A few minutes later, Evelyn introduced Anna to one of the current tour guides, Martin Nolt, a tall young man with chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes. Evelyn asked him to take Anna downstairs to see the short movie on Mennonite history and life, as well as the other self-guided tour—a replica of the Tabernacle, built as described in the Old Testament.

“What do you think of the place, Anna?” Martin asked as they headed down the hallway to the elevator.

“It’s fascinating,” Anna replied.

“And a little overwhelming, probably. It was to me at first.” He grinned.

“Yes, a little.”

“By the way, please call me Mart, okay?” he said. “Nearly everyone does.”

Anna nodded. “We shorten names a lot in my family, too.” She mentioned her nieces Bonnie and Bethie, nicknames for Beulah and Bethany. “But I’m just plain Anna.” She smiled.

“Plain Anna . . . I like that.” Pressing the button for the elevator, he chuckled.

“No possibility of shortening that,” she replied, enjoying their light banter.

The elevator door opened. “You must have married siblings if you have nieces and nephews,” Mart said.

“Seven older siblings, jah. How about you?” Anna asked, stepping inside.

“Six,” he said. “I’m fourth in the birth order.”

“And I’m the last child,” she said, avoiding calling herself the baby. She didn’t like thinking of herself that way now that she was grown.

As the door closed and the elevator descended, Mart pushed his hands into his tan trouser pockets and asked, “Are you from out of town?”

“Jah, Mifflinburg. Ever been there?”

“Once, but I was just a kid, so I don’t remember much.”

“It’s a small town. But it does have a buggy museum, where I’ve been a tour guide for a couple of years since returning from Illinois, where I helped my aunt and uncle for a time.”

Mart’s eyes widened. “Well then . . . you definitely have the right experience.”

“I do enjoy meeting and talking with tourists. They always seem so curious, and they’re generally all-round nice folk.”

Mart nodded agreeably. “And appreciative,” he added. “Thankful to learn about Plain culture, but even more thankful to still be English when the tour is over.”

They shared a laugh as the elevator door opened to the lower level, and Mart motioned for her to exit first. “To be honest, I’d guessed you weren’t from around here since you hadn’t visited this place before.”

“Well, I’ve heard about it, that’s for sure.”

Mart walked with her to the large room where the free film about the origins of the Mennonites was shown on the hour. Afterward, as they toured the replica of the Old Testament Tabernacle together, Anna talked with Mart about his work there.

“Ask me anything you’d like,” Mart invited. “I’ve been doing this for five years now, and I’m here to help.”