by Chris Vaughn
Harvesting of tobacco was a fun time for the two young girls. Their daddies let them go to work and help as much as they could either carrying leaves that had been picked or they took water to the workers. Joy and Jackie never understood why, but Buddy Hand had found his finger that was cut off some weeks back at the pulpwood mill and had kept it. He never told anyone why he kept it, but everyone remembered what he did with it. For several weeks he kept it in his pocket and chased the young kids on the farm around threatening to touch them and see if it would come back to life. It may sound terrible to people now days, but in those days there wasn't much entertainment, and anything was better than nothing when a hot sun beats down on you from morning till night.
Those days of summer had come to a close and the work of bringing in and curing the tobacco crop had started to come to an end. Whether or not anyone has ever smoked, everyone should take a trip to a curing barn and smell the heaviness of tobacco leaf that has cured. Curing the tobacco took about a week after it was placed in the barn. The smell of a curing barn is thick and full, almost wet to the nose of someone walking in for the first time. In those days, there was as much an art of the curing process as the science of knowing what it took to make a barn full of tobacco ready for auction.
Buddy and Rudy worked together to keep the fires lit during the curing process. Once the fires were lit and the temperature brought up to curing, they had to be watched until the tobacco was fully cured. Too hot and it would be burnt and brittle; too low and it would be too wet and spoil. The two men prided themselves on the science of their work as much as the art. The wives brought meals and visited, but the men had their hands full making sure a full summer of work wasn't destroyed by an unwatchful eye. When they were done, both men and their families took a few days off to rest and make plans for the next round of planting and harvesting. Buddy and Rudy had decided to take their tobacco to auction together, and hopefully get a better price for a larger crop. They had decided to go to the auctions in Brunswick and for Buddy to handle the business. A white man would get a better price than a black sharecropper any day in these times.
The two men worked hard with a long trailer loading all the cured tobacco they could for this first trip. Buddy always liked using the first trip of an auction to scout out the price and if necessary go to a different part of the state for a better price. Buddy's truck and trailer were loaded down for the ninety-mile trip that Buddy had decided would be a nice overnight trip for him and Mary. Their one suitcase was loaded and in the bed of the truck. The wives kissed each other good bye, and the men talked business and what their plans would be if the tobacco prices were low.
"Clementine, you sure you don't mind?" Mary asked right after she had hugged Clementine again.
"Lord, Mary, Joy's done lived with us nearly half the summer and Jackie's lived with you half the summer." Clementine laughed with the deep laugh of a content and happy mother.
"We could just let the men stay here and keep the kids and me and you take this trip to Brunswick."
"Goodness, we'd come home to two dead men, and two hungry girls." Clementine and Mary walked over to the girls for Mary to continue her goodbyes and instructions to Joy.
"Now you mind Mrs. Fryar. You understand me, Joy?" Mary asked with sharpness in her voice.
"Yes, ma’am," Joy answered.
"And you eat everything on your plate."
"Yes, ma’am."
"And when she tells you to go bed at night, you go. Don't go talking and laughing all night."
"I will, Mama. You know we go to sleep."
"I know your daddy has to nearly threaten you with death to get you two to go to sleep," Mary said to Joy and then turned to Clementine, "and you tan her bottom if she gives you any trouble."
"Now, Mary, you know that won't be necessary."
"I know it better not be, ain't that right, young lady?" Mary asked Joy.
"Yes, ma’am."
"Well, give me one last kiss," Mary said.
Joy walked over for probably the sixth time to hug and kiss her mama good bye. Mary's kisses were long and although this was only for one night, Mary wasn't excited about being gone for the night.
"Come on, Mary, we need to get in the truck and get moving?" Buddy asked Mary.
"I'm coming, did you kiss and hug Joy?"
"Goodness, Mary, I've kissed the good off of the girl. Now let's get going."
"I'm just not sure if I should go."
"Mary, if you tell me about another dream by goodness I'll swear; Joy's lived over there all summer and it’s time for us to go. Now let's get in the truck."
Mary reluctantly got in the truck, and she and Buddy rode down the dirt drive to start their trip. Rudy & Clementine Fryar each held the hand of a little girl in the front yard of the Hand's house and each waved until the truck had gone from their sight.
"Well, ladies, let's us all go home. I'm sure you girls got some fun all planned out," Rudy said as the four turned and headed across the field to the Fryar's house. Late summer in Georgia was hot and with it right before lunch, the sun beat down on the four. The fields of tobacco had been harvested for the first time this season, and there would be more harvesting and even the family garden to be worked.
Joy had a little satchel that held her clothes and her favorite doll. Even though tonight wouldn't be much different from any other sleepover, Joy and Jackie were excited by the thought of it all. They had planned for this day as their fathers had planned for the selling of their tobacco. They were excited about their sleepover, and the parents were excited about cashing in on a tobacco crop.
"Well, Joy, you lookin' forward to tonight?"
"Yes ma’am," Joy said. By this time Joy and Jackie were holding hands and a few feet in front of Rudy and Clementine. Their laughs and giggles were full of plans and excitement. "It's gonna be fun, Mrs. Fryar. Tonight I get to sleep in Jackie's bed. Mama and Daddy have been making me sleep with them for a while now."
"Why is that child?"
"Daddy doesn't like it when the chair falls over. It doesn’t bother me though."
Clementine look out of the corner of her eye at her husband and whispered, "Jesus. Jesus. Jesus."
Chapter 12
Joy considered Jackie's daddy, Rudy, to be a carbon copy of her daddy. Rudy Fryar, Mr. Fryar to Joy, was out of the house early before the girls or Clementine woke the next morning. When Clementine woke to get an early start on breakfast, she looked and saw that Rudy was up and gone. This morning he had two sets of chores to take care of, his and the Hands'. Cows to milk, animals to feed, eggs to be gathered, work and more work; the usual business of a country farm.
Clementine walked into the kitchen to start the morning breakfast when she saw the note on the table.
Gone to take care of our chores and then check on the Hands' place. Be home around 10:30 for a late breakfast. Daddy
Clementine sighed with the thought that she wouldn't have to hurry with breakfast and was thankful for the early morning break she knew she would have. She walked over and checked her refrigerator and saw that the morning eggs had been put in the basket. She wouldn't have to go out and fight for the eggs from the hens this morning.
"Rudy, you are a good man." Clementine looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was 7:30. With a three-hour break before Rudy came home, she figured she may have time for some alone time with some quiet. She walked over to grind some coffee beans in the old mill grinder on the counter, and started to work on a pot of coffee when she glanced up and noticed that Rudy had already made a pot of coffee. "Rudy, you are good to me today." She poured herself a cup of the black coffee and then put some cream in it; after getting it to the right color, she poured some of it in the saucer to cool. Taking advantage of the quiet, she grabbed the Good Book, and found her favorite Psalms and read a passage.
The Lord is My Shepherd I shall not want... yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil... thou preparest a tab
le before me in the presence of mine enemies... I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Clementine sat back, enjoyed her coffee, and hummed a hymn to herself.
Rudy had been going since early in the morning and walked through the field in the slow moving sunrise to go and attend to the chores of the Hand place. In the far distance of the field, he could see the outlines barely visible in the rising sun of the barn and the house. The route he took was longer, but he walked through the fields just to take a look at the tobacco and talked to himself about the math as to how much more tobacco they could continue to harvest and cure. There would be tobacco beetles to remove from the plants as those pests could eat a leaf a day if they were left to it, but that was a chore of watching that was required every day, all day, and never stopped; but not this day. As he took his time in the fields, he threw his knapsack over his shoulder with his coffee thermos to stop and look at the Hand House. There was a light on the in the upstairs room of the house, the only upstairs room of the house.
Rudy wasn't a superstitious man, but had told Clementine he didn't like the thought of being in the Hand house without the Hands, not out of insult to the Hands, but out the knowledge of the stories of what had happened in the house. With the Hands present, he had never let anyone know his hesitation except Clementine. As his steps drew him still closer, he looked and could see the lights on in the kitchen too.
"No, I know those lights were off when we all left last night, now maybe I left that kitchen light on, but I know that upstairs light was off. Maybe not." Rudy said out loud to himself. "Well I guess they left that on, and we didn't notice it... it was daylight when they left and we left. I'll turn 'em off." Rudy never considered checking to see if he had a key as in these days, doors out in the country were never locked. There was no need to lock them, this was Chester, Georgia, and rural South Georgia and at that time, crime was a thing of the big cities like Savannah or Atlanta.
The barn was locked with the wooden hold that kept the doors shut, and when Rudy got to the barn, the sun was beginning to shine a fuller light on the ground. His time had worked out well, and while the sun didn't fully illuminate the inside of the barn it did light it up enough for his early morning eyes.
He hung his knapsack on a nail on the outside of the barn and went to work. He found a spare basket and made quick work on gathering the eggs to the usual cackles of dissent from the hens and the crows of the rooster. He set those aside, and went to work milking the cow. Cows had to be milked every day, and even though the Hands may not drink it, he would milk the cow. The Hands will get home late tonight probably so I'll just put this aside and take this home. I'll pay Buddy for the milk. Old fool won't take it though, but neither would I. Rudy laughed at his own humor and continued the milking to the sounds of the milk hitting the pail.
When he finished, Rudy put a lid on the pail, cleaned the stalls, fed the animals and chickens, then spent as much time as he could putting it off before he knew he'd have to go inside the Hand house. He looked for anything else he could find to tidy up and clean, but when he found none, he dusted his hands knocked his boots off, and headed for the house.
He gathered the milk and eggs and set them under his knapsack at the front of the barn. He paused to look at his watch and saw that it was around 9:45. He was making good time as he worked, but couldn't put off the inevitable job of turning those lights off.
I wouldn't want my lights burning. Rudy walked to the back door and took a moment to untie his boots so that when he walked into the house, he could step out of his boots. Farmers were more afraid of bringing manure in the house and making a wife mad as much as anything. After loosening his boots, he turned the knob and the tumblers on the old door turned, but door was locked. He peered in and turned to look around but the only sight he saw was the barn in the background. He mumbled to himself something and walked slowly towards the front door; he walked slowly so he wouldn't step out of his boots. When we got to the steps he stepped out of his boots and walked up the steps and turned that door's knob. It was locked too.
Well, I guess Buddy and Mary left it locked up, and those lights on. He looked and saw his knapsack the eggs and milk sitting there needing to be put in the Hands' refrigerator. Stepping in his socks back down the steps, he put his boots back on and tied them taking his time. Since he had a moment, and a nice walk ahead of him, he pulled his pipe out of his front pocket of his coveralls and filled it with Prince Albert. He lit the pipe and took a couple of puffs and headed back to the barn. He paused a moment to drink what was left of his coffee straight from the thermos and when he finished what was left of his coffee he gathered his knapsack around his shoulder and put the basket of eggs under his arm and grabbed the pail of milk with the other. He headed back towards home and looked towards the fields around the back of the barn.
As Rudy cleared the side of the barn the sun was high enough in the sky to shine on the fields before him with the sun that would grow a crop, "Gonna be a nice day..." He turned to his left at the sound of something but never heard the sound that knocked him out. Nine eggs cracked and a pail of milk splattered on the ground as Rudy Fryar lay unconscious on the ground, as blood flowed from the side of his head.
"Girls what y’all doing?" Clementine yelled down the hall.
"We're just playin', Mama." Jackie yelled back.
"Girl, don't you yell at me down the hall, get in here."
Jackie's and Joy's eyes met and they knew that tone of voice from Clementine. They both stood and walked towards the kitchen with only Jackie walking all the way in as Joy stood just outside the door.
"What y’all doin', girl?"
"Mama, we just playin'," Jackie said sheepishly. "Are we in trouble?"
"No, I want y’all to go over to Joy's house and check on Daddy. He's supposed to be home by 10:30 and it’s done gotten to be after 11:15 and his breakfast is cold, and now it’s time for lunch. He's gonna eat a cold breakfast for lunch if he don't hurry up and get home. Yall two get over there and tell him to come on and eat."
"Yes, Mama," Jackie said to her mama. Jackie and Joy headed off out the house on the mission to get Daddy for dinner. None of them thought anything about the tardiness of Rudy as all farmers were of necessity workaholics who would let time get away from them.
"Dear Lord, here I have worked to make a breakfast and he's caught up working, or probably talking to someone who showed up at the Hands' house." Clementine looked up at the clock again. Clementine went back to quoting the Psalms and singing, "Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death...." Her singing and thoughts were interrupted by the three rings of her party line phone.
Joy and Jackie headed off to the Hands' house down a long dirt road that had begun to hold the heat of the day.
Chapter 13
"Clementine is that you?" Mary asked over the telephone receiver.
Buddy couldn't hear anything from where he stood but kept trying to reason with Mary. "Mary, we just finished at the auction, let's get some dinner, enjoy ourselves and then head back."
Mary glanced a look at him that could kill someone and placed her hand over the mouthpiece of the payphone. "Hush, Buddy. You fuss about the long distance, and now you won't let me talk to Clementine."
"You and your blessed dreams. The light was on in that room. Hell's bells, Mary...."
"Yes, Clementine, are yall all right? The girls okay... They just now went to go get Rudy... well we'll be home as soon as we can. Love you too.... Bye bye." Mary hung up the phone.
"Buddy, I wish you'd hush. I don't ask for much do I?"
"No... I...."
"I haven't asked for anything on this trip have I?" Mary's tone was firm and hard.
"No... I...."
"Then hush and do this for me. Get us back home. I want to check on my house, such as it is. Is that too much to ask?"
Buddy knew when he was beat and walked to the front of the auction barn and started to wrap up their business. Mary didn
't waste any time nor did she wait for Buddy, but had her tobacco twine crochet in her hands and headed for the truck. Buddy had heard all morning about the dream of the light on in the upstairs room and the chair that moved or fell over; he had argued over and over that he knew that the lights were off or there wasn't a fire in the house. On his way out of the auction, he bought two bottles of cold Coca-Cola for him and Mary, as a peace offering.
"Mary, I don't know why you get so worked up...."
"Buddy, I'm not arguing with you, just put this truck in gear and get moving home."
"I know those lights are out. Don't be afraid of another fire, Mary," Buddy said.
"I ain't afraid of a fire, but something ain't right. You know my dreams."
"God knows, Mary, we all know your dreams." Buddy cranked the truck and pulled onto the highway for the ride to the house. He tried to catch a smile from Mary as he checked the rear view mirror and headed the truck back towards home.
"Don't make fun of me."
"Just sit back and relax. Everything is okay." Buddy worked with the radio to put some static in the air to drown out the harsh silence of Mary.
"You just drive, Buddy, and don't stop. I want to get home. I never should have left with you."
"Goodness, Mary, we haven't had a night alone together out of town in what seems like a life time, and with Joy sleeping in the bed, we haven't had an opportunity to do anything." Buddy took his right hand off the gearshift and tried to pat Mary's leg; she instantly pushed it off.
"Last night may have to do you for some time, making fun of me this morning and my dream. I know it can be silly to you, Buddy, but I got a bad feelin' about this. Something ain't right." Mary took his hand that was on the seat and placed it back on the gearshift.
"Yes, mam." Buddy answered her like he was talking to his own mother, with the tone of little boy that knew his place, as he apologized and offered a peace offering for pushing her too far.