Art by Linda Parker
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Created from: October 2003 Book Review
 Ginnie and The Mystery Light by Catherine WoolleyCopyright 1973
For a moment Ginnie was speechless.
"We've got an apartment now," Geneva added.
Ginnie recovered her voice. "Wait a minute, I'll ask!"
She turned toward the dining-room door, eyes shining with excitement.
"Geneva wants to know if I can go to visit her during Christmas vacation.
May I, Mother-Daddy? Oh, please?"
Her parents looked at each other in one of the silent consultations that
Ginnie knew so well. Then she saw her father nod. But she had to
confirm his consent. "I can?"
"We'll plan it, dear," Mother said. "Tell Geneva we'll talk to her and her
mother again, but I think it can be arranged."
She seized the phone. "I can come!"
There was not much more to be said at the moment. Both were too
excited to talk of other matters, and now nothing else seemed important
anyway. Geneva gave her address, and Ginnie told her a letter would be
on its way the next day.
"I'll write to you too," Geneva promised. "Oh, I can hardly wait till you
come!" There was a pause. "It's kind of weird down here," she
remarked. "I'll have lots of things to show you."
"How, weird?"
"Oh, great big spooky old houses and swamps and Spanish moss all
over the place."
Mrs. Porter intervened to cut the conversation short, and the girls said
good-bye. Ginnie hung up. She was radiant. "I can't believe it!"
"So you see," her mother pointed out, "Geneva's going wasn't a total
loss. You're going to have a trip down South."
Ginnie stood considering this unexpected bonus to be gained from
Geneva's absence. "She says it's weird down there. "Her eyes
brightened again. "Maybe we'll have some weird adventures."
She went upstairs, feet flying lightly now, to write Geneva the letter.
Loneliness was gone, only excitement lay ahead. She wrote about
all that had happened at school since Geneva's departure and put
three circles at the end for hugs.
Then she put on her bathrobe and went downstairs. Her mother and
father were reading the papers. "I want to look at the atlas," Ginnie
said. "I want to see
where Bellport, South Carolina, is."
She took the flat volume from its shelf, sat down on the floor and
found South Carolina. Running her finger down the names of towns,
she found Bellport and located it on the map. "It's on the seashore."
Her father leaned over to look. "That's flat swampy country."
Ginnie recalled that Geneva had said there were swamps and Spanish
moss there. She tried to conjure up a picture.
"What's Spanish moss?"
"It's a growth. It hangs from the branches of trees and draws its
nourishment from the air."
She considered that. "It does sound weird. I can't wait!"
The Christmas season, usually a time of great excitement in the
Fellows household, for Ginnie was a period of passing the time before
she could set off for Bellport. This Christmas was a prelude to
adventure.
On Christmas Eve Peter Ladd, who lived next door, came to bring her
a present. She had a package for him too. "Thanks," Peter said.
"When are you leaving to visit Geneva?"
"Day after tomorrow. I'm so excited!"
"Where is she-South Carolina?"
"The town is called Bellport."
Peter looked at her with interest. "My parents know a guy in Bellport."
"They do? Who"
He scowled, trying to remember. "Something connected with food...
dinner...no, hungry--Hungerford!" He brought the name out
triumphantly, and Ginnie laughed. "Dr. Hungerford. He was in my
dad's class in college. He visits us sometimes when he comes up to
some medical meeting."
"Maybe he's Geneva's doctor," Ginnie said. "I hope I can remember
his name. Food, dinner, hungry, Hungerford!"
"Well, have a good time and say hello to Geneva.
"I will. Merry Christmas!" she cried as he left.
Christmas Day passed slowly. Ginnie spent part of it packing, and
by evening she was ready to leave. Then the day of departure finally
dawned and she was off with Mother to take a three o'clock plane
from Newark Airport.
Ginnie had never taken a plane by herself before, and the importance
of going alone added an edge to her enjoyment. She stood at the
counter to have her bag checked for Charleston and her ticket
confirmed. "I guess I won't get anything to eat on this plane," she
remarked regretfully. She enjoyed meals on airplanes.
Her mother laughed. "No, too bad, but you'll be in Charleston before
dinner time."
At last the line began to move to board the plane.
Ginnie was assigned a window seat. She gave her mother a final hug.
"Have a wonderful time, darling. Don't get into any weird adventures
now, you and Geneva."
"I won't. I mean I hope I do. Good-bye."
Quickly the plane was airborne and she looked down at clouds
motionless below. Now and then she could glimpse, through thin
drifts, the earth with its spread of houses like toy villages and roads
that seemed mere ribbons.
Ginnie leaned back in her seat. What would she and Geneva find to
do, this coming week, in the weird land to which she was going?
And what really made the place weird, she wondered, now that she
had time to think. Just old houses and that Spanish moss? She had
been looking forward mainly to seeing her friend, but now interest in
a new place, as strange to her as any foreign land, quickened.
She had a cold drink when the stewardess pushed her cart of
refreshments along. The time passed so quickly she could scarcely
believe the announcement that they were approaching Charleston
Airport. "Fasten your seat belts, please, and observe the no-smoking signs." Ginnie fumbled for her belt, snapping it into place.
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