After my balls were spent, I pulled out and got dressed.
I looked at them a moment,
“Y’all get dressed, we need to talk business.”
I went to the shelf and got a can of sliced peaches and sat down. Picking up the can opener and spoon sitting on the table, I cut the can open and savored the sweet fruit. The juice was running down the corners of my mouth, but I didn’t care. These things were as close to Heaven in a can as you’re likely to get.
I got up and went behind the counter and located a tin of Copenhagen snuff. I remembered dipping it with Hank and got a taste for it. I sat back down and put a dip in my lip then looked around for Callie.
Mama and Maggie came out and sat down. The bell jingled and I saw Callie coming in with the baby. She put him down in the little play pen and sat at the table with us.
“Well, ladies, I’m making a change.” I looked over at Maggie, “I need you to send off for whoever has grain silos and I need barbwire fencing. Next, I need an icehouse to hang meat in. I’ll need meat curing fixin’s. Butcher tables, curing barrels, salt and whatnot. Can you do that for me?
I picked up the peach can and spit in it. Maggie thought a bit, then replied.
“Sure, i’ll send a letter to a man I know up in Dallas. He sells farming equipment and such. I’m sure he’ll know right where to go for that.”
“Good. I’ll need a couple of wells dug. So, add in some pumps and curbs.”
“I’ve got the pumps already. They’re over there by the back wall.”
I nodded, satisfied. I got up, “Be right back.”
I went to the truck and got her satchel out and took it back in. I sat it down on the table in front of her.
“My God, boy, what am I going to do with this? I’m out of room in the safe as it is.”
“Hell, Maggie, I don’t know. I’m about full up at the house, too. You get everybody paid off for me?”
“Yes, the last on, the Patterson’s, came in day before yesterday. All of them were wanting a meeting about the produce they planted. It won’t be long until harvest time, you know.”
“Yep, that’s why I’m fretting on getting set up so quick. No time to waste. Things are changing fast around here. I’ve got a bad feeling about it. One thing I’ve learned about folks is that money brings trouble and there’s lots of money hereabouts. I’m tempted to sell out and take us out of here.”
Mama stared at me. Her eyes wide and filled with concern.
“Honey, what’s on your mind?”
“Them oil folks. They’ve been snoopin’ around looking for an easy way in. I just don’t know what to do.”
“Well, what’s keeping us here? Who say’s we have to stay around. Sell out and we can go someplace else. You said you was intrested in Galveston.”
“I do want to go there and see that ocean sea. But I ain’t so sure about living there.”
I sat still a moment, thinking.
“When I went to Dallas, I seen lots of cattle and pastures. I was thinking the other night about that. Why couldn’t I buy some land up there somewhere and start one of the ranches. I mean, I don’t know much about that, but I reckon I’m a pretty quick study. I’ve got enough money to buy a lot of land and stock it with breeder cattle and start developing a herd. I’m sure I can come up with a decent crew of men.”
“Well, honey, you decide, and I’m with you, whatever you choose. I don’t know about these other women, though.”
She looked a Maggie and Callie in turn. They both shrugged.
Callie spoke first.
“Jake, I suppose I’m with you, if you’ll have me around.”
Maggie was next.
“Same goes for me. What about the cooperative.?”
“Oh, I’ll set that up. Folks around here need one. Whatever else comes of it, folks still gotta eat around here.”
“Who would run it if you wasn’t here?”
“I reckon folks can take turns. Hold an election of sorts and pick a few folks to manage it.”
“I like that idea. How about we have another meeting and run it by everybody?”
“I’ll set it up.” Maggie said, her eyes filled with thoughts of possibilities.
I got up and went outside and sat on the bench and stared off into the woods. I felt it was coming time for a change. My thoughts strayed back to the man they sent. As inexperienced in the world as I am, I did understand the effect money had on people.
I heard the door open and turned to see mama coming out. She sat next to me and looked at me a long moment before speaking.
“Son, what’s troubling you?”
“It ain’t nothing, mama, don’t worry yourself about it.”
“Jacob Flannery, a mother knows her child. I can tell you’re frettin’ over something. You need to talk to me about it.”
“It’s this whole mess.The oil business and all. I’m starting to think this was a bad idea to bring it here. Money aside, this thing is growing fast and the wrong sorts of people are getting involved. I guess that’s just the way of it. People get a taste of money and it just keeps growing from there.”
“Even with you?”
I considered that a spell. I shook my head.
“No. I understand the ways of greed and want no part of it.”
I looked over at her.
“Mama, in that safe at the house, I have more money than I can spend. How much more do we need? I’m figuring now it’s time to move on. Sell out. There really ain’t nothing here for us. All our kin live off somewhere else. This change taking place ain’t gonna set no good to raise kids in. I figure I’ll talk to J.T. about it, see it all to him and move us all down to that Galveston. I figure that ocean oughta be a good place to raise a family.”
“Well, honey, whatever you decide, I’ll go along. But, you’re right, there’s nothing really holding us here. The world is changing and not much in the way of good, I’m afraid.”
She put her hand on mine and squeezed gently. The touch was reassuring some how. I leaned over a kissed her, then got up.
I stared off into the distance. Listening to the birds and bugs lazily going about their business in the late summer heat. A passle of barefoot young’uns ran across the road with a big cur dog trotting behind them. I heard their mother call after them telling them to be back in time for supper. I shook my head to clear it and walked to my truck.
I headed back out to the place. When I got there, the Scruggins brothers were there waiting. They had their wagon loaded down with barrels of ‘shine and beer. Elsie came out and they stood and handed her the jars that they had been drinking from.
They thanked her and stepped down to meet me.
“Jake” the oldest nodded.
I shook their hands in turn.
He nodded back to the house.
“I gave your missus the proceeds. We were headed back out.”
“Thanks. How’s everything going? Any problems?”
“No, none to speak of. There has been a couple of men hanging around. Strangers. They don’t seem to be working but always got money for whiskey and women. I figure one of them big outfits got them sizing up the going on’s around. They stick to themselves for the most part, but always single out a hand and buy him drinks and talk with him.I been wanting to run them off, but they spend money, so I wanted to talk to you about it first.”
I nodded.”Just watch them. As long as they don’t cause problems. If they make a move or disappear, let me know right off. Just watch your backs around them. I imagine they ain’t no soft bellied type.”
He smiled, “No, I don’t reckon they are. But, you know us, push comes to shove, we might could soften them bellies up a might.”
We shook hands and they headed off.
I walked in and found the young’uns eating sandwiches at the table. They were surrounded by the hound pups. The gyp ran up and sniffed me over real good, then laid down.
Elsie gave me a peck on the cheek and sat a glass of tea in front of me. Then she sat across from me, looking at me with obvious questions in her eyes.
I took a long drink from my tea, savoring the sweet, astringent flavor.
“I think it’s time we sell out and move. This town is about to change. I don’t want our young’uns brought up around it.”
“Ok, so where you have in mind?”
“I was figuring on maybe Galveston.”
She just nodded and stared off out the window. I stayed quiet, letting her think.
She refocused on me.
“I hear they have electric lights there.”
“I don’t know,” I replied, my mind quickly wrapping around that, “that’d be a good thing, right?”
She nodded and smiled.
“Yes it would. I’ve never had that before.”
That statement sent me off into thinking about the way of things. The way I grew up, a man got up, pulled on his boots, and went to work. We had little time to fret over triviality.
I started off young. Not really by choice exactly. It was more in line with something bred into me. I just instinctively felt the way things were.
I was jerked out of my thoughts by Elsie asking a question.
“Are you listening to me?”
Unsure of what to say, I just kinda nodded.
“I said, when are you planning on doing this?”
“Soon.”
“How soon?”
That got a chuckle out of me.
“As soon as I can wrap this business up. I’ve got to talk to JT and then figure out what to do about the other place.”
“Ok, so, I need to get busy. Wait, what about Callie? This is her home, too, ain’t it?”
“She’s going with us I reckon. Her and mama.”
She nodded.
“Ok, I’ll get busy then.”
I shook my head.
“No, I don’t want you stressing out over this. I’ll hire the Scruggins girls to come help you.”
“Ok, I ‘ll admit, I kinda like the idea of having some help around.”
I scooted my chair back and got up. Stepping around, I bent over and kissed her forehead.
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