"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted October 15, 2018
Speed smiled at the lad and nodded to Addy. "We'll be havin' some coffee in no time, ain't that right Weedy?" Then to Addy, "Just remember, you need financial help, I can do that with little to no problem. Hopefully, I'll be needing you and your wagon." He looked to Weedy, "Lead on son."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted October 18, 2018
"Yes, sir." Still maintaining some distance, the boy led the way to the small room, then nodded to the shelves over the small stove. The place was a single room, with the stove, a wash basin and shelving with pots and pans on one side and a cot, covered by a casually tossed, colorful quilt, a small wardrobe and a rocking chair. There was a board set over a crate to serve as a table that was flanked by two chairs.
"Up there, sir." Weedy pointed, then to another shelf. "Sugar's there, if you prefer. Miss Addy, she don't use no sugar, nor cream in her coffee...says she likes it black an' strong so's it'll grow hair on her chest." His nose wrinkled up. "Didn't know as ladies had hair there, but I never seen no lady's chest."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted on 10/19/2018
“Not so sure ladies have hair on their chest, but then, like you, I haven’t ever seen one either.” Speed replied. “I believe that’s just a saying, you know, like ‘his luck was running kind of muddy.’” Then he reached up and took down the tin of Arbuckles coffee. “Back when I was with the 13th New Jersey during the late war, we had a cook that could make coffee just about the way Miss Addy described. He taught me how. So if you’ll fetch us some water I’ll get this stove goin’.”
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted October 21, 2018
"Water's on th' boil, sir, I knew MIss Addy was supposed to be back, so I got the stove goin' good." Weedy looked up at the man. "She's early, though, did something happen? Where's Jack? And the wagon?" There was concern in the boy's expression, he obviously cared about the animals, and the woman. "How did your head get hurt?"
He'd help with the harness as soon as he was done helping Speed with the coffee. "Did you go out with her?"
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted October 23, 2018
"Water's on th' boil, sir, I knew MIss Addy was supposed to be back, so I got the stove goin' good." Weedy looked up at the man. "She's early, though, did something happen? Where's Jack? And the wagon?" There was concern in the boy's expression, he obviously cared about the animals, and the woman. "How did your head get hurt?"
Speed half smiled at the boy. This was the hard part, telling the truth to him. Not sugar coating it, or making anything up. There was a bear out there, and he would kill anything in it’s path. The boy needed to be aware. Life on the frontier was not always nice and safe, often it was hazardous.
“We came onto a grizzly that was attacked the horses. Jack didn’t survive. He gave as good a fight as he could. I tried to shoot him with Miss Addy’s shotgun, but missed.” He touched his forehead, “That’s where this came from. We left the wagon out there, be going back for it here in a bit.” He watched the boy, waiting for his reaction.
He'd help with the harness as soon as he was done helping Speed with the coffee. "Did you go out with her?"
“I did. And I will again. Be lending a hand with retrieving the wagon.” Speed replied as he scooped grounds into the turbulent water.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted October 27, 2018
"A grizzly?" Weedy looked up at the man and frowned. There had been problems before, with coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, even a badger, but the bear attacks were rare and especially against four horses and two people. "Mean one," he muttered, "heard the Indians talkin' once that there's 'spirit bears' or somethin' like that, not really bears, but demons."
The boy shrugged. "Too back, Jack was a nice horse, let me groom him without fussin'...even cleaning his hooves." Sometimes the big horses decided to lean on you when you were holding one of their hooves to clean it, or they'd nip at you, but not Jack, he was patient and nice.
"So...are you fixin' to marry Miss Addy? She said she ain't that kind, whatever that means."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted October 27, 2018
"A grizzly?" Weedy looked up at the man and frowned. There had been problems before, with coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, even a badger, but the bear attacks were rare and especially against four horses and two people. "Mean one," he muttered, "heard the Indians talkin' once that there's 'spirit bears' or somethin' like that, not really bears, but demons."
"Well now, a demon fits him too a ‘T’, but it’s hard to say it wasn’t the real McCoy.” Speed responded. “Indian lore is, well, stories handed down for countless generations, so I’m not for discounting it. Still, it was sad for the horse”
The boy shrugged. "Too back, Jack was a nice horse, let me groom him without fussin'...even cleaning his hooves." Sometimes the big horses decided to lean on you when you were holding one of their hooves to clean it, or they'd nip at you, but not Jack, he was patient and nice."
“Hopefully Miss Addy will find another of similar disposition.” Speed added.
"So...are you fixin' to marry Miss Addy? She said she ain't that kind, whatever that means."
“Marriage?” Speed was caught off guard by the question. “Now that would be serious business and not something a man and woman would consider after one night's adventure. No sir, that sort of relationship takes time to develop” He paused, attempting to choose his phrasing very carefully “She may not see herself as the marrying kind, but a man needs to be aware that a woman has the right to change her mind, and they often do. But for now, that’s likely the truth." Then he breathed a sigh of relief.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted October 28, 2018
"I did here that before," the boy nodded. "But Miz Addy ain't like no woman I ever seen before, neither." He shrugged, then reached for the sugar bowl, plucking out a lump and sticking it his mouth before his eyes went wide...it was a habit, stealing sugar, and he hadn't even considered that he had a witness!
"Oh! You're not gonna tell Miz Addy I done that, are ya, Mister?" Worried, he looked up at the man. Of course, he'd never actually been told he couldn't have the sugar, but neither had he asked of he could take some, so he really didn't know. "I won't do it again, I promise!"
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted October 29, 2018
"Oh! You're not gonna tell Miz Addy I done that, are ya, Mister?" Worried, he looked up at the man. Of course, he'd never actually been told he couldn't have the sugar, but neither had he asked of he could take some, so he really didn't know. "I won't do it again, I promise!"
Speed smiled at the boy's abrupt oath. “Sugar, not that’s a real live temptation, and it sure is good. Miss Addy ever say you couldn’t have any? You ever ask her?”
“Seems to me a man with all the responsibilities you carry around here, well he ought to straight up ask about something as tempting as sugar. Maybe prevent the taking of other things later on.” He waved in the air, sort of a flourish, "Reckon she’d have no problem with it.”
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted October 29, 2018
"Didn't never ask." Weedy shrugged. "Just heard her grumble enough about how much it is and she don't buy it for the ants to have a treat." The boy grinned at the man. "Guess I might ask, she's nice to me, makes sure I have supper and things when I need." He raked his fingers through unruly straw-colored hair, then asked, "Do you need anything, or I can go start cleaning tack for her." It was getting pretty late. "Miz Addy'll expect me to go to school in the morning, so I can't help then."
As much as he didn't like school and argued on the point, Addy insisted, so he did it to make her happy. "I can carry some coffee if you need."