He drove without talking and pulled over at the door of my quarters. "Tell you what's a bugging my old woman. We got apples ready to pick." Luke, he's my sister's boy. He's looking after the place and it's been a raining so much he can't pick. "I'd send her up there on the bus but you might a noticed her limping. Can't let her go. She's got no business climbing after them apples. One or two days of good weather and Luke could get 'em picked."
"I used to make money to buy my school shoes picking apples."
"I used to make money to buy my school shoes picking apples."
Wish I hadn't said that. I could see wheels turning in his head. "Look a here, couple more days of this here rain and you'll be tired of this place. We get some sun, tell you what, I can find out where the Sgodeo is. I got a nearly new sport car that you can drive up to my place and help out Luke. What'a you say?"
"I'll think about it. Thanks for supper."
It rained without letup for three days and nights. The room was like a prison cell. I went out everyday for a meal and brought back snacks for later. No one could tell me when the Sgodeo would return. I found a phone book and called the weather bureau. I learned the rain would move out over night and the next day would be clear.
I found the dock master to tell him the news. "Always get several days notice so I can get stores ready to load. Ain't heard about the Sgodeo so it won't be in for days. I'll pick you up early so's you can get started."
I hadn't agreed to go but I was ready to get away from Norfork. He banged on my door before daylight. I got dressed and could see stars when we got outside. We drove to his house for another silent meal. They were still not talking. "Wait'll you see hit. She's beautiful."
We walked to the back of the house and there it was. It took several minutes to tell what it was. The MGA had only been out for little more than a year. The lines of the body were much like the Jaguar only better. I test drove one for several hundred miles and it was a lot more car than the MGTD I had been driving. I planned to buy one when I got back to Diego. This car looked worse than my pickup with the do not resuscitate graffiti on the side. The doors, fenders and hood were all different colors and there was still more body damage on the replaced parts than on my truck. The grill and bumpers were missing. "Looks don't hurt the running none. The chief at the motor pool is going to paint her. Start it up."
The tires looked good and everything checked out under the hood. We let the ripped top down and the seats were soaked. What looked like little mushrooms were growing on the floor mat. "Hit'll dry out once the sun hits it. You can sit on this here raincoat."
I started the engine. It sounded good and with some qualms I headed north. I soon learned that a four lane highway is no place for an MG. A truck passed and the exhaust pipe was blowing hot in my ear. When the truck pulled ahead, I could have reached out and touched the tires. I turned on to a back road and the MG purred like a happy kitten. The sun felt good on my face.
Luke's pickup was gone so I got a bucket and picked until dark. Nothing stimulates the appetite like picken apples on a crisp fall day The only food in the cabin was a couple cans of beans and a little cornmeal so I ate a few more apples. The chief had told me that I could get a good meal at Mom's Diner across the mountain.. "Luke ain't much to cook."
I kept the little liter & half wound out at 4000 RPM and speed shifted through the gears. A full moon cast an ethereal light on the road ahead. There was no traffic. An MG is cantankerous and uncomfortable but that night I found words of praise for the engineers that designed this wonderful machine.
I suddenly dropped over a hill into fog that glowed from the light of the moon. I couldn't see the road and braked hard. The road was notched into the side of a mountain with a rock wall on my side and a drop off on the other. I could only hope and didn't run out of road. I heard the sound of gravel from the rock side and jerked the steering wheel away from the sound. I pulled up the hand brake to lock the rear wheels and spin the back end into the rock.
There was no crunch of metal hittin rock, only the beautiful sound of soft mud. The MG was so deep in mud that I couldn't open the door but didn't mind. This was the only place I could have left that road and lived to tell about it.
I was shaking but not from cold and didn't think of food anymore. It was difficult to put up the top from inside the car. I dug out my jacket and settled in to wait till daylight. About midnight the fog had lifted a little and I could see a light moving slowly and then it stopped. I hopped out of the MG and waded through the mud toward the light. A car had stopped for me and I got in. The car started moving again only there was no driver. I could read Cadillac on the dash and there was glass behind the seat. I could just make out what appeared to be a coffin in back.
I heard the sound of gravel and reached for the steering wheel when a hand came through the window and turned the wheel. We gained speed and both doors opened. Something bumped me across the leather seat into another bulk. The things screamed and hopped out. The car finally rolled to a stop before I could reach the brake and I could see two dark figures chasing after me.
The young men were out of breath when they caught up with the hearse. "What are you doing in there?" The other said, "You scared the devil out of me." That's not what he really said but it's close enough.
I didn't tell them that I had a few uneasy moments as well. They had run out of gas. "If we can get over the next hill, we can coast to my uncle's house. He's got gas for his tractor."
We finally got the heavy hearse to the top of the hill and must have coasted a mile or more before we turned off at a shack. The old man laughed and slapped his knee when he heard they had run out of gas in the hearse. "Don't tell nobody. We got the judge in back and that undertaker will fire us for sure if he ever finds out."
They got the hearse running and Uncle said to me. "You might as well stay here and I'll pull you out come daylight. Had anything to eat? Got some cornbread and I'll open a can of beans." The cold beans were filling and I leaned back in a rocking chair. Next thing I knew was Uncle shaking me. "Get up boy, breakfast's on the table such as it is. Slap dab out of coffee." Breakfast was more cold beans and day old cornbread with sorghum. It was still dark when we went out to the shed where uncle had an old rusty John Deere tractor. "Ain't run her fer a while so hit might take some fussing with to get her started up." I held the lantern while he worked on the tractor till the sun came up. "Hop up on the drawbar and hold on." Uncle pulled back on the clutch lever and we were on our way.
A car pulled up behind as we slowly made our way up the mountain. Every time we pulled out to pass, a car would appear from around the curve coming down the mountain. Another car joined our parade and then another. I looked at the evil rock wall on the one side and down the mountain on the other. There was no guard rail.
The rear of my car was under the slime while the font was above like it had struggled to get free. I waded out to hook the chain and Uncle eased it out. I tried to pay but he refused, "Ain't got no use fer your money but I'd be obliged if you wouldn't tell on the them boys running out of gas. They near about run out of places to work around here. Let a piano roll out of the furniture truck last year. Went right through the doors it did and then there was the time . . ." I shook his hand and said, "We need to clear the road and let these good folks get on with their business."
Luke was picking apples when I got back so I drove on out in the orchard. He looked down from the ladder, "Been out spooking." Then he laughed, "Don't you ever wash that there car?" The mud had dried and chunks were falling off.
News travels fast in the mountains. Did he know about last night? He wouldn't believe me no matter what I said and think it just a tall tale. It's an honor to be known as a yarn spinner in the hills, just don't ever break your word. Now I talk hillbilly pretty good but didn't know what he was telling me. "What you mean by spooking?"
"Last night was Halloween don't you know?"
We picked apples till noon. Luke said, "I surely could use a little bite to eat, bout outta grub but reckon I can find enough to fix fer us."
Told Luke that I needed to start back. Couldn't take anymore cornbread and beans. WE loaded the MG with apples and tied a big sack of Arkansas blacks across the boot. "Take all them blacks with you. Don' nobody round here much likes em. Know why you in such an all fired hurry to get back. Must be mightily dull up here being as how you come from the city."
There was no place to eat along the road so I drove on back to the base and out on the docks. The chief ran over. "Your ship kinda snuck in on me and been a stalling till you could get back. They can't get underway till I find their coffee. Got your sea bag by the gang plank. Better get aboard."
I ran up the gang plank and handed my orders to the officer of the deck. "Permission to come aboard, Sir."
He took a long look at me in muddy bib overalls with no shirt and at the ugly MG on the dock loaded with apples. He turned to a marine standing nearby, "Take him to the captain."
The marine grabbed my sea bag and I followed along with everyone looking at me. We came to a door and he knocked. A voice roared out. "This better be important."
There were apples in my pockets. I held one out as I went through the door. "Reporting for duty, Sir."
The tires looked good and everything checked out under the hood. We let the ripped top down and the seats were soaked. What looked like little mushrooms were growing on the floor mat. "Hit'll dry out once the sun hits it. You can sit on this here raincoat."
I started the engine. It sounded good and with some qualms I headed north. I soon learned that a four lane highway is no place for an MG. A truck passed and the exhaust pipe was blowing hot in my ear. When the truck pulled ahead, I could have reached out and touched the tires. I turned on to a back road and the MG purred like a happy kitten. The sun felt good on my face.
Luke's pickup was gone so I got a bucket and picked until dark. Nothing stimulates the appetite like picken apples on a crisp fall day The only food in the cabin was a couple cans of beans and a little cornmeal so I ate a few more apples. The chief had told me that I could get a good meal at Mom's Diner across the mountain.. "Luke ain't much to cook."
I kept the little liter & half wound out at 4000 RPM and speed shifted through the gears. A full moon cast an ethereal light on the road ahead. There was no traffic. An MG is cantankerous and uncomfortable but that night I found words of praise for the engineers that designed this wonderful machine.
I suddenly dropped over a hill into fog that glowed from the light of the moon. I couldn't see the road and braked hard. The road was notched into the side of a mountain with a rock wall on my side and a drop off on the other. I could only hope and didn't run out of road. I heard the sound of gravel from the rock side and jerked the steering wheel away from the sound. I pulled up the hand brake to lock the rear wheels and spin the back end into the rock.
There was no crunch of metal hittin rock, only the beautiful sound of soft mud. The MG was so deep in mud that I couldn't open the door but didn't mind. This was the only place I could have left that road and lived to tell about it.
I was shaking but not from cold and didn't think of food anymore. It was difficult to put up the top from inside the car. I dug out my jacket and settled in to wait till daylight. About midnight the fog had lifted a little and I could see a light moving slowly and then it stopped. I hopped out of the MG and waded through the mud toward the light. A car had stopped for me and I got in. The car started moving again only there was no driver. I could read Cadillac on the dash and there was glass behind the seat. I could just make out what appeared to be a coffin in back.
I heard the sound of gravel and reached for the steering wheel when a hand came through the window and turned the wheel. We gained speed and both doors opened. Something bumped me across the leather seat into another bulk. The things screamed and hopped out. The car finally rolled to a stop before I could reach the brake and I could see two dark figures chasing after me.
The young men were out of breath when they caught up with the hearse. "What are you doing in there?" The other said, "You scared the devil out of me." That's not what he really said but it's close enough.
I didn't tell them that I had a few uneasy moments as well. They had run out of gas. "If we can get over the next hill, we can coast to my uncle's house. He's got gas for his tractor."
We finally got the heavy hearse to the top of the hill and must have coasted a mile or more before we turned off at a shack. The old man laughed and slapped his knee when he heard they had run out of gas in the hearse. "Don't tell nobody. We got the judge in back and that undertaker will fire us for sure if he ever finds out."
They got the hearse running and Uncle said to me. "You might as well stay here and I'll pull you out come daylight. Had anything to eat? Got some cornbread and I'll open a can of beans." The cold beans were filling and I leaned back in a rocking chair. Next thing I knew was Uncle shaking me. "Get up boy, breakfast's on the table such as it is. Slap dab out of coffee." Breakfast was more cold beans and day old cornbread with sorghum. It was still dark when we went out to the shed where uncle had an old rusty John Deere tractor. "Ain't run her fer a while so hit might take some fussing with to get her started up." I held the lantern while he worked on the tractor till the sun came up. "Hop up on the drawbar and hold on." Uncle pulled back on the clutch lever and we were on our way.
A car pulled up behind as we slowly made our way up the mountain. Every time we pulled out to pass, a car would appear from around the curve coming down the mountain. Another car joined our parade and then another. I looked at the evil rock wall on the one side and down the mountain on the other. There was no guard rail.
The rear of my car was under the slime while the font was above like it had struggled to get free. I waded out to hook the chain and Uncle eased it out. I tried to pay but he refused, "Ain't got no use fer your money but I'd be obliged if you wouldn't tell on the them boys running out of gas. They near about run out of places to work around here. Let a piano roll out of the furniture truck last year. Went right through the doors it did and then there was the time . . ." I shook his hand and said, "We need to clear the road and let these good folks get on with their business."
Luke was picking apples when I got back so I drove on out in the orchard. He looked down from the ladder, "Been out spooking." Then he laughed, "Don't you ever wash that there car?" The mud had dried and chunks were falling off.
News travels fast in the mountains. Did he know about last night? He wouldn't believe me no matter what I said and think it just a tall tale. It's an honor to be known as a yarn spinner in the hills, just don't ever break your word. Now I talk hillbilly pretty good but didn't know what he was telling me. "What you mean by spooking?"
"Last night was Halloween don't you know?"
We picked apples till noon. Luke said, "I surely could use a little bite to eat, bout outta grub but reckon I can find enough to fix fer us."
Told Luke that I needed to start back. Couldn't take anymore cornbread and beans. WE loaded the MG with apples and tied a big sack of Arkansas blacks across the boot. "Take all them blacks with you. Don' nobody round here much likes em. Know why you in such an all fired hurry to get back. Must be mightily dull up here being as how you come from the city."
There was no place to eat along the road so I drove on back to the base and out on the docks. The chief ran over. "Your ship kinda snuck in on me and been a stalling till you could get back. They can't get underway till I find their coffee. Got your sea bag by the gang plank. Better get aboard."
I ran up the gang plank and handed my orders to the officer of the deck. "Permission to come aboard, Sir."
He took a long look at me in muddy bib overalls with no shirt and at the ugly MG on the dock loaded with apples. He turned to a marine standing nearby, "Take him to the captain."
The marine grabbed my sea bag and I followed along with everyone looking at me. We came to a door and he knocked. A voice roared out. "This better be important."
There were apples in my pockets. I held one out as I went through the door. "Reporting for duty, Sir."
No comments:
Post a Comment