Percy's Mission

by Jerry D. Young

  Percy took the team and wagon back to the estate rather early. He wanted to see the news. A report he’d heard when he was getting ready for the dedication had him worried again. There’d been nothing on the satellite radio news station, but it had sounded serious.

  It was. When the wagon and horses were put away, Percy hurried into the house to check the news. It was India and Pakistan again. The skirmishes had not been going well for Pakistan. They had issued an ultimatum for India to withdraw from the border area and resume talks to resolve the issue. So far, India had not responded to the implied threat of the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict.

  Mattie, Susie, and Sara showed up a few minutes later. Percy was already back outside, checking the estate’s state of preparation. The city TV station was forecasting severe thunderstorms for that evening and night. This was the first chance of heavy rains since early spring and Percy wanted the gates open on the irrigation canals to collect all the rainwater in the system that he could. The pond was almost empty. They’d used the wells the last time the fields needed irrigation.

  “Are you all right?” Sara asked Percy when he came back into the house, her hand going to his upper arm, her eyes searching his face.

  He forced a smile. “You know I don’t like giving speeches like that. Come on, let’s cut that watermelon I’ve had on ice for two days. It should be a prizewinner. The crops are doing well this year, despite the drought conditions.”

  Sara could tell he wasn’t being completely open with her, but she let it pass. They’d become closer over the past few months. He’d open up to her fully one of these days.

  Concerned about the weather, Percy rushed Sara off back to the city early that afternoon. She had to work the next day. As always, now, he topped off the fuel tank of her car. Mattie and Susie drifted over to their cottage a bit earlier than planned when Percy went out to take care of the animals for the night after Sara left.

  “He’s worried about something, isn’t he?” Susie asked her mother as they entered the two-bedroom earth sheltered dome home they’d lived in since Susie was a baby.

  “Yes. Did you see anyone say anything to him at the dedication or the park?”

  Susie shook her head. “He seemed to be having a good time. I was a little surprised he came back as early as he did. He was having a good time giving rides to the kids with the team and wagon. Everybody loves those Clydesdales.”

  Mattie had turned the TV on when they entered the house. “Uh-oh,” she said softly. “I think I know what has him upset.” She motioned to the TV and turned up the sound with the remote.

  The two watched a similar report to that Percy had seen. They exchanged a look after the report was over. “I’m glad we live here on the estate, Mother,” Susie said. “I feel safe here. I never thought about it much those other times.”

  “Yeah,” Mattie said, pulling her daughter in for a hug like they hadn’t shared for a long time. “Me, too.”

  Before Percy turned in that evening, he checked the news channels again. Things didn’t look any better. He wracked his brain for additional preparations he could make. He couldn’t think of any. He was as prepared as he knew how, for whatever might come. “Natural or manmade,” he said aloud as he climbed into bed.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Calvin knew the proposal he’d but together for the bank was a good one. He should know. He looked at similar proposals nearly every day. It was part of his job at the bank where he worked. Of course, to avoid any chance of a conflict of interest, though he had an account at the bank where he worked, he went to the other bank he used for the loan. Knowing the banking system, he always kept two bank accounts. Each bank had to be under completely different ownership.

  He definitely knew how to put things in the best light, which he did, while keeping everything very straightforward and above board. It took only three days to get the initial okay from the initial loan officer, but it would have to go up a step, since the amount was large.

  Apparently his and Nan’s backgrounds checked out. So did the worth of the equipment. Nan told him that the bank had called and talked to Mr. Anderson for quite some time one day. The loan was approved and the money deposited in the account he kept in that bank. A few more days and the equipment was ordered.

  Since they would be using it mostly in town, and the road was marginal to their place, Calvin had it delivered to the Anderson equipment yard. The delivery driver unloaded the Bobcats, and then used the A300 to unload the attachments.

  The Unimog was delivered the very next day by another truck. The same procedure was used. The lift arms were already in place on the Unimog. The driver used it to unload the attachments he’d ordered with the truck. The other attachments showed up one at a time over the next few days.

  Mr. Anderson tried not to show his wonder at the equipment, but was not entirely successful as Calvin tried everything out the weekend after the major pieces had arrived. Everything worked as advertised. They used the A300 with backhoe to install a septic system for one of Mr. Anderson’s regular customers. The Toolcat was used to do the backfill work. The Unimog pulled the equipment trailer with the two Bobcats and associated equipment without a problem.

  The branch of the bank where Calvin worked was closed for the scheduled rolling blackout. Calvin took advantage of the weekday and he, Nan, and Mr. Anderson made some major improvements on the road, particularly the stretch from their house to the section on which the Calhoun’s would provide some maintenance.

  Calvin and Nan had talked it over and decided they didn’t want it too easy for people to get to their place. As long as the road was passable, that was all they wanted, at least on the county road end.

  Even though he’d used it only a few times, Mr. Anderson quickly mastered the A300 and the other two pieces of equipment. Nan had picked up the nuances quickly, as well. It was early afternoon when they called it quits and drove the equipment back to the house.

  “You did good, boy,” Mr. Anderson told Calvin as the parked the equipment. “You too, missy. We got more work done today… good work… than I could have done with my equipment in a week. You made a good choice.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Anderson,” replied Calvin. “I appreciate your help on this. Why don’t you call your wife and tell her that Nan and I are taking the two of you out for dinner in town.”

  “Well, that would be nice. Diner has fried catfish and hushpuppies as the special tonight. It’s always pretty good, considering how far we are from a good catfish river.”

  “That sounds just fine to us,” Nan replied. “We’ll meet you there, say about five?”

  “That’ll be good. Yep. You did good, boy.”

  With a wave Mr. Anderson climbed into his beat up old Dodge and headed back to town.

  Nan put her arms around Calvin’s neck and leaned in against him. “Going pretty good, I’d say,” she said. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “I certainly would. I knew intellectually how well things should work, but the last couple of weeks have been an eye opener. There is a huge amount of work available for the equipment. Things that Mr. Anderson never bothered to do since he didn’t have a good way to do them. There is going to be plenty of work to keep us busy, especially with the woodlot thinning business.”

  “Why don’t you put in for shorter hours now? I know we weren’t going to do that ‘til next spring, but with what we’ve seen, I think it will be okay.”

  Calvin kissed her, his hands on her hips, before he replied. “I think you’re right. And I want to help Mr. Anderson. His health is a lot worse than I realized.”

  This time Nan kissed Calvin. “Good. That’s settled. Let’s get cleaned up and get ready to go into town.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Buddy was surprised when Charlene called him early Saturday morning. “I don’t have anything planned today, Buddy. I was wondering if you wanted some company when you go up to see the property.”

  “I hadn’t thought about it. But sure, if yo
u want to. I don’t mind. I’ll pick you up in a little while.”

  Charlene smiled when she hung up the phone. Her part time clerk had been willing to work one Saturday. The emphasis on one. It took her only a few minutes to dress in jeans and a flannel shirt and her walking shoes. She grabbed a light jacket and hurried out when Buddy honked his horn.

  She had no trouble clambering up into the truck on the passenger side. As she belted herself in Buddy said, “Have to stop at the barbershop to get the directions. I got a map from the realtor, but she wasn’t much help otherwise. I don’t think she cares if it is sold or not.”

  “Who is the realtor?” Charlene asked.

  When Buddy told her she frowned. “That’s who I bought my house through. They weren’t very good, in my opinion.”

  “I sure wouldn’t use them,” Buddy said. When they pulled up in front of the barbershop Buddy parked the truck and said, “It’ll just be a minute. I’ll be right back.” He hopped out of the truck and went into the barbershop.

  It took three minutes rather than one, but Charlene didn’t mind. Buddy had a sheaf of papers in his hand when he re-entered the truck. He handed the papers to Charlene to look through as he headed out of town.

  “Thirty-seven point three acres,” Charlene said. “That’s a pretty large piece of property. “You really want something that big?”

  “If it’s mostly wooded, yeah, I think so. It is going to depend on exactly what the land is like. I know basically what I want. I’ll just have to see what the property looks like and if I can do what I want with it.”

  They rode in silence for a while, Charlene reading the next set of directions when Buddy asked. They left the city on the state road, then another, then onto a paved county road. They had been climbing slowly as they went. When they turned onto the graveled county road the climb became steeper for the most part, though there were ups and downs.

  “That must be it,” Charlene said, pointing to a rather substantial gate in the fence that paralleled the road on their left. The gate was set back somewhat from the road to allow room to pull in and stop to get out and open the gate. Charlene handed Buddy the key that had been in an envelope that was part of the packet.

  He came back to the truck without opening the gate. When Charlene rolled down the window Buddy told her, “Locks rusted solid. Bobby thought it might be. It’s a cheap lock. He said to cut it and just bolt it back up. The land owner will need to put another on.”

  “This isn’t where Bobby’s land starts?”

  “Oh, no. Look at that next page of directions.” Buddy went to the tool box in the back of the truck and took out a pair of bolt cutters.

  When he passed the window on his way back to the gate Charlene told him, “I see what you mean. We still have a ways to go.”

  Buddy nodded, and then went to cut the lock. When he had the gate open he looked back and motioned to Charlene. She quickly moved over to the driver’s seat and drove the truck through the gate opening. She changed back to the passenger seat as Buddy closed the gate and wrapped the chain around the post, fastening a long bolt through the end links and tightening it finger tight.

  It was only a few moments more and Buddy had put the bolt cutters away and was back behind the wheel of the truck. “Okay,” he said, “Let me take a look at that last page of directions again.”

  Buddy studied the handwritten directions, looking up occasionally at the heavily wooded hills before them. “Okay,” he said, “I see the first landmark.” He pointed to a dead tree leaning against another still growing tree. “We jog north just past that dead tree. When we get there, remind me again what the next landmark is.” He handed the directions back to Charlene.

  There was a hint of a pair of tracks leading to that first landmark, but by the third landmark they had faded to nothing. Even with Charlene acting as navigator and helping watch for the landmarks, they had to backtrack twice before they got to the Bobby’s property line. Some of the way had been over grassy terrain, but much of it was bare earth with outcroppings of rocks. The truck had no difficulty with the terrain.

  Bobby had insisted on a survey when he bought the property and one of the benchmarks was obvious when they got there. Buddy found a decent place to park and stopped the truck. The two got out and looked around. There wasn’t that much to see. They had come through a stand of trees, the path just wide enough for Buddy to navigate. All they could see was the small open area and the trees around it.

  With yet another sheet of paper in hand, this one the plot of the property, Buddy pointed toward what might be another open area in the trees ahead and started in that direction, up a slight grade. Charlene quickly moved up to his side, zipping her jacket as she went. It was cool in the forest.

  When they stepped into that next clearing both stopped. The clearing was large and nearly flat. They had to scramble up several feet to get on the meadow proper. Though there was a thin layer of soil that supported grass, it was obvious trees couldn’t grow. There were outcroppings of rock all over.

  Though the site was relatively flat, as they journeyed across, it was quickly obvious they were on a slope. When they reached the tree line of the other side of the meadow both turned around. “Oh, my!” Charlene exclaimed softly.

  “Yeah,” agreed Buddy. Almost due south of where they stood, past the drop off, the land fell away quickly. The tree tops were below their line of sight, exposing the vista of the distant river and the city built on both sides of it. A couple of distant small towns were discernable, as was a long stretch of the interstate.

  “Is that… is that the gate?” Charlene asked, pointing off along the left edge of the low tops of the trees.

  “I don’t know. Maybe.” Buddy took a pair of compact binoculars from his jacket pocket. “I can’t believe it! That is the gate. Man, you have good eyes.” He handed the binoculars to Charlene.

  Charlene smiled as she took a look through the binoculars.

  “Get a little higher and you could see the first hundred yards or so of the trail, as well as the gate and the stretch of road. Man. And look at this southern exposure. And the trees all around. Plenty of firewood for years if it’s managed well. This looks great! What do you think?”

  Buddy’s enthusiasm was catching. It was beautiful up here, for sure. She didn’t realize they had climbed so high until she’d seen the vista. “It is beautiful. I’m not 100% sure exactly what you were looking for, but you sure seem like you found it.”

  “Too true.” Buddy turned and went into the stand of trees to the north. There should be another boundary marker somewhere in this direction. Charlene handed Buddy the binoculars and strode beside him as he roamed over the acreage.

  She was tired, but exhilarated when they got back to the truck. Buddy had exclaimed about feature after feature of the terrain. It really was pretty, but that had been the least of Buddy’s concerns it was now obvious.

  Buddy turned the truck around and they headed home. “I know it wouldn’t be suitable for most people, what with the lack of good access and utilities, but it has almost everything I want. For me, it would be worth double what it’s listing for. I’ll gladly pay the asking price.”

  “Good,” replied Charlene. “I’m glad it’s what you were looking for. I must say, I haven’t been up in the mountains for a long time. I’d forgotten how much cooler it could be up this high. And doesn’t the snow hang around well into summer up here? I’m still trying to picture what it looks like here from the city.”

  “Snow does hang around longer due to the altitude, but it’s on the other side of this range that really holds it, because it’s the north side. This south facing slope gets lots of sunshine. And Bobby was right about the wind. It’ll be perfect for a wind-powered generator. Solar panels, too, eventually. Photovoltaic panels, I mean. I’d build solar panels for space heating and water heating initially.

  Charlene sat quietly, responding to Buddy as needed from time to time as he explained what he wanted to do with the
property. It was late in the afternoon when they got back to the city. Buddy had brought along a couple of canteens, so they’d had water, but they were both very hungry when they got to town.

  Buddy dropped off the papers at the barbershop. Bobby only worked a couple hours in the morning on Saturdays so he was long gone. When Buddy got back into the truck he looked over at Charlene and said, “I’m starving. You want to stop and get something to eat at The Steakhouse?”

  “Sure,” Charlene replied, content to spend the time with Buddy.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Charlie took the ten dollars from the grounds man at the country club golf course. He’d helped him rebuild a storage shed on the back nine. He’d seen the ad for the job on the community bulletin board at the grocery store where he’d restocked a few food items with his small amount of cash.