A Dish Best Served Cold

by T J Reeder

  He said his family was all well and I needed to stop over to see Chris which I was sure to, I love her almost as much as miz Sheri, she’s a very hard working lady who always looks wonderful and smells good.

  Rick said he had been busy getting my logs gathered, I was kinda surprised by that, he said Charley had passed the word up the line on the radio that we needed logs for beams in our new home and Rick being Rick already knew where all the forest giant were that had died in the last year of so, meaning they had dried standing.

  He had even located some big cedars as well as the Oak. I mentioned I had a request from the ladies in the canyon for some hickory to smoke meat with. He of course had that too. If a tree dies in the forest Rick hears it.

  I said we could start tomorrow on cutting them down, he laughed and said they are down and stacked off the ground, just pull the trailer over when you’re ready.

  I’ve never known anybody like Rick. He don’t move real fast but he never has to cut twice if you know what I mean. He wondered off to do something and Fred showed up, we sat in the shade and talked about the young fool at the gate, Fred said he had come in with somebody’s kin and had been a problem from day one. He wouldn’t work and argued about everything, I asked why he was still here and Fred said well he’s only been here a few weeks, we were giving him a chance but he’s out of chances and will be gone by dark to day.

  I knew one thing as sure as the sun rising and that was we weren’t seeing the last of Ol Luke, he was a man looking to fill a grave one way or the other and somebody would oblige him. I just didn’t want an innocent person being his victim.

  I asked Fred if he could be hauled to the state line and dumped out but that was gonna take more effort then it was worth. I knew one thing for sure if he hung around and wasn’t careful Wyatt would stop his clock.

  Maybe I need to deal with him myself before it got to that point. So Fred and I went to where he was living to tell him to pack up.

  He could only mumble around the wired up jaw and was filled with anger to the point I thought he was gonna go for a gun but Fred stepped in and stopped him.

  The folks he came in with said good riddance as far as they cared, he had just latched onto them and wasn’t kin at all.

  So we packed him up and hauled him out of there. He mumbled he had no where to go but that was his problem. We dropped him in town where he could either work or they too would run him out. I had misgivings about dropping him in town but couldn’t see any other option.

  A week later we heard about s shooting and robbery just out side of town and sure nuff it was luke, The wounded man testified about the attack and that he survived by playing dead. The trial was the next day and they hung him that evening. Justice was served and fast these days.

  I asked Fred to go with me to the old mans place who was robbed and shot so we could apologize for our part in the deal.

  He was good about it and said trash was trash and nobody was at fault cept for Luke’s folks for not drowning him at birth. Another good ol boy who understands how thing work best. He said he didn’t even go watch the hanging because he needed to water his garden, priorities ya know.

  Well we had been home a week and while we didn’t shoot anybody we were kind of in part responsible for a hanging. Well maybe not.

  I’m starting to feel like the little guy in the old Lil Abner funny’s, can’t remember his name but he wore all black with a big hat and a black rain cloud over his head all the time.

  Seems like doom and gloom follow us everywhere we go, but then I think of the Girls and Beth and the coming baby and I see the lie to those thoughts.

  We don’t cause evil but we sure do help eradicate it a lot! Some folks are just born to die by a bullet or a noose and me and mine have nothing to do with it.

  Fred and I stopped in at Miz Sally’s for pie and coffee and before we got it the door opened and my brood rolled in laughing and in general breaking the quiet laws.

  Sally ran out of the kitchen and hugged Beth who she had never met but the baby rumor mill was in good form, she dragged them all into the kitchen leaving me and Fred waiting for our coffee and pie.

  Sally came out with pie, it was peach, I reminded her I ordered apple, Fred ordered Cheery but she said she was out of everything but Peach. I got up and walked over to the kitchen batwings and peeked in and watched my wives eating all the Apple and Cherry pie in sight, they all looked up and smiled real big.

  Sally was waiting for me with a smile and said John, shut up and eat your peach pie, I did. Fred did. I got to pay for their pie too. I sigh, Fred laughed and said I sigh more then anybody he ever met, I told him about a Navajo out in the canyon lands who sighs more then me, all at me.

  Finally “they” were done eating Sally out of business and joined us. I just shook my head and sighed again. They laughed. No respect.

  We headed back to the homestead, Fred said the town folks had come out and begged him to take his badge back.

  His wife said she would shoot him herself if he did, besides he enjoyed herding cats for a living so they stayed on the homestead. I was proud of him, it’s hard to take off a badge, been there done that.

  We went to look at the logs Rick had found for us and I was doubting the Dodge could budge the trailer after it was loaded but was wrong.

  They were so big that Harv and crew could get several beams out of each one and all were dried pretty good so the weight wasn’t as bad as it looked. There was even room for a couple cords of Hickory for the ladies back home so all in all it was a good trip.

  I talked to the guys who do the hog trapping and they had a bunch of young sows and a couple of young boars we could have but how to get them back with us? The trailer is full as is the back of the truck but after the girls passed out all their presents to the family’s on the homestead it wasn’t as bad.

  We put out the word for a roof top cargo rack and had one in two days, Sandy traded some 45 ammo for it. We put it on the truck cab roof for all the remaining gear leaving room for a cage made from angle iron and sheep panels which we anchored to the top of the logs and looking like the “Real McCoys” we were ready to roll. We would have to stop and water the pigs but that was fine.

  We made our goodbyes and I spent a while with Miz Sheri just talking about life. Her family is doing ok, She misses me as I do her but maybe next time around. A hug and kiss goodbye and we were gone again.

  The trip home was pretty boring, well as boring as it can be with Sandy and May popping off rounds at jack rabbits running along the road way. I threatened to cut off their ammo supply but remembered they stole a truck load in Barstow.

  I was thinking it was good there wasn’t any of those shoulder mounted tank killer rocket launchers on the base when Sandy said “ I wish they had some of those rocket thingies at Barstow.

  I told her to stop it and got the poor lil innocent me crap with the other two siding with her, so no it’s never boring with them and in fact when they get quiet I really worry unless they are sleeping and even then I worry.

  Once again we make it to the state line and are greeted by Bear and Harry, Bear was admiring the pigs and talking BBQ when Sandy told him to go catch his own. He asked for her permit to transport Texas live stock out of the Republic, she told him to go do an impossibility. Mrs. bear came up and twisted his ear then took the girls away. Sandy said bear I can hear you!! Best be good!

  Bear asked again as always, How does she do that? And once again I said “ beats the shit outta me” one of lifes mysteries.

  We sat in the mess hall and had a cold beer and talked about the goings on, I had to tell them the Luke story, both agreed it was a wasted life but at least he failed in killing somebody else.

  The admired the logs especially since the biggest tree here was a mesquite bush, They both thought about going over to the homestead and getting a bunch of pigs to raise since they didn’t have many of the 5 million or so in Texas. I had to explain about the hickory which also got them interest
ed, everybody loved the Hickory smoked meat for their BBQ’s.

  Morning found us on the road just at dawn since we needed to try to get home without the pigs having heat stroke, I wasn’t sure how this was gonna work but besides knowing rock work the West Virginia hillbillies knew hogs so I expected they would have an idea. In fact I could just see a huge rock smoke house doing it’s thing, I can see me hauling trailer loads of Hickory back here often. But for hickory smoked ham and bacon I’d do it!

  Dark found us rolling into Shiprock where Charley and Old Woman were sitting on the porch waiting for us. As soon as we pulled in she headed inside to set the table I’m sure, the girls headed that way after making their respects to Charley.

  We sit on the porch and talked, He just shook his head over the Luke affair. He was happy Bear and Harry and their bunch were all well. I asked if he might take a ride next time we went that way, he allowed as how he might. I could imagine him in the dense woods of East Texas.

  A desert Indian and all. I’d bet he would do just fine there, he’s that kind of man.

  Dinner was good, different but good, I didn’t ask what it was. I love the so called “Indian fry bread” dunk it in the stew and chow down, awesome. I asked the girls why they never fix it at home and got that Oh shit duh look and three sets of shoulder shrugs, never thought of it, bet they would get to it since they love it too!

  We headed home early in the am and got there in good order, the pigs were greeted with cheers, not if the Hill Billy’s can keep them alive all’s well. The logs were a big hit since Harv and his crew were aching to get that saw mill going. Since it was all set up we dragged the logs off and worked one onto the log deck or whatever it’s called. Harv fired up the gas powered motor and after adjusting thing cut a long thin sliver off the log, that went well so he figured out how much had to come off to get the first beam right then went to work, it was real cool!

  That thing was like a hot knife thru butter, As soon as he had the first side trimmed down he flipped it and did it again, When he had it all square with the world he made four beams out of the one log. He figured it out and there was plenty for extra beams so that’s good, there was also a couple of good sized Cedar logs that he cut into three inch slabs and as wide as he could make them, he had an idea for a door and shutters he wanted to try.

  The girls headed off to see what was happening in the canyon and I stayed to watch. It was fascinating watching the saw mill working. I could see we were going to get a lot of use out of it but the logs needed to come from closer then East Texas!

  Before he shut it down all the logs were now thick long beams and stacked on thin spacers to air dry even more which wouldn’t take long here in the canyon. We talked about getting some big pine logs from up in the Arizona mountain area if we couldn’t get any from around here.

  I next went to talk to the Mechanics about a project I had thought of just today. I found them playing cards in the shade of a tree/bush. I told them I had a idea, one asked it it hurt, one asked it that was the burning rubber smell, and one asked what I had in mind, I chose to answer him. Asshats I said smiling, sometimes it seems only the smart asses survived the troubles.

  I asked him to explain the reefer cooler system. He chewed on his cigar for a bit and then took it out and spit a stream of brown juice and said “ Well, when it’s running it keeps shit cold and when it ain’t it don’t. I asked him if I called the girls over could he answer better, he said NO SIR John! and launched into a technical speech that I lost in 10 seconds, then one of the others interrupted and got an argument going, the third wiseass asked what I had in mine.

  I said my new place was almost finished and when it was I was gonna ask harv and his guys to enlarge our cave, a lot and I wanted to know if the cooling unit on a reefer trailer could be removed and hooked up to turn the cave into a huge walk-in cold storage place.

  All three said Hell yes! But why? I mentioned the hundred or so cases of beer I had brought back in the container.

  They said to get the miners digging and they would plan it out and when was the trailer gonna be here. Seems that even wiseasses like cold beer. Lifes rough in the new world.

  I asked if we really needed the trailer here or could we just go unhook the unit, they said it was important that the trailer was here, I asked why, stupid question, they wanted it for a machine shop, fine, works for me. I headed for the commo shack and called the Fort and said get the trailer headed this was and fill it with any machining tools they may have found that they didn’t need plus more beer!

  The commo lady on the other end was laughing when she hit the send button but said right away General! I was gonna correct her but she brok it down before I could.

  I looked at our commo lady who was not smiling, I asked her why, she said cold beer was not a joking matter! We agreed! I could see morale was gonna improve vastly!

  It was several days before I bothered to go up on the ridge since I had been told to go away while I had my toes, So I headed up there where I was surprised to find the beams set with the wall ends anchored between the top row of huge rocks and coming to a peak in the center where they were pinning them to one of the big cedars that had been set aside for the center support. It had been peeled and some finishing work started. They had built a steel ring with a lip to set the ends of the beams on and were putting large bolts thru the beam and thru the lip of heavy steel where they were bolted into place. It was awesome and almost medieval. Harv called out to me and waved me over to where he was, there I found him and two of his boys building a door out of the cedar planking, each plank was two inches thick and on closer look it was two layers thick with something between the layers, I got close and saw it was ½ inch steel plate! I looked at Harvey and asked if it was gonna pull the house over. He showed me the hing pins it was gonna hang on and they were huge! I asked where they got the steel? He said Charley told him where there was some left from some forgotten government plan that never got done. He cut the piece for the door and used a grinder to smooth the edges and now they were drilling flat steel metal that had been cast into 3/8 inch by 3 inch 10 foot lengths, they had laid the flat iron in a Z pattern a were drilling all the way thru for long ½ inch bolts. With a corresponding Z on the other side this thing was gonna weigh a ton! I asked why? He said well it’s a castle and it needs a castle door plus shutters made the same way. I didn’t know what to say. I had no words, he just slapped me on the shoulder and said John you give your all for everybody you come across and you’ve fought and bled for us here so this little project is nothing plus your kid needs a secure home. We both laughed at that as if this canyon wasn’t secure enough.

  Mostly he said it was something he always wanted to do but never had time, now he could do whatever he wanted and was loving it, I asked if the girls had anything to do with it, he laughed and said Sandy wanted to know how to stop bullets with a door, he said this door would stop anything but maybe a .50 But he wasn’t gonna let them try a .50 on it. I was very impressed but I need to ask about the reefer room so I explained the idea and he was loving it and asked if there was any extra cold units? I said lots and a truck with a huge full propane tank on it. He left his boys working on the drilling and we headed down to look at the cave. It was just like all of the ones we had, his bunch had built bigger. He said this could be enlarged a lot but he would want big beams to shore up the roof for safeties sake.

  I ask him if they could get on it as soon as we moved out, he said sooner if y’all don’t mind living in your camper trailer a while. I said I’d check with them and get back. He finally asked just what I had in mind, I said cold beer, he said we can start tomorrow!! We walked away laughing and ran right into them, May said ok, what you two doing and why are you doing it?

  So I explained, Sandy said all that trouble for a cold beer? And shook her head. Then busted out laughing and ask Harv when he could start? A barrel of laughs a minute.

  Next morning we moved out and into the camper, Harvey and three of his
people showed up and after moving their drilling stuff off the ridge where they were done working stone they hit it on the cave.

  I told the girls I’d be back later and walked away, they asked where I was going and I said to see Charley

  They passed me like I was standing still, Beth took my arm and walked with me, I asked her if she was ok, she said yes just tired out easy, but no morning sickness thank got, she was getting a bit of a baby bump and when we were all in bed for the night we all put our hands on it and just seemed to gat something from it, Beth laughed at us but liked it.

  We got there to find them sitting in the jeep which I had forgotten about, it was all clean and shiny, they had been busy, I told both of them I was not riding in the cramped up this unless I was driving, first they got mad, then tried the pout thing then promised to be very careful but neither of them will ever be poker players. I took the keys and said where are the weapons, they looked funny and took off and came back with our rifles and extra ammo, I took the bib Bob from the dodge and we were off.

  It wasn’t the dodge but with only the bikini top on it was nice and breezy. We rolled along at about sixth MPH which was a good speed and the whole area looked different without the sides mostly blocked.

  We pulled in and for once we fooled Charley, he didn’t know the Jeep but greeted us as we unloaded. The girls all went to him and held his hand a moment, Beth the longest, he smiled a beautiful smile and said Good!! Very good!