Meanwhile, when Dorie left for her friend’s house, Harry was sitting at the kitchen table, with a clear view of the driveway. She had just put out a new rock the previous day. He sat there, sipping coffee… and waiting.
Shortly after she left, a tall, thin man wearing a Blue Jays ball cap walked into the front yard, looked around for a few minutes, chose a rock, picked it up, replaced it with a clean one and calmly walked away.
Harry followed him at a distance until the man placed the rock carefully in position among a number of others. “Nice collection!”
“Oops! Caught red-handed.” The man grinned as he turned and faced Harry.
“I watched you take that rock from Mrs. Adams’ front yard. Who are you and why are you doing this?”
“Maurice Payne. I live across the street from her.” Then he went on to tell Harry why he’d been replacing the painted rocks with new ones.
Harry chuckled. “While I don’t agree with your underhanded method, I think I understand your purpose. However, it’s up to Mrs. Adams to decide what she wants to do about it.”
Payne nodded. “That’s fair. I’ll do whatever she says.”
Harry went back to the house and waited for Dorie to return from her visit. “Don’t take your shoes off yet. We’re going somewhere.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
When he parked the truck and got out, Dorie looked at him, puzzled. “The Seniors’ Care Home? What are we doing here?”
“You’ll see.” He led her around to the back of the building.
As they turned the corner, she stopped in her tracks. “My Rocks! What are they doing here?”
“I can explain, Mrs Adams.”
Dorie turned around. “Maurice? I don’t understand.”
The man in the Blue Jay cap stepped closer. “My wife and I were admiring them one day we were out walking. She mentioned hearing you say that you had run out of rocks and wished you had brought more back from the beach.”
“Oh my, yes. I need many more to keep me busy.”
“Well, I got to thinking and mulling it over, and came up with a way I could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. I could provide you with more rocks to paint and, at the same time; bring a little beauty into the lives of the people living here.”
Dorie was quiet for a moment, and then she said. “I’m flabbergasted, Maurice, and also flattered. It’s a beautiful idea and it actually gives me an incentive to paint more.”
“I can provide you with an endless supply. I make frequent trips to beaches looking for driftwood.”
“Driftwood?” Harry asked.
“Maurice does some beautiful carvings from driftwood,” Dorie said.
Maurice nodded. “I know how important a hobby can be, especially for us retirees who have more free time on our hands. So I started switching one rock at a time, giving you time to paint each one.”
“And you knew I would be at Ethel’s every morning because Marjorie was there too. But she never mentioned it.”
“She didn’t know,” Maurice said. “I always waited until she left the house and I knew I had half an hour to make the exchange and be home again before she returned.”
“Well, you old coot,” Dorie said. “I never would have guessed.”
“I’ll bring them all back if you want me to.”
Harry had been quiet. “You know, this could be the start of something good,” he said.
“I think it already is,” Dorie said, nodding. “Maurice, if you keep supplying me with new rocks, you can continue to bring them here. If my work gives others a little pleasure, that’s all the reason I need to continue doing it.”
“Just one detail,” Harry said, “did you check with the building management for permission?”
“I did,” Maurice replied. “After I brought the second one, and realized Mrs. Adams was going to continue painting the new rocks that I left.”
“And they were okay with it?” Dorie asked.
“Yes, ma’am. They even gave me permission to construct a display stand for them running alongside the walk here to make for easier viewing. And there is space to move them into the basement during the winter.”
“Sounds good to me,” Harry said.
“Mr. Dunne, the CEO, actually said it would add an interesting feature to this area for both the residents and staff who spend time out here. Apparently they have some of your paintings on display inside too.”
“In the dining room and lounge area,” Dorie added. “I donated them when the place was built… to free up some space in my little studio.”
When Harry dropped Dorie back at her house, he refused to accept payment for solving her little mystery. “I don’t charge family,” he said.
“In that case, I know just the thing.” She went to her studio and came back with a painted rock. “I hope you’ll take this.”
“Perfect.” He waved and pulled the truck out onto the street.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
