Moonshine, Coal, and Hope

by Richard Allen Evans

  “Well, I ain’t done nothin’ yet. We likely won’t see any change one way or ‘til mornin’ if everything goes like it did on the ship,” John said.

  Ed nodded and had another sip of coffee.

  “You get to be a doctor, whaddya plannin’ on doing after that? I mean, where you gonna live?” He asked.

  “To tell you truth, I don’t rightly know. Hadn’t thought that far ahead,” John said.

  “Maybe you could come back here; get a place in Silver Point and help the folks here. Lord knows we need a decent doctor ‘round here,” Ed said.

  “I need to get through college and medical school first. And that ain’t gonna be easy,” John said.

  “I think you’ll make it John. I think you’re gonna do fine,” Ed said.

  “Here’s hopin’,” John said as he raised his cup.

  Somewhere around three in the morning, Ed dozed off in the kitchen chair leaned back against the wall. John simply placed his head on the kitchen table and fell asleep at about four o’clock.

  At daylight, Mae ran into the kitchen to shake John awake.

  “Come in the bedroom! Daddy needs you!” She said as John and Ed both bolted upright and headed for the bedroom.

  There they found Elmer sitting up in the bed, sweat pouring off of him.

  “I think the fever broke,” Elmer said.

  John nodded.

  “Looks that way. How are you feeling otherwise?” He asked.

  “Still feel weak but a whole lot better,” Elmer said.

  Ed smiled.

  “You gonna be alright. That’s how it happened with me. It’ll take a few days ‘fore you ready to get up and get out but that’s alright,” he said.

  “Thank you John,” Mae said through bloodshot and dark ringed eyes.

  “I don’t know how much I did. I think a lot of it was Elmer’s own body doin’ the work. But just in case, I want you to take a couple of more of these here pills,” John said and then he looked to Mae. “And I’d say you need to get a few hours’ sleep.”

  “Go ahead. I got some sleep last night,” Ed said.

  “You know, I think I could eat a bite,” Elmer said.

  “I can fry up some eggs and ham with some biscuits and red eye gravy,” Mae said.

  “Just a couple eggs and biscuits for Elmer until his body starts getting used to solid food,” John said.

  “Get to it girl. I know they’re starvin’,” Elmer said.

  “Remember what I said about gettin’ some sleep,” John said.

  “I will. Right after breakfast,” Mae promised.

  “Ed, fetch my leather case out of the closet,” Elmer said as Ed turned and went to the closet. He returned with a large leather bag — it was actually one half of an old set of saddlebags. Elmer rifled through the bag and came out with two twenty dollar bills and a ten. He handed it John.

  “Reckon ten dollars is enough?” Elmer asked John.

  “Elmer, you ain’t gotta pay me. I didn’t come over here to help you for money,” John said.

  “No, but I’m payin’ you just the same. Now take it,” Elmer said.

  “That’s way too much. A real doctor wouldn’t ask anywhere near that much,” John argued.

  “No, a real doctor would’ve let me die. You earned every penny — take the money son,” Elmer said.

  “It might help you when you get to Crystal Springs,” Ed said as John reluctantly took the cash.

  ***

  Three days later Bob woke up on Sunday morning to get ready for breakfast. He walked to the outhouse and relieved his bladder. On his way back to the house he saw John standing on the porch rolling a cigarette.

  “Cold this mornin’,” Bob said as he stepped up on the porch.

  “Look at them clouds. Bound to snow,” John said.

  “Them’s snow clouds alright,” Bob agreed.

  “I want to talk to you ‘bout somethin,” John said as he took one of the cane— bottom chairs on the porch.

  Bob sat down on the porch and leaned back against a porch post.

  “What is it John?” He asked.

  “I don’t know how long it’ll take me to get through school but I wanted to ask you if you’d do somethin’ for me,” John said.

  “I reckon I will. What is it?” Bob asked.

  “If I can find a way to pay for it, I want you to come to Crystal Springs and start school,” John said as he took a puff of his cigarette.

  “Start school? What would I do in school?” Bob asked.

  “Well, you could learn for one thing,” John said.

  “Learn what? I don’t know nothin’ but diggin’ coal,” Bob said.

  “Don’t know, but anything would have more future than minin’, I know that much,” John said.

  Bob sat silently for a couple of seconds.

  “I don’t know that I’m smart enough for somethin’ like that,” Bob said.

  “Bullshit. You’re plenty smart enough. Besides, you want to spend your last years coughin’ up a lifetime of coal dust, always wonderin’ what would’ve happened if you’d went to school?” John asked.

  “But what about the farm?” Bob asked.

  “What about it? Matthew and Charlene’ll take of the home place. ‘Sides, it’s gonna be a year or two before I’ll have enough saved,” John said.

  Bob nodded.

  “Know when you’ll be back home?” He asked.

  “Not really but I’ll come back for a day or two as quick as I can, when I can. I it ain’t that far away,” John said.

  “I’ll think on it,” Bob said.

  John nodded and blew out a puff of smoke.

  “You do that,” John said.

  CHAPTER TWO

  As June slipped from spring to summer, Mae found herself sitting near a moonshine still deep inside the hills of Hickory Mountain.

  “That might be the damnedest plan I ever heared of in my life,” Elmer said with a chuckle as he sat on a stump and watched the fire cook the contents of the liquid inside the still.

  “You really think it’ll work?” Mae asked.

  “Yeah, yeah I do. We got the jars and the white wash. It’ll work. Take a look,” he said as he held up painted jar.

  Elmer laughed.

  “Never thought I’d ever be a dairy farmer,” he said.

  “Which reminds me, we need to get a couple of milk cows just to make things look right. ‘Sides, wouldn’t hurt to have fresh butter to sell with the jars of fresh milk we’ll peddle in the camps,” Ed said.

  “You plan on selling real milk too?” Mae asked.

  “Might as well. Money’s money if we get from selling milk or selling ‘shine,” Ed said.

  “You got anybody lined up to help out?” Elmer asked.

  “Hill Dunlap. He’s a good feller and a hell of a fighter if it comes to it,” Ed said.

  “You trust him?” Elmer asked.

  “Yep. I know I can trust him. We pulled each other’s asses out of slings too many times during the war,” Ed said.

  “Good. When do you want to start?” Elmer asked.

  “We’ll hit the camps on the next payday. I’ll head across the mountain to Davisburg and head on over to Pruden. Mae can take Newman — she knows as many people there as I do. Hill can go

  with her. I don’t think she’ll get any trouble but just in case, he’ll be along,” Ed said.

  “Sounds like you got it worked out,” Elmer said as he rolled a cigarette.

  “I got a plan Uncle Elmer. We’re gonna grow as quick as we can. I want to hit the camps in Fuson County and Harlan County too — even Whitley County. If this prohibition bullshit becomes law, they’s a ton of money to be made selling liquor. I aim for us to get rich,” Ed said.

  “You do that, we’ll need more help and more stills,” Elmer said.

  “I already thought about that. While you was recoverin’ from the flu I was out walkin’ the mountains. I made a map of the best places to hide a still here and in Fuson County. Me an’
Hill’s been talkin’ to some of the boys we was with in France. We’ll have the help when we need it,” Ed said.

  ***

  John walked into the office of Dr. Carter “Cat” Banks, which sat on Main Street across from the front of the Fuson County Courthouse.

  Victoria Banks, the doctor’s wife and nurse, sat at the desk in the front. She was a short, heavy woman with salt and pepper hair. Victoria had a gentle smile and kind eyes but was as tough as nails when the situation called for it.

  “Why come in John and get a seat. Cat’s with Mrs. Johnson right now. He’ll be out in a few minutes,” she said.

  John nodded with a smile and sat down.

  “Looks like he don’t have a lot goin’ on today,” he said.

  “Not too bad. He had a couple of house calls this morning. Of course one of them was the mayor and you’ve been here long enough to know how he is. Treat him for a cold and wants to make sure his leg isn’t broke. Poor man looks for any reason to be sick,” Victoria said.

  “I’ve noticed that. Makes you wonder if he likes bein’ sick,” John said.

  “Or if he likes being sick enough to not have to work,” she said.

  The door opened from the examination room and a very pregnant Mrs. Johnson stepped out followed by the doctor.

  “That baby’ll get here when it feels like it Mary. I wouldn’t worry about it. Just go on home and get some rest. Tell Frank I’ll see him at church Sunday — if not before,” the doctor said.

  John studied his mentor.

  Cat Carter was 5’7 and weighed at least two hundred and ten pounds. His hair was silver and wire rimmed glasses framed his youthful looking green eyes — despite being fifty—five years old.

  “John, my boy! I understand classes are over for the semester,” Cat said as soon as Mrs. Johnson walked away.

  “Yes sir. Took my last final this mornin’,” John said as Cat took a seat next to him.

  “Tell me, you have anything planned for the summer — a job maybe?” Cat asked.

  “I figured I’d go back to Maple Creek and see what I could find until school starts back in September,” John said.

  “You like it here in Crystal Springs?” Cat asked.

  “Yes sir, I like it just fine,” John said.

  “Would you like to stay here this summer?” Cat asked.

  “Yeah, I reckon I would but since the college won’t be open I don’t have a place to stay,” John said.

  Cat listened and nodded.

  “John, I want to offer you a job. Dr. Mitchell was right — doctorin’ comes natural to you. You could help me out a bunch,” Cat said.

  “Like the mayor?” John asked with a half—grin.

  “Exactly,” Cat answered. “And if you’ll take the job, I can guarantee you room and board at my house. You know Victoria’s an excellent cook.”

  “I’ll take the job. Thank you for the opportunity,” John said.

  “You’re helping me out. And besides, this will only make you a better doctor down the road,” Cat hesitated. “There is something else I want to talk to you about.”

  “Yes sir?” John asked.

  “I think you’re ready to get licensed through the county court clerk’s office. I want you and me to walk over to the courthouse and take care of it right now,” Cat said.

  “You really think I’m ready?” John asked.

  “You still need to finish at least one year of medical school but yeah, I figure you can handle anything but surgery — and there’s probably some of that you could do if you had to. You got training on the battlefield in France that no medical school could ever give you,” Cat said as he rubbed the back of his own neck with his right hand.

  John looked down at the floor and kind of shuffled one foot.

  “I appreciate it Doc, I really do. It’s, uh...,” he groped for the right words.

  “Don’t worry about the license fee. I’m bringing in a new physician to the practice. The least I can do is spend two dollars for his license,” Cat said with a smile.

  “Doc...I don’t know what to say,” John said.

  Victoria stood and walked around the little desk to John and placed her hands on his shoulders.

  “Now you hush up. That’s a piddling amount to pay to get another good doctor for the people in these mountains,” she said.

  “Consider it an early graduation present,” Cat said.

  John just nodded and the two of them walked toward the door.

  “If anybody comes in Vick, I’ll be back in a few minutes. Just take their temperature and tell’em to take their clothes off and wait. Or if you feel like it, tell’em to take their clothes and then take their temperature — don’t really matter to me,” Cat said.

  Less than five minutes later Fuson County Court Clerk Edgar Snow stamped the county seal on an official medical license.

  “You probably did good to get this now. I hear there’s talk in the General Assembly that they’re gonna change the law and not let counties issue medical licenses anymore. Bunch of folks up in Frankfort want the state to issue’em from now on,” Snow said.

  “That might be for the best. We got too many incompetent men acting like doctors now. We need more young men like John here,” Cat said.

  Snow smiled.

  “Congratulations Dr. Fulton,” Snow said as he extended his hand.

  John smiled softly and shook his hand as Cat slapped him on the back.

  “How does it feel Doc?” Cat asked.

  “Pretty good,” John said as his grin widened.

  “Good. Now let’s get back to the office and go to work. I’m sure the mayor is working on a new malady even as we speak,” Cat said as Snow snorted in appreciation.

  “Ain’t no cure for drag ass,” the clerk said.

  ***

  Bob continued to work in the mine. Walking every morning from his home on Maple Creek to the mine at Newton and then back every night. He tried to save money when he could, but no matter how much he worked, he never seemed to be able to put as much back as he wanted.

  John was now doctoring in Crystal Springs and doing well enough to make a living while finishing college. Bob was happy for his big brother but troubled over the way things were going in his life.

  He had a job — and a respectable one at that — even if it left him bone tired and perpetually broke. Things weren’t all bad though. Upon his most recent visit, John left another batch of books for Bob to read. He went through each book several times. He enjoyed American Literature as well as all books on political theory and U.S. History.

  Slowly but surely, Bob was growing more and more educated — informal learning, but learning nonetheless.

  He was lost in thought and about halfway home, he noticed a movement ahead in the deepening twilight. As he got closer, he saw who it was. Sixteen—year old Daisy Colford and her younger sister Millie. Daisy was a slim girl with a pretty face, long dark hair, and bright blue eyes. She carried a canvas bag.

  Millie was shorter and rail thin with red hair and green eyes.

  The movement behind them startled them.

  “You ain’t no reason to be scared. It’s just me,” he said.

  “Bob Fulton! I couldn’t see you for the all of the coal dust,” Daisy said.

  “Goes with the job I reckon. What are you all doin’ out this time of night?” Bob asked.

  “We’re goin’ to Aunt Sudie’s. We’re gonna help her with her cannin’ this week,” Daisy said, holding the bag up.

  Bob walked along with them.

  “What are you cannin’?” He asked as he took the bag. She let him carry it.

  “Green beans, okree, pickles, ‘maters — just about anything you can think of,” Millie said.

  “Sounds like a lot of work,” Bob said.

  “It’s not so bad. Aunt Sudie makes it fun,” Daisy said.

  “And she always makes blackberry cobbler,” Millie said.

  Bob just smiled and nodded.

  “Heard a
bout John goin’ off to be a doctor. You must proud,” Daisy said.

  “He’s done real good in Crystal Springs. He stays so busy I don’t get to see him real often,” Bob said.

  Daisy hesitated as Millie walked a few steps ahead of them. Bob stopped too.

  “Daddy’s gonna be makin’ molasses in about three weeks. We’ll have a big stir off on the last night. You’re more than welcome...and so are Matthew and Charlene,” Daisy quickly added.

  “Sounds fun,” Bob said, his smile highlighted in the darkness by his coal dust—covered face. “I’ll let them know.”

  “Do that. We’d love to have you all over,” she said quietly.

  “Will you all be going to church Sunday from your Aunt Sudie’s?” Bob asked as they started walking again.

  “I reckon so. We won’t be missin’, I know that. Daddy would cut a switch if we did,” Daisy said.

  Bob nodded and looked off for a couple of seconds.

  “You reckon it’d be alright if I was to walk you to church Sunday mornin’?” He asked.

  She smiled.

  “I think it’d be alright but I need to ask Aunt Sudie first. She’d stripe my legs quick as daddy would,” Daisy said.

  “How ‘bout I walk by there Sunday mornin’ and if it ain’t alright with her, you just wave me on and I’ll keep walkin’?” Bob asked.

  “Okay, I’ll do that,” she said.

  “You need to hurry Daisy. You know how Aunt Sudie is about going to bed late,” Millie yelled back to her.

  “Lord, it’s almost seven o’clock!” Daisy exclaimed. She took the bag from Bob. “We do need to hurry on up.”

  “I reckon I’ll be by Sunday mornin’,” he said.

  “I’ll see you then,” Daisy said as she rushed to catch up to Millie.

  ***

  “Whooo son! Look at all that money!” Elmer said as he stared at the stacks of cash on the kitchen table in front of Ed.

  “That’s what two thousand dollars looks like,” Ed said as Elmer grinned.

  “And you’ve already paid Hill and the boys?” Elmer asked.

  “I’ve paid them and set aside money for parts for three new stills,” Ed said.

  “Set aside money for more corn, sugar, and yeast?” Elmer asked.

  “For sugar, yeast, and whitewash. We can swap shine for all the corn we’ll need,” Ed said.