by Casey Peeler
Chapter 13
Cadence
Friday and Saturday morning I’m greeted by endless trailers full of corn. Gran takes a few moments to show me how to do it correctly, and it doesn’t seem like a big deal. I pull the husks back, as she calls them, and toss them into a bucket then I take a brush to remove the excess silks. Wonder why they call them silks? I continue to follow Gran’s directions as Barrick takes a seat and begins to help as well.
I begin to feel confident with a task on the farm for the first time since I’ve arrived. Gran excuses herself and I’m left with him.
“So I take it you’re finished with the cows?” he asks.
“Yeah. I’ve been helping Gran inside.”
“Look, I’m sorry—”
“Get it Barrick! Get it!” I squeal as I jump out of my chair and drop the ear of corn.
He stands to see what’s going on and Gran walks briskly toward me. Barrick leans down and picks it up and starts to laugh.
“It’s just a worm,” he says as he places it on his finger and brings it toward me.
“Gran! Make him stop!” She begins to laugh.
“Why am I always the butt of all these jokes?” They both pause and look at each other. “I don’t do cows, snakes, shit, bugs, spiders, or worms. Got it!” I say as I begin to walk off.
Barrick grabs my wrist. “Hold up. I was just messin’ with ya.”
“Yeah you seem to do a lot of that,” I smart back.
“You two knock it off. We’ve got more where this comes from. Cadence why don’t you silk and I’ll shuck.”
“Fine,” I say as I take a seat.
When the trailer is almost empty, Barrick heads to the field to pick more as we take the ears in to wash, place in bags, date them, and place in the freezer.
As we finish, he arrives with another trailer load. Why aren’t we finished yet? I soon realize this isn’t something we are going to finish today. It’s not like a few ears, it’s like an entire field of corn. How in the hell can this much grow on Gran’s farm? Every time I think we’re almost done another trailer arrives with a new load to shuck.
When the phone rings, Gran excuses herself, and I’m left with Barrick. We sit in silence for several minutes.
Placing an ear of corn in the bucket, my eyes meet his.
“Look, earlier I was trying to tell you I’m sorry about intruding on you the other day. I won’t do it again, but for the record, I did try to get your attention.”
“Next time try harder,” I say as I continue to silk the corn.
We sit in silence until Gran comes out of the house holding some huge rectangle. What in the world? Barrick stands to help her.
“I figured we needed a break. I’ll be right back with some tea,” she says as she goes back in the house.
She hands Barrick a glass, and then hands me one that she swears has hardly any sugar. I take a sip and I can see that she made an effort even though she only diluted it with water instead of actually making it with less sugar. As she sits, she turns a switch on the rectangle thingy and country music fills the air. Ah, an old-fashioned radio. I take a deep breath because it’s hot as hell, a worm attacked me, and I have to listen to this awful racket.
Gran doesn’t say anything, she just takes a sip of her tea and places it on the ground before standing and beginning to dance around. When I notice Barrick’s head is moving to the beat of the music, I don’t know if I can take it anymore. I stand and begin to walk toward the house.
“Cadence, you too good for Gran’s music?” she asks as she does an old lady dance move.
“Nah, but that is terrible,” I say as Barrick shakes his head. “What are you thinking country boy?”
“Girl, you wouldn’t stand a chance at The Loft.”
Gran starts to laugh. “Why’s that so funny, Gran?”
“’Cause that’s all they play.” As I start to comment, Gran begins to bounce up and down, and I’m extremely worried about her.
“Gran! Are you okay?” I question with concern.
“Cade! This is my jam!” Oh my, Gran should never use that terminology. “This is how we roll!” She begins to sing and I’m so embarrassed for her. I look at Barrick to see if we should stop her, but then I see him singing and bobbing his head to the beat. I take my hands and cover my face from the horror.
“Gran! Oh my gosh! Stop! Pleeeeease!” I say as I begin to laugh.
As the song fades, she looks in my direction. “I don’t care what your mama and daddy say, your dancin’ skills came from your Gran.” I sit there speechless as she attempts to do some dancing jig. “Cadence, that’s Florida Georgia Line. You need to listen to them. Isn’t that right, Barrick?”
“Yes, Ms. Mae. Florida Georgia Line is pretty awesome,” he says with a smile.
“I think I need to take Cadence to The Loft tomorrow, watcha think Barrick?” she asks looking at him, but he doesn’t reply.
“Ms. Mae. I don’t know if she’s ready for that,” he says as he walks toward the tractor for another load of corn.
Barrick
I had to get out of there. There is no way that Cadence will survive a night at The Loft. The food is amazing, but the teen crowd can be brutal to outsiders. I’m going to say a prayer for Cadence that Ms. Mae changes her mind.
After a long afternoon of cleaning corn, we call it a day. I promise to help tomorrow morning so that we can finish by lunch.
When I walk in the barn for the morning milking I’m surprised to see an older version of Cadence already working with the cattle.
“Hi! Hope you don’t mind. Just figured I could help out. I’m Regina,” she says as she extends her hand.
“Barrick,” I say as I meet hers.
“Yeah, I’ve heard,” she says with a smile, and I know exactly where Cadence gets her looks. “I’ve almost finished. If you’ll help me clean up, we can go in and eat breakfast before we start on the corn.”
I work alongside her and she is so polite. She’s the exact opposite of Cadence. When we’re just about done, I tell her I can finish up and she heads for the house.
As I approach the steps, I can smell the bacon in the air and my stomach begins to growl. I give a polite knock before I walk in. I’m thoroughly impressed to see that Cadence isn’t drinking a green shake, but instead has eggs, or egg whites at least, and a piece of toast. That girl’s got to live a little. I also notice that she is dressed like she’s going out. Doesn’t she remember we’re shucking corn again today? Ms. Mae piles my plate high, and I take the only open seat, which is beside Cadence.
After we eat, I wash my plate and begin to help clean the kitchen when Ms. Mae excuses me to go ahead and bring the trailer. She informs Cadence that she will finish it, and of course, right on cue Cadence rolls her eyes.
We work quickly and even have great conversation, except for Cadence. She keeps checking her cellphone and doesn’t find anything amusing. Her mother is a hoot. You can see that she enjoys being back here.
“Barrick, I think I’m gonna take them to The Loft tonight. I think it would be good for both of them. Plus, I’m ready to shake a leg,” Ms. Mae states as she continues to shuck the corn.
“Ummmm.” I stumble for the words, then Regina comments.
“As in the dance hall, Mama?” she questions.
“That’s the one! Cadence here had some garbage on her music box the other day and she doesn’t know who… gosh what are their names?”
“Florida Georgia Line.” I throw in to help her out.
“That’s it! She needs an education, and school starts Monday. She needs to know what to expect.”
Regina looks up from her ear of corn, “So you think taking her to the local honky-tonk is going to help?”
“Yup! It will help you too. You know you always loved that place growing up,” Ms. Mae says with a wink.
“Mama! I was a stupid teenager.”
“
See that’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout. Both of you need a good dose of country living. Regina, you decided to go to the haughty school in New York and thought you were too good. Bless Cadence’s heart, it’s rubbed off on her. We’re good folks ‘round here and don’t both of you forget it.”
On that note, I excuse myself and grab the last trailer of corn.
