I emptied my bag to take stock of everything I had stolen. I felt bad for taking stuff that wasn’t mine but my growling stomach let me know it was ok as I picked up a tomato and bit into it. I ate the tomato and used my pocket knife to cut up a cucumber. I washed it all down with a few swigs of water from my jar. The next day I stayed in the cave or by the edge of the cave all day not wanting to chance being spotted by anyone. I still had not a clue where I was going to go. I knew I couldn’t stay here in this cave for a long period of time. I needed more to eat than just veggie. After the third day I was already running low on food and was boiling the creek water to drink. I stunk to high heaven and wanted nothing more than a bath and a big pork chop. I took inventory of everything I had left and knew today had to be the day. I gathered up my clothes, leaving everything else in the cave I walked out and down to the creek. Walking up stream I knew I would come to a county road in two or three miles and I could follow it to the main highway. I had just reached the main highway that runs between our town and the next when I saw an old GMC pickup coming down the road. I flagged him to stop and it was an old timer probably in his mid seventies.
“Was wondering if I could catch a ride over to Summersville” I asked as he eyed me up and down. He was quite for a minute before saying
“You look awful young to be out here bumming rides with strangers kid”
“Sir I have good reasoning I’m just not a liberty to discuss them right now” I said looking him in the eye
“Well I’m sure you do, jump on in and I’ll take you just outside of Summersville. I turn off about a mile outside of town.” he said as I climbed in the passenger seat.
It was a quite ride, neither of us saying anything til we were a couple miles away from his turn off.
“I’ve been thinking kid, you look like you need a good meal and I can smell you need a bath so why don’t I take you to my place and you can get a bath while the misses fixes some vittles.”
I thought for a moment, not knowing if I was going to be tricked and the cops show up while I was taking a bath, and the old timer must have been reading my mind because he said
“Don’t worry I’m not going to pry into your business or call the law on you”
I agreed and a mile later we turned on an old gravel road and a few turns later we were pulling up to a gate. He got out and unlocked the gate as I jumped out to close them behind us. He looked appreciative as he pulled thru the gate and stopped. I shut the gates and locked the lock back and climbed back inside.
“Im Jeb Cook and my wife is Nancy Cook” he said as we were pulling up to the house.
“My name is Robert but everyone calls me Rob” I said kicking myself in the ass for using my real name.
We climbed out of the truck and I was greeted by a huge hound dog that started sniffing me and jumping around all excited that there was a visitor.
“Ginger get down!” Mr. Cook yelled at her as she jumped up on me.
“You have to excuse her, she doesn’t get to many outside visitors, follow me up here to the house and I’ll introduce you to the misses.”
I followed Mr. Cook to the back porch and into the screen door.
“Nancy we have a guest” he said as we walked into the kitchen
Mrs. Cook turned away from the cook stove and looked at me with a confused look on her face before saying
“Hello, my names Nancy and I’m pleased to meet you”
“Thank you Mrs. Cook, my names Robert” I said
Mrs. Cook looked at Mr. Cook with questions in her eyes trying to figure out why I was there most likely.
“I was trying to catch a ride to Summersville and Mr. Cook was nice enough to give me a lift. He then offered me a chance to get cleaned up and some dinner before I leave.” I said
“You are more than welcome here Robert” she said with a smile
“The washroom is right down the hall and I will get a wash cloth and towel set out for you” she said in such a motherly voice that it reminded me of how bad I missed my mother.
“Robert I have some chores to attend to, Nancy will make sure you have everything you need.” Mr. Cook said as he was about to walk back out the screen door.
“Mr. Cook is there anything I can help you with before I get a bath. I feel like I owe you for your generosity and would be more than happy to help you with your chores in order to pay off my debt to you.”
Mr. Cook thought for a moment and said if I really felt that way then it wouldn’t be right for him not to allow me to help him even tho there was no debt I owed in his eyes. I glanced over and saw Mrs. Cook standing in the doorway smiling
“Robert that is so refreshing to hear these days, someone brought you up right” Mrs. Cook said as she headed back towards the stove.
“Yes ma’am someone did” I said as I was trying to hold back tears and that wasn’t lost on Mrs. Cook. I followed Mr. Cook out the door and towards the barn.
“First thing I have to do is feed the cattle, now you can’t help with that they are skittish of new people being around. There is some wood that needs to be carried to the porch for the wood stove, you can start on that if you want to” he said as he climbed on his old Case tractor and started it up. I carried all the wood he had split and stacked it on the porch which was only about six arm loads. By that time Mr. Cook had made it back to the barn and I met him as he was shutting the tractor off.
“Mr. Cook all the wood is carried and stacked on the porch sir” I said as he looked at me in surprise.
“I didn’t think you would carry it all, but thank you for doing so”
“Go ahead and head back to the house to get your bath, supper should be on the table by the time you get out.” he said to me
I walked back to the house with Ginger by my side waiting to get petted. As we got to the porch I reached down and petted her
“Aren’t you such a good girl, I always wanted a dog but my parents wouldn’t let me get one. I have to go wash up girl I’ll play with you later ok.” I said to her as I walked up the steps.
As I walked inside Mrs Cook smiled and “Robert there is a wash cloth and towel laid out on the tub for you”
“Thank you ma’am” I said as I started down the hall
“And Robert thank you for helping with the wood. Jeb isn’t as young as he use to be and any help is greatly appreciated atleast by me.”
I just smiled and walked to the bathroom, closing the door and turning the water on. It felt nice to finally get a bath again with soap. I couldn’t believe how nasty I was I had to drain the water twice. Once I was finished I went to open my bag but it was already unzipped and my clothes were missing. I looked around wondering what I was going to wear when there was a knock on the door.
“Robert, I layed some clothes out side the door here for you to put on. They may be alittle big but yours are in the wash right now.” Mrs. Cook said in that motherly voice
I waited a minute then slowly opened the door and grabbed the clothes that were laying there in a neat pile. I put the shirt on which was loose but not to bad. The jeans on the other hand were about three sizes to big and way way to long. I rolled the pants legs up as far as I could and walked out of the washroom both hands holding the jeans up. As I walked into the dining room Mr and Mrs Cook about died laughing at my predicament.
“Rob having alittle trouble holding your britches up are ya” Mr Cook said with a huge grin on his face
“Oh Jeb quit teasing the boy” Mrs Cook said as she went into another room and came out with a long piece of yarn.
“Here Robert use this as a belt, it might help you alittle bit”
“Thank you ma’am” I said as I took the yarn and started running it thru the belt loops. It worked somewhat I didn’t have to hold them up anymore but occasionally pull them up as they slid down. Mrs. Cook brought a casserole to the table and we all set down. It was the first actual meal I’ve had in almost a week and I ate til I thought I was going to blow up. Mr and Mrs Cook didn’t say anything as they watched me eat. Mrs Cook just smiled and asked if I wanted more every time my plate was empty. After supper I helped Mrs. Cook clean off the table and carry everything back into the kitchen. I walked over to the sink and turned the water on putting the stopper in the bottom and adding alittle dish soap.
“Robert you don’t have to do that” Mrs. Cook said
“Its ok ma’am I don’t mind to help you” I said to which she just smiled and said she’d like that
I washed the dishes and she dried them and put them up. After we were finished she told me to go sit on the porch with Jeb and she was going to go check on my laundry. I walked out and took a seat on the steps while Jeb was sitting on a bench by the railing.
“Robert, I told you I wasn’t going to pry into your business and I think a man should keep his word but the misses was telling me she heard on the radio this afternoon that there was a boy named Robert Jones about you age that was a run away from Thackerville and we kind of put two and two together you see.”
I looked at Jeb just as Mrs. Cook walked out the door and sit down next to him
“Your assumptions are right sir, that was me they were talking about on the radio.” I said with my head down looking at the ground below me.
“I’m not sure what they said on the radio but please let me explain my situation before you cast judgment on me”
I told them the whole story from me walking home from school that day to stealing from the Bakers and living in the cave and “then you stopped and picked me up sir and here we are” I finished with tears in my eyes. I looked over and saw Mrs. Cook crying and Mr Cook just sat there staring off in the field.
“Robert why don’t you stay here with us tonight since its already getting dark out” Mrs. Cook said breaking the silence that had taken over.
“I couldn’t impose like that ma’am, but want to thank you and Mr. Cook for your hospitality, I greatly appreciate it but I should be on my way”
“Nonsense” Mr. Cook said as he finally looked my way.
“You should stay here tonight and then in the morning if you feel like leaving then you can go”
I thought about it for a moment and sleeping inside did sound a lot more pleasant than on the ground some where.
“If your sure I wont be a bother than I will stay sir”
Mrs. Cook confirmed that it would be no bother and then it was settled I would be staying the night.
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