A New Beginning Pt. 13

"Yes m'am, I'm just looking to talk business with him. I heard the bank was giving him all manner of fits."

"He's a good man. A fair man. My husband works for him out there. It's got us all on edge, so, please, overlook my sharp tone earlier."

"No m'am, think nothing of it."

She was turning to head over when another customer came in. She stopped,

"Joe, come over here!"

He looked at us suspiciously and came over. He was about 50 or so, my size, maybe a shade bigger. Rawboned and weathered. A solid, strong looking man. But the worry was eating away at him. He had a haunted look around his hard, gray eyes. I stood up and held out my hand, he took it.

"Jacob Flannery."

"Joe Carwell."

"Please, Mr Carwell, join us."

He took his hat off and hung it on the chair upright and sat down.

"Well, state your business."

"Mr Carwell, I want to buy your place."

He stared at me hard, not saying anything. Finally he nodded.

"If you're willing to sell it, give me your price."

He kept staring me in the eyes, I never wavered. I understood him. This was ol' fashion horse trading.

"Why don't you give me yours."

I nodded. I was an old hand at this.

"You have 50,000 acres?"

"Yep."

"Twenty an acre."

He cocked his head

"You think that's a fair offer, Mr Flannery?"

"No sir I don't."

"Then why'd you give it to me?"

"Because I asked you for your's first, and you wouldn't give it to me."

He smiled slightly,

"Fair enough, I asked for that one."

Rachel came back with coffee.

"Mr Carwell, land's going for thirty, i'll offer you forty, here and now. One time offer."

He sipped his coffee,

"Can I ask a question or two?"

"Yes sir."

"What are your plans for it?"

"To keep doing what it's doing now. I ain't looking to break it up. Nor put any man that works for you out of work. Fact is, I'd be willing to buy surrounding places if anybody will sell. I won't give forty for them, but fair market. I'm offering that to you because of the size of your place."

He held out his hand,

"Mr Flannery, you got a deal."

I shook.

"Can I buy you breakfast, Mr Carwell?"

"I could eat."

I raised my hand and Rachel came over.

"Whatever he wants. On my ticket."

"Just my usual, Rachel."

She headed off.

"Ok, Mr Carwell, what bank you use?"

"First National in Houston. I'm in the hole there, by a quarter of a million. I mortgaged to by some adjoining land, rebuild fences, buy new equipment. I had put the place up for collateral, planning on paying it back with stock dividends. But I lost the stock in the crash. Now, I'd have to sell everything for pennies on the dollar to pay it back."

"Would you be willing to stay on as manager?"

"I'd say so, and be awfully thankful. Both me and the wife."

"Then consider the job yours. Let's eat and go to the bank."

Another pair of men sitting close by spoke up,

"Excuse me, were you serious on the fair market offer?"

"Yes sir."

Joe spoke up

"You want to sell out, Charlie?"

"Yep, so does Lassiter here."

Lassiter nodded in agreement.

Joe looked at me,

"They own the 20,000 west of mine. Adjoins it. Good places."

I looked back,

"Thirty an acre as it sits."

They both agreed and we shook on it.

"Do either of you want to stay on?"

Charlie reolied first.

"No, I'm moving the wife to somewhere in California."

Lassiter just shook his head,

"No sir, I appreciate the offer though."

Joe added,

"I know those places and the stock. It's all good stuff. Well managed. I can handle it."

We all loaded up and went to the bank, signed the papers. I had the money wired to the bank. We went to the courthouse, filed the deeds, then spent the rest of the day looking the places over. Making plans and meeting the crew. Then we drove home.

I was now the proud owner of a 70,000 acre farm and ranch, with both cattle and horses of top breeding. A top shelf crew with no plans on going anywhere. Most importantly, out from under the thumb of the bank. They'd been paid off. I'd buy more adjoining land as it came available. I'd given Joe instructions to put that word out. He knew everybody around, so, would be the first to hear about it.

It was well after dark when we got back. I immediately knew something was wrong. Elsie's car was gone and mama, Hazel and Annie came running out.

My stomach sank into a pit so deep, I'd never find the bottom.

They came up to me,

"Elsie left. She took the young'uns and a jundred thousand out of that bag JT brought. Packed up and left. She talked on the phone and when she hung up, she said she was going back to her folks up north somewhere. Said she couldn't stand being here no more. I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't hear it. Oh Jacob, son, i'm so sorry."

"It's ok, mama. I knew she was out of sorts but she wouldn't talk about it. I imagine she missed her folks more than she'll miss me."

JT got out,

"You ok, boy? I'm here if you need me."

"Yes sir, I'll be alright. Ain't nothing to be done now."

He shook my hand,

"Reckon I'll get home. I'm headed back up tomorrow, they're tying in our tank batteries into the pipeline. I'll be able to start wiring you your share more often now. I imagine after today, you need to recoup that cash you spent. Well, see you soon."

I went up and sat at the table. She'd taken the dogs, too.

I looked at my bank book and added the debit. I'd started out with two million. Added four. The added another couple since I've been here. There was $400,000 in that bag on the table. So, roughly speaking, I still had about four million plus still. I went up and put the money in the closet and stretched out.

I woke with a start. Looking around, sensing I was alone. There was a pang in my heart realizing Elsie had left. Then add to that that she had left without saying a word. That's the way it is with folks, though. You just can'depend on them. Well, no use in sitting around milk soppin' about it. The world still demanded its due. Regardless of how you feel about it.

I got up, dressed and went to the cafe and ate breakfast. The sun was up when I headed to the yard. The concrete guys were already pumping concrete. My people were working hard to keep up. They had already poured the new washhouses. The trailers were in and ready. The phone people were installing phones in the trailers.

I drove to the back and they were working on the dock area, dredging out the shallows into a wide canal from the deeper navigable bay water. Barges were dumping stone along the channel. Others were preparing to drive pillars. It wouldn't be long now. I went to the house and got the money. I took a hundred thousand out and wrapped it up tight and stashed it. Then took the rest to the bank.

I deposited it. Turns out, I have just over five million in here. Apparently JT has been wiring more than I thought. Well, now I've got five and a half million and not a penny in debt. I headed back to the house and went up. Made a pitcher of tea. The phone rang. It was the depot. My people were a half hour out. I went to the yard and rousted the women, putting Margret in charge.

"Y'all go to the train depot and pick them folks up, get them settled in. I'll make a deposit at the mercantile so they can buy groceries. I'll be back after they're settled in to make acquaintance."

They got in the new station wagons and headed out. I went to the store. I met with Mr Perkins and made arrangements for them to buy groceries. I headed to the butcher shop and ordered two whole beefs and four whole hogs and a slew of chickens. Told him to get them ready and I'd contact him for delivery later. Then to the refrigerator man and ordered six of the large size deepfreezers. Then headed back home.

I needed to figure out how to order the big refrigerator units to cool down the warehouses. I'd seen one over at the depot area. But, like I'd heard around, their just wasn't enough space to go around in the ones that were already here.

My plan was to build these docks. Put in a set up to process the seafood my goats brought in, and store it in my own warehouses. Then truck it out on my own trucks.

One of my conversations when I bought those ranches had been to figure out a cattle feedlot operation and slaughter set up. I'd be able to raise, feed out, slaughter, warehouse, and sell my own beef. Cutting out a few middlemen. The ranches had big herds. The two smaller ones had Angus and the bigger one had Herefords.

Big pretty beef cattle that produce the best in prime grade beef, with old bulls and cows used for ground meat. That was a new thing to me. Ground beef. I'd never even seen it until moving here. But, it sure was a popular thing. The cafe sold these sandwiches called hamburgers. I'd yet to try one. I meant to change that today. I'd seen it called cheeseburger, too. I love cheese, so that's what I'd go with.

I drove over to the cafe and ordered me one with iced tea. When she brought it out, I looked it over some. The waitress came back,

"Is something wrong, sir?"

"No m'am, I've just never seen a sandwich like this, and these taters neither."

"You've never had a burger and fries before."

"No m'am."

"Well, you are in for a treat. The french fries you dip in ketchup. Another thing, all this is better with Coke. But it's getting cold. It has to be hot to be best. Here, let me get you a new one."

She took my plate and in a little bit, came out with all new fixin's and a bottle of ice cold Coke. She poured me some ketchup and sprinkled salt on the french fries. I dug in.

Let me tell y'all something. This stuff was good all the way through. I finished it off and finished off another bottle of Coca Cola. I could see cafe's making a go of it just selling these things and not much else.

I paid out, and to her objection, for both plates. Then I headed to the yard. The new folks were all there, getting settle. I went to Jeb and got caught up. They were moving right along. They were pouring the last wall now. The walls were thick. A solid foot through with lots of iron bars running through them. Rebar, they called it. Two of the hands were laying cement blocks for the washhouses. It wouldn't be long before there was a washer and two deepfreezers in each of the three new ones.

Jeb went and gathered everybody up and brought them over. All in, there were eight married couples and two single men. Seven couples had one young'un, the eighth had two. All the married adults were in their 30's and maybe up to 40. Both single men were 40 odd.

We introduced around and I told them to go to the mercantile and get a bill of groceries a piece and whatever else they needed for odds and ends. Everybody seemed happy with their accommodations.

"Ok, everybody, as you already can tell, this is where we'll be trucking out of. Y'all get acquainted with your trucks and trailers yonder. I've bought y'all motor cars to share. We'll be beginning operations soon, so y'all get your affairs in order in the meantime.

I shook hands around again and left, heading for the store. I needed to order sheet copper and tools. It was time to get a still up and running.

My head kept going back to Elsie. I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that she wasn't happy. I'd come home at times and her eyes would be red and puffy from crying. But, she always kept it bottled up. I just had to accept the fact that she was gone and there just ain't nothing I could do about it. Another was the money. I'd told her she could have a million dollars. Why only take a hundred thousand like that. I mean, a hundred thousand is a lot of money. Probably enough for them to live comfortably on for years. If she ever found herself down and out, I'd give her more.

Right now though, I had a job of work to do and families depending on me. I headed for the store then changed my mind. I turned up on the main road and headed north. I was going to the Scruggins place. I knew he kept his old stills in the barn. I'd see if he'd either sell me one or two, or make more whiskey for me.

I drove into the night until I came to the turn off. I was getting sleepy, so I just backed up into the woods and leaned over and dozed until dawn. Driving up on the Scruggins place in the middle of the night was a bad idea. You'd find yourself in a bad state of affairs right quick.

I woke up to the sun creeping up through the trees. Got out and stretched, then relieved myself. Stood there breathing in the smells of the woods. Listening to the sounds of the Earth beginning a new day.

Well, no time like the present.

I started up and headed in. Pulling up, I was met by the pack of vicious cur dogs he kept around. I sat there until he came out on the porch, cut down 10 guage shotgun in hand. He peered at me and I rolled the window down,

"You gonna shoot me or invite me in?'

"Jake Flannery? That you, boy?"

"Yes sir. One in the same."

He propped the shotgun up inside the door,

"Well, get out and come in. Ma's got coffee on. You dogs git around now, let him be!"

They backed off as I got out. They sniffed me over as i walked up on the porch. He shook my hand in his crushing paw of a hand. Hands I seen take a hickory axe handle up and twist it in two. That man had enormous strength and vitality that few men ever achieved.

"Come on in and light. Ma, we got company!"

We headed to the kitchen table and she put a cup of strong chickory root coffee in front of me, then set in making breakfast.

You sit at the Scruggins table, you were getting fed.

"Well, son, what drags you up here? Good to see you!"

"Well, sir, I got a notion on a business affair."

I filled him in on everything I'd been doing since leaving and what I had in mind. Ma Scruggins set the food on the table. Scrambled eggs. Bacon. Grits. Biscuits and sausage gravy. We ate as he processed what I had told him. We sopped our plates and leaned back.

"Well, son, you've been busy. So, you want to sell whiskey?"

"The way I figure it, I'll be moving meat and seafood around the country. I can mix whiskey in the mix and deliver it to the places buying the meat. Send a pint jar sample with the first load of meat. You make the best anywhere to be found. I'd a notion of making it down there."

He nodded,

"Jake, you have a head for it. I seen it right off when you ran off them batches with me. But, I been down there on that island. It's a mighty small place to be running stills. Too many busy bodies down there amongst folks."

He picked his teeth and thought it over.

"Tell you what. I've turned most of it over to the boys these days. I was telling ma just the other day I need to get back to doing something or other. Get out from under foot. I'll set up and start running again. When you're ready, send for it and we'll meet up for the hand off. I'll even make Horseshit Aged Whiskey for you."

I laughed,

"Hey, that's good whiskey."

What you did was set a barrel of whiskey on the ground, cover it with horse turds. Them turds breaking down made heat. Lots of it. It made what amounted to aged whiskey in a short time. None of the horse turds ever contacted the whiskey.

So, we worked out the details, and shook hands. I was back in the whiskey business. We visited a spell, and I headed back home. I'd not told anybody where I was going and didn't need to worry folks.

I pulled into the driveway midday, went and got my fishing gear and headed down to the beach. I set up, baited, and cast. I got settled in my folding chair wnen ma came down, carryung her own chair.

She got settled in and asked,

"Where'd you run off to last evening?"

"I went up to see the Scruggins."

She sniffed, unapproving.

I looked over at her,

"Now don't you start."

"Well, that's an almighty unsavory bunch in there ever was one.L

"Yep, and they've always done right by me. I learned more about being a man from that man than I ever did from papa. Besides that, they're kin of your's, which make me kin, too."

I got a hit, set the hook and reeled in a good'un. A saltwater cat. Probably go four, maybe five pounds I dropped him in the washtub and rebaited.

"What're you gonna do now that Elsie took and run off?"

"What can I do? She's a grown woman. Got her own mind to make up."

"She took your baby."

"I'm aware of that."

"Well, it just don't seem right."

"Since when does what's right figure into anybodies thinking? People are gonna do what's best for them. That usually means somebody else is gonna pay a price. I reckon this is the price I pay. I don't like it, but regardless, life goes on. I can sit and waller in misery like an old hog in mud, or keep doing what I've always done. Now, i'm done talking about it."

I caught a few more fish, gathered up my gear and went back to the house. I dressed and filleted the fish, cleaned and stowed my gear and to the fish up. Mama set about frying a mess of it. Hazel and Annie came in and Hazel helped mama and Annie sat down going over some papers from work.

After we ate, it wasn't quite dark yet, so I drove over to the yard. The office lights were on, and men were leaving from the dock site. The walls of the shop were poured and curing. The walls were up on the washhouses and all but two were roofed. They'd be done tomorrow. I was leaning on my truck when one of the driver's wives came up.

"Good evening, Mr Flannery."

I looked her over. Probably about 35. Medium length brunette hair. A floral house dress on, made for comfort instead of looks. She still filled it out right nicely.

"M'am.' I nodded and tipped my hat.

"I'm louise Palmer. If you remember, I'm Terrance Palmer's wife."

"Yes m'am."

"I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for all you've done for us. For all of us. Most of us were facing foreclosure. Just getting by on whatever day work was available."

"Yes m'am, it's a bad business out there in the world these days. I'm glad to be able to help."

"Are you married, Mr Flannery?"

"No m'am, I'm not."

"Well, I won't disturb you any longer, please, enjoy your evening."

"Yes m'am, you as well."

She stood there looking at me a moment.

"Is something wrong, m'am?"

"No, I'm just curious, is all."

I just nodded and stared at the office building. I wasn't biting that hook. She'd have to spit it out before I said anything.

"I was talking to Margret earlier after we got back from the store."

I just nodded again, waiting.

"She told me about what you did to her."

I looked at her then, still waiting on her to get to the point.

"She said she'd never experienced anything like it before."

I turned my gaze back to the office, enjoying the cool evening breeze.

"You don't say much, do you."

It was a statement, not a question.

"Only when I figure to have something worth saying. I'm just not sure where you're going with this, m'am."

"What if i was to say that i wanted to experience that, as well?"

"M'am, I'd rather you didn't. Goodnight, Mrs Palmer."

I walked to the office and found Florence in there. She was moving furniture around, obviously struggling with the larger stuff.

"Well, you look to be having a grand ol' time."

She looked over at me,

"I suppose you might call it that. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"Well, with Elsie leaving and everything, I just thought that, well, you know."

"I see. Ok, to set the record straight, her leaving has no bearing on my overall state of mind."

"Alright then, I just wanted you to know I'm here for you if you need someone to talk to."

"Ok, got it. Now, you want help moving this furniture or not?"

"Sure, grab that end."

We moved a couch into place, along with several chairs out in the lobby. Then some desks and chairs into offices. Followed up by filing cabinets and assorted side tables. Then we stocked the supply room with all the supplies she'd ordered. Finally, we put typewriters and desk lamps in place. The office was ready for business.