music to Andy's ears. He smiled and opened
the door.
"Mr. McBeevee, I'm so glad you could come to supper. This is Barney Fife, and my Aunt Bea."
Barney glared at Andy and then walked tentatively toward Mr. McBeeve, extending his hand. "H-how do you do?"
"I'm fine. How are you sir? Mighty pleased to meet you. We spoke on the phone earlier, I believe."
"Um… yeah… we did."
"Where's Opie?"
"I'll get him, Aunt Bea. Y'all get yourselves situated at the table, all right?"
With a sigh, Andy walked upstairs to Opie's room, dismayed to find the boy still sitting in the window. He knocked quietly on the door and pushed it open. "Ope?
Aunt Bea made you a real nice supper."
"I'm not-."
"Now I know you said you're not hungry, but it smells mighty good and she went to a lot of work to make it. Couldn't you eat just a little bit? For me? Please?"
Opie turned his head revealing tears in his eyes. The sight made Andy's heart shatter. But he pretended not to notice as Opie wiped his eyes with the back of his
hand. "All right, Pa."
"Thank you, Opie." He draped his arm around his son and together they walked downstairs. When they got to the landing he stopped.
"There's someone special here to see you."
"Me? Really Pa?"
"Yeah, come on. He's waiting for you."
Timidly Opie took Andy's hand and they continued to walk down the stairs. When they reached the living room, they stopped.
"Opie, I believe you know Mr. McBeeve."
Opie's eyes widened and his smile was as wide as North Carolina. "Mr. McBeeve! What are you doing here?"
"Your pa invited me to supper. That's all right, ain't it?"
"Sure it is! See, Pa? I told you he jangles when he walks!"
Andy and Barney laughed.
"He sure does, son!"
"I really appreciate your hospitality, ma'am. All of you."
"It's our pleasure, Mr. McBeeve. Opie's told us so much about you."
Opie and Mr. McBeeve shared stories of their meetings in the forest and of Mr. McBeeve's tree climbing adventures, which made everyone at the table laugh.
"Boy this is sure good, Aunt Bea. Thanks so much for making it!" Opie remarked, devouring his spaghetti and meatballs.
"There's plenty more where that came from. And for desert, chocolate cake!"
When supper was over, Mr. McBeeve sat in the living room with the family and shared more stories. Andy took the opportunity to pull Opie aside.
"Ope, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure, Pa. What is it?"
"Let's go out here on the porch, okay?"
Opie looked as scared as he had earlier when Andy had given him a talking to in his room.
"Did I do something else wrong, Pa?"
"You didn't do a thing wrong. I did. I didn't believe you and you were telling the truth. I'm proud of you the way you stuck to your guns and kept saying that Mr.
McBeeve was real. Because if you had said he was imaginary that would have been lying, right?"
"Right Pa."
"I'm sorry for the misunderstanding earlier. Do you forgive me?"
"Sure, Pa. Of course I do."
"Good, because I meant what I said before. Even if I don't always believe what you say is true, I'll always believe in you."
Opie rushed toward his father and hugged him tight. "I love you Pa."
"I love you too, Opie."
The hug lasted a long time and that was quite all right with Andy.
"Pa, can we have some chocolate cake now?"
"Well, Aunt Bea would be offended if we didn't try any of her cake, now wouldn't she?"
Opie was silent for a minute. "Pa? How did you know that Mr. McBeeve was real?"
"I found him in the woods, right where you said he would be."
"Oh… Pa?"
"Yes, Opie?"
"Can we come and visit him again? In the woods, I mean?"
"I think that can be arranged. Now how about some of that chocolate cake?"
~The End~
