The Farmer and the Actress

"That is marvelous. What is it called?"

"I'm not sure. It started out as a Nutty Irishman and I added some things so it is kind of my own concoction."

"Then I'll call it the Nutty Chester." She noticed that he turned slightly pink around the edges and took his seat in a masculine recliner. She finished her e-mails and closed down her computer before she turned to him again. "Um, Chet, can I ask you a question? It's kind of personal, I guess."

"Go ahead and ask. If it is too personal, I'll either tell you so or throw you out in the front yard and tell Goldie to run you off." Since Goldie was sitting next to Rachel on the sofa with her head in her lap, Rachel doubted that the second alternate was likely.

"You said that your ex took up with your former boss. Did you stick around or leave? I mean how did you end up out here being a farmer?"

Chet thought for a moment before he replied, "I quit the day after I found out. The company tried to talk me out of it but there was no way I could continue there because I knew that it wouldn't be long before I would be the center of every gossip group in the company. I set up a consulting service and they sent me some work probably out of guilt. I took the work but told them that I would only e-mail them the results; I couldn't see going into the office. Between that and several other projects I got, I made a decent living for the next five years. I saved most of what I made and when the economy went south, I thought things over and closed the business and bought this place. I call it a farm but it is really only eight acres and half of that are the woods. I didn't really know anything about gardening or farming but I started reading and trying what I read. It took three years to get my first decent crop in. The next year I started selling what I didn't eat at the farmers market. So that is how I got from there to here."

"Interesting." Rachel realized that there were several important points missing but decided that he wasn't ready or willing to share it all. "I admire that you have come through something like that and rebuilt your life."

"Thanks. There were plenty of rocky spots involved but time actually does heal all wounds. I guess I am to the point now where I can say I forgive but I can't forget. Holding a grudge or trying to get revenge is too expensive emotionally to carry around. So I go on."

Rachel thought for a moment and then just nodded without adding her own perspective.

Chet continued, "By the way, I need to tell you about tomorrow. I will be getting up around 4:00 in the morning and going out to the garden to harvest what is ripe. Then about 7:00, I need to leave for the Farmer's Market. It runs tomorrow from 9:00 until 1:00. You are welcome to just stay here and relax and do what you want or we can drive to the market and you can take the truck and go where you want."

"I think I will drive into the market with you and look around. It has been a long time since I have been to a small town market. It might be fun. The only thing is that I only brought some business clothes with me. Is that all right?"

"Sure, they would be fine but depending on what you end up doing, they might get dirty or messy. Wait here a minute, I might have a solution for you." He rose and went into the second bedroom and she could hear him rummaging around a little. When he came back, he carried two pairs of jeans and three simple blouses. "Try these on and see if they fit. They should be about your size."

Rachel looked up with a grin. "Girl friend?"

He blushed but grinned back. "Hardly. I told you that a neighbor girl stays here when I have to travel. She leaves some things here and I guess she is about your size."

"Thanks; I'll try them on and see. I would feel more comfortable fitting in with the crowd than standing out."

They talked about a variety of safe topics for another hour and a second cup of Nutty Chester before they decided to turn in for the night. Chet went to the second bedroom while Rachel went to the master with Goldie at her feet. She tried on the jeans and blouses and decided that they fit well enough to wear and not be embarrassed. By the time she crawled under the covers, Goldie was nestled snuggly at her feet. She just smiled.

There was a knock at the door and she said "Come in."

Instead, he just spoke through the door. "I forgot to tell you that Goldie likes to sleep on the foot of the bed. If you want, I'll come get her or you can just push her out."

"She's fine. My little guy sleeps with me too; so I don't have a problem with her being here."

"Suit yourself. She'll probably get up when I do and go out to the garden with me. I'll let her out if you don't mind."

"Do what you need to do and don't worry about me." She smiled at his innocent thoughtfulness. She laid her head on the pillow and was soon asleep.

She partially woke up at one point and was aware of a voice whispering "Goldie" but total awareness eluded her and she went back to sleep. She was aware that the warm body at her feet rolled over and remained still. She heard the door click shut and then awareness left her again. Sometime later, she woke again when a warm and wet tongue rolled across her cheek. She was instantly awake and her eyes focused on the source of the tongue. A smile crossed her face as she was aware that the tongue was attached to a pretty golden face with a smile greeting her.

She stretched and looked at the clock on the bedside table. It read 4:45 and she remembered Chet's schedule from the night before. She rose and slipped into the bathroom to dress in a pair of the jeans and a blouse. Then she led a happy Goldie out the front door where the dog immediately found a suitable plot of ground to take care of her morning needs and then began walking away. She stopped and looked back at Rachel to see if she was coming too. Rachel took the hint and followed as Goldie expected she would.

They were walking down a path through a stand of trees when Rachel saw a ray of artificial light shining in front of them. A few more steps and they left the trees and she stood at the rustic fence of a beautifully laid out garden. Rachel couldn't see Chet but Goldie had no problem determining his location because of her much more sensitive nose. She disappeared down a row and suddenly Chet stood up about thirty feet in front of her.

"Good morning. I hope you slept well. There is a pot of coffee and a cup over on the table to your right."

"Thanks; I slept marvelously." She walked over to the table and found a regular coffee pot sitting there with a red light shining but the power cord only went a few feet to an odd looking box. There was also a radio playing classical music sitting on the table. On a cart nearby, four boxes containing lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables stood ready to be pulled back to the house.

She took her cup and walked to where he was again stooped over. "What are you digging?"

"Carrots, radishes, and then I am going to get some onions and garlic from the shed and that will be it for today."

"That sounds like a nice harvest for the day."

"You never know how many people will come to market so sometimes you sell out and sometimes you bring some of it home again. I take a mixed load of fresh stuff and try to sell it all. A number of people come to me first and then go other places if I don't have what they want. You spoiled Goldie, by the way. Normally she wakes me up on market days. Today, she wanted to be lazy; that or your feet smell better than mine do." He grinned at her.

She blushed, "Well she woke me up with a wet tongue and then led me out here like she knew what she was doing."

"That's Goldie; always the perfect hostess. Here, carry these over and put them in the empty box while I go get the onions and garlic."

Rachel carried the basket of produce to the table and watched as he carried an empty basket to a garden shed in one corner. Several minutes later he came back to the table with an almost full basket of onions and garlic. He was smiling as he returned to the table and set the basket on the cart.

"That ought to be enough for today. Are you ready?"

"Yes." They started walking back down the path with Goldie in the lead at her usual pace.

Rachel asked, "You didn't dig the onions or garlic. Why not?"

"I dug the onions three days ago and left them in the sun to cure which basically means to let the outer skin dry. With garlic, you need to let them cure about three weeks but out of the sun. So I use my covered shed to cure them in the rafters."

When they reached the house, Chet took the boxes and baskets and set them near an outdoor sink. "After breakfast, I'll come out and wash and clean them up before I put them in the truck." He took one tomato inside and washed it before he sliced it into quarters. He handed her a slice along with a napkin. "Try this and see how you like it. This is the first year I have grown this variety and most people seem to like it."

Rachel took the slice and licked the moist surface first and then bit half of it and began to chew it. "Oh wow, this is so full of flavor; I've never tasted one like this before."

"That is the real beauty of growing your own vegetables. For example, if you look in the seed catalogs there are over one hundred different varieties of tomatoes out there. Some are yellow, pink, round, thin, purple and everything else. And most of them have a unique and fresh flavor. The ones you get in the grocery store are usually one or two varieties that were bred to be round, red, and ship and store well. Flavor is not one of the primary breeding traits. Some people at the farmer's market grow specialized fruit like this and they can make your salad or sandwich really special. You can try about a dozen different ones at the market later if you want. Now, are you up for a bacon, eggs, biscuit and gravy breakfast or do you want something simpler?"

She grinned, "I might hate myself later but you are the cook; do the full spread."

"You asked for it. Why don't you refill our coffee cups while I get started." She refilled the coffee cups and sat and watched as he carefully but confidently followed through a routine that would allow all of the pieces to be ready at the same time. She was surprised that he baked the bacon in the oven rather than frying it in a skillet.

When everything was ready, Chet put them on the stove and handed her a plate. "Ladies first."

Rachel put several slices of bacon on her plate but wondered what the rest of it was for. He had baked almost the whole pound of bacon. Likewise, after she took her eggs, there appeared to be more than they would eat. She took two biscuits but wasn't sure of what to do with the gravy.

"You've never had biscuits and gravy, have you?" He asked pleasantly.

"No, I guess not. I have had biscuits and I have had gravy but..."

"Let me show you." He took two biscuits and opened them and then put a pat of butter on them. Finally he covered them with the thick gravy. "They are a hangover from the depression. People didn't have much but they had flour to make biscuits and a little salt pork or sausage. So they made gravy to spread the fat and protein around. People still make it and it is frequently served at every breakfast in homes around here. Sort of a tradition."

Rachel followed his lead and soon had her plate complete. He continued, "Today, people put this breakfast down as too much fat, too many carbs, and too much of everything else. But the truth is that working the land is not easy and you burn up a lot of calories. If this is the biggest meal for the day, it has all of what you need to get through the day. Soup for lunch and some vegetables for dinner was often the only other things you had during the day. But breakfast got you off with plenty of energy and stamina for the work you had to do."

"That makes sense. I just never knew about this tradition." She replied.

"Most people don't have a clue what the background of any of the food they eat is all about. Basically all cuisines were based on simple and available ingredients and were easy to prepare. The more sophisticated dishes were developed later when there were more choices and more time to fix a meal."

"Oh, this is really tasty. Do you have this every day?"

"No. I only do a big breakfast like this about once a week, usually before the Saturday market. I won't have lunch until mid-afternoon and it will probably be light. Tonight will be simple too. But this will be enough to get me through the day."

"You made a lot more than we will eat. Do you save it?"

"Not hardly. If you look over your shoulder, you will notice that Goldie is watching you very closely. She gets most of the leftovers and gets to clean the plates. She hopes that you won't like it and leave most of it on your plate."

Rachel turned to Goldie, "Don't hold your breath, baby; this is too good to waste." Goldie looked back at her but her expression didn't change. She would be happy with whatever came her way.

When breakfast was over, Chet put the extra eggs and some of the gravy on his plate and set it on the floor. Goldie was all over it in a moment. He also put Rachel's plate next to his. "I don't give her all of the gravy; it kind of upsets her stomach and the rest of the bacon I will crumble and put in the refrigerator for baked potatoes and salads."

"You sound like a prudent man."

"You have to do what you have to do." He shrugged. "I'm going to go wash the produce. It will take about an hour and then it will be time to leave."

"And if I help you, it will take half the time and we don't have to rush."

Chet smiled, "You are welcome to help if you want but there won't be a rush either way."

"Good; then I'll help." They went outside to the sink and table while Goldie remained inside enjoying her morning meal.

Chet took a case of small baskets from underneath the table and pulled out about 50. "I'll wash the tomatoes. If you will dry them, put them in these boxes; three big ones or four medium sized ones. That will be about a pound and a half to two pounds." She nodded and picked up a clean towel.

Forty five minutes later, all of the produce had been cleaned, put in individual baskets, and put back into crates but no more than two layers deep. Chet then loaded all of the crates into the bed of his truck along with a canopy tent and two tables. When he finished, Chet went in and took a shower while Rachel washed her hands in the kitchen sink.

The drive to the town where the market was located was thirty minutes away and they each took a cup of coffee for the road as they drove. Rachel asked a myriad of questions about the market and what to expect. He explained that there were three lots involved; one had produce and plants, the second was for handicrafts while the third was more or less a flea market. She decided to look over all three and then help Chet for the rest of the day.

The canopy tent went up quickly and Chet effortlessly laid out the tables and displayed his offering along with several signs about his produce. Rachel was impressed with the fluid efficiency and confidence he demonstrated as he worked. She wondered how he would act outside of his comfort zone in the country.

Several of the regular vendors came by to greet Chet and he graciously introduced all of them to Rachel. The smiles and glints in their eyes made it clear that she was a welcome addition to the market family. Shortly after that, the early arrivals for market began wandering around and everyone dispersed to their booths. Rachel stayed with him for awhile and watched as several regulars came up and asked about his offerings today. He explained things and they bought several of the small baskets as she listened to the process. When it slowed for a minute, Chet suggested that she wander and take a look around and then if she wanted to take the truck, she could explore farther away. She smiled and said that she would be back soon. He lost sight of her as another group stopped by.

With the weather cooperating by staying cool but clear, the market had a good turn out that morning. By eleven, he was beginning to wish that he had brought another box or two of the tomatoes and peppers. But things slowed down as people started wandering off for lunch. During this lull, Rachel came back with a full load of things in her arms. She obviously had been to the flea market and handicraft areas. Chet grinned at her and she grinned back as he opened the back seat to the truck and helped her stow her new found treasures there.

"I take it that you had fun." He asked.

"Oh yes. I met this wonderful woman who hand weaves the most beautiful fabric. I bought three of her scarves. Then I found a guy who makes jewelry out of junk. I now have a necklace made out of polished antique nails. I will be the first girl in town walking around town with antique spikes around her neck."

"I thought that a lot of people, girls and guys, walked around LaLa land with spikes around their necks." He replied sarcastically. That earned him a jab in the arm.

"Turd. Those are the folks into BDSM. This is totally different."

"BDSM? Isn't that the delicate art of beating the crap out of someone and pretending that it feels good?"

She grinned. "Something like that. Now what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to do anything you want to do except get the crap beat out of yourself and thinking that it feels good. I'm not into patching up beaten bodies and you definitely don't want to go to the emergency room here. You will come out of there looking and feeling worse than you entered." That got him a firmer jab in the arm. "I guess you are one of the hitters rather than one of the hittees, huh?"

"Oh hush. In spite of your wonderful breakfast, I'm getting a little hungry. Any suggestions?"

"Of course, I am full of suggestions. Go down to the end of that aisle over there and tell Juanita in the last booth that you want two chicken kebobs. Gnaw on one of those and bring me the other one. I should be sold out by about one and we will go to lunch then." He handed her a ten dollar bill. She stared at it like she had never seen a wadded up bill before. Then she took it before she wandered across the lot to the far aisle as another customer arrived and bought tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and some onions.

Rachel returned five minutes later chewing on a piece of chicken and carrying another charred stick for Chet. As she walked up she said, "That is the best damn chicken I have ever tasted. Do you know what her recipe is?"

"No; no one does. She just smiles at you and pretends that she doesn't speak English if you ask. I think that she marinates the chicken in tequila with some Mexican spices over night and then grills them for a long time. They look like they are charred but as you have discovered, the inside is very tender and wonderful."

Rachel sat on Chet's stool eating her kebob while he turned to help several more customers. Thirty minutes later, he was sold out and had to tell several people sorry. Then he began putting things back in the truck. She asked, "Are we leaving now?"

He looked around and found what he was waiting for. "We will go in about ten minutes after that older couple leaves." She looked around and saw several older couples.

He continued loading things until he heard the woman say, "Good Morning, Mr. McAdams. How are you today?"

"Hi Millie and John." The older man just nodded.

"It looks like we are too late to get some of your tomatoes today."

"Yes, I sold out today but I didn't forget you. I brought you these. They are left over from the last market but they still look good to me. So, take them and enjoy."

"How much do we owe you?"

"Millie, these are a couple of days old and I was just going to throw them out tomorrow. I can't take your money for that. Please take them."