Mabel Says Hello

1The morning train

Spread 1 — the morning train: one engine already leaving, Mabel tiny on the platform boards, the sunflower water tower over the waking town, her scorecard visibly blank.

The morning train left Mabel at the edge of Prairie Junction, in spring light.

She had a knapsack, a pencil, and a brand-new scorecard — blank and ready.

Names Mabel knew in this town: none. Not one.

"Well," she said. "Everybody starts somewhere."

2Places, not names

Spread 2 — places, not names: the willow burrow under the roots, the library's green door, the diner window, the hardware store — and the card's NAMES line still blank.

Mabel found a burrow under the willow, where the sidewalk ends and the creek begins.

She wrote down the places:

The library. Dottie's Diner. Mr. Abernathy's Hardware. The water tower with the sunflower.

At the bottom: Names:

…and left it blank. For now.

3Pickle

Spread 3 — Pickle: three falls, three get-ups, and the first name on the card.

After the rain — puddles. And somebody was stomping.

An armadillo. Enormous red boots. Stomp! Splash! THUMP — into the mud, laughing.

"Three falls," called Mabel. "Three get-ups."

"You counted the get-ups? I'm Pickle!"

"I'm Mabel. My mama says hello is just the start."

She wrote his name first: Pickle — falls. Gets up. (3 and 3.)

4Bram

Spread 4 — Bram: golden suppertime at the gate, Mabel on the post chalking the tally — the hidden chalk's hero moment, in her paws at working size. Bram's bandana is patch-free; it does not exist yet.

At suppertime by the gate, a bison calf was counting the herd home — and losing.

"Seven… eight… no, you were eight. Nine…?"

Mabel climbed the post, chalking a tally for every bison through.

"…ten… eleven… TWELVE! Everybody in!"

"Click! Check! Locked tight!" Bram swung the gate shut. "You made my counting stay counted."

Bram — keeps the gate.

5Lulu

Spread 5 — Lulu: the book's one full night. One heart of glow in the whole sky, and it's hers; Mabel writes by its light.

That night, new felt biggest.

Mabel sat at the meadow's edge, watching the lightning bugs rise — gold, green, gold.

One light landed beside her: a heart of glow.

"I'm Lulu. I know this spot — used to sit in it."

"You did?"

"My glow took its time, once. Sit — it's better with company."

By heart-light she wrote: Lulu — glows in a heart.

6Tinker

Spread 6 — Tinker: the strap stitched twice around on the workbench, Mabel standing ON the bench to help hold it — and the front step still wobbling at the frame's edge, unfixed. Its day is his book.

Her knapsack strap — knotted twice on the road — snapped.

The fix-it shop's step went wobble-wobble under her feet.

"Mind it," said the raccoon. "Everybody does. I'm Tinker."

He stitched it twice around, tugged it hard. "Fixed right."

"First fix in a new town is free," said Tinker. "House rule."

Tinker — fixes it right.

7Shep

Spread 7 — Shep: the stillest spread in the book. On the far hill, only a lantern glow and a staff's long shadow — the Shepherd is never a figure, here or anywhere.

In the far pasture, a lamb stood so still she nearly walked past him.

"What are you doing?" she whispered.

"Listening practice," said Shep. "The Shepherd knows my name. I practice hearing him."

So Mabel sat and listened. Grass. Creek. One bird.

"You listen good," said Shep.

"I'm new. Listening is how I learn."

Shep — listens for the Shepherd.

8Junebug

Spread 8 — Junebug: two keepers of records recognize each other — the brick-fat lab notebook and the little card, melons still marble-small, plans still big.

In the melon patch, a girl measured melons — green as marbles — with string.

"Junebug Parker," she said, writing in a fat notebook. "By August these'll be giants. Two hundred. I've got plans."

Junebug spotted the scorecard. "You write things down TOO?"

In went Mabel: NEW MOUSE. KEEPS COUNT. FURTHER STUDY NEEDED.

"Hello is just the start, right?" said Junebug.

Junebug — plans. (Big ones.)

9The rainy evening

Spread 9 — the rainy evening: six names on the card, nobody at the door — and the back of the card, blank. Room for the rest.

Rain, soft and steady, on the willow roof.

Mabel read her card: six names. Nobody had knocked. Nobody had come by.

A name on a card was not a friend at the door.

"Hello is just the start…" she told the rain. It sounded small.

She turned the card over. Blank.

"Room for the rest," she said. "Whatever the rest is."

10Showing up

Spread 10 — showing up: a ring of small true things around the card's filling back — tallies, a strap, a tiny heart, a held string.

So Mabel showed up.

Mornings, she kept score: "Four falls, Pickle. Four get-ups!"

Evenings, the gate post, chalk ready.

Dusks, clover at the meadow's edge — and Lulu landed beside her.

She held Junebug's string-end. She sat Shep's quiet minute through. She carried Tinker a thimble of lemonade over the step.

The card's back filled: tallies. A strap. A tiny heart.

11The invitation

Spread 11 — the invitation: all six arriving like weather — and Mabel's ears pink to the tips, the only pink-ear beat in the book.

Saturday brought a commotion — boots, hooves, wings, and a plan.

"Picnic," announced Junebug. "The big tree. You're the guest."

"You keep showing up for everybody," said Pickle. "So everybody's showing up for you."

"Bring the card," said Bram.

Lulu glowed. Tinker carried a basket. "I heard them coming," said Shep.

Mabel's ears went pink to the tips. "I'll bring the clover," she said.

12The Meeting Tree

Spread 12 — the Meeting Tree: all seven together for the first time, the card read aloud and turned over — and that night, a fresh scorecard. The founding image of the series.

Under the Meeting Tree, all seven, together for the first time — and one small mouse read her scorecard aloud.

She turned it over — the back, full now.

"That's the rest of hello," said Junebug.

"Hello is just the start," said everybody.

That night: a fresh scorecard. At the top she wrote:

Prairie Junction — everybody.

And it was just the start.