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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 12, 2022 22:51:28 GMT -6
Chapter 6
Hank ate breakfast with Jarvis and changed into Ranger panties to split wood. It was already in the 70s early morning and it wasn't long before sweat was streaming down Hank's body. He would stopped and poured a bucket of water over his head straight out of the well head. He only did that once. The water was so cold he almost put himself into shock. After that, he drew a bucket and left it sitting on the ground to warm up a little. He took a little break after a while from splitting firewood to making kindling. Jarvis came out with a froe and a mallet so Hank could sit and split the kindling up in a leisurely manner. He stacked wood on the porch with sufficient kindling and stacked the rest of the kindling under the porch in the dry. There were two trees Jarvis had used before to stack wood between so Hank started stacking the wood there also, first laying down two 4" oak saplings to keep the firewood off the ground. Hank worked all morning, splitting and stacking. About lunch time, Jarvis came out with a couple of sandwiches made of deer tenderloin and homemade bread. Hank stuck the axe in the stump and rinsed off the sweat and sat down, eating his lunch. Jarvis sat down in his chair.
"Don't get into a hurry tryin' to split all that wood. Take your time. You're a wantin' to buy your own vehicle, then go find you one. You need to set about enjoyin' life a little more."
Hank nodded and decided to cut wood before it got into the heat of the day. He finished his meal and drank more water. Drawing another bucket of water, he took a bath and washed his hair. Dressing in a pair of cargo shorts and a T-shirt, he asked Jarvis for the use of the Jeep and headed into Cassville.
Cassville had a population of only around 3,000 people and Hank didn't hold high hopes of finding a vehicle around there, but he gave it shot. The used vehicles he looked at were pretty worn out, but he kept searching. He pulled into a combo gas station and food shop to get a Pepsi and Diane pulled in beside him.
"Hey Hank. How's everything going?"
"So, so. I've been around looking at used vehicles and not having much luck."
"Well, follow me. I guarantee the best mechanic in Flat Creek Township will have something for you."
Diane led him northwest out of town to a little road that led to a house with a big garage building beside it. Dian parked and Hank pulled up beside her. He walked in the building.
"Uncle Harley! You here?"
"Just a minute!"
An older man came from the back of the shop.
"Why aren't you out chasing deer or sometin' Diane?"
"Hush Uncle Harley. This is Hank. He's looking for a reliable vehicle."
"Car or truck?" Harley asked.
"A truck I guess."
"Come on. I just finished this 'un up. She's nice."
Harley led them through the building and outside. There sat a silver 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab SLE 4X4. "She had some front end damage but the frame weren't warped. Replaced the grillwork, radiator, and the front-end parts. Got 'er aligned this mornin' and she's a nice driver."
Hank looked the truck over. It was clean. It even had a matching cap. Hank asked the price and was surprised and asked if there was a warranty on the repairs.
"Son, you find something wrong with it you just come on back and I'll fix her for ya."
"I'll take it. Let me go out to the Jeep."
Hank went out to the Jeep and opened the door. Opening up his money belt, he counted out the $100, $50 and $20 bills.. Closing up the belt, he went back inside and counted out the money in front of Harley.
"I'll write up the bill of sale and get you the title." Harley said.
"Why don't I follow you back out to Jarvis's place so you can drop the Jeep off. I'll bring you back and show you where to get your registration and license plates." Diane said.
"Okay. Thanks."
Harley came out of his office and handed Hank the bill of sale and the title. Hank told them they'd pick up the truck after they had dropped the Jeep off. Diane followed Hank out, took him back to Harley's them led him back into town to the DMV. When Hank came out, he was surprised Diane still there. She got a screwdriver out of her tool kit so Hank didn't have to use his Swiss Army Knife to put the plates on. Hank finished putting the rear tag on and stood up, handed the screwdriver back to Diane and thanked her for her help.
"No problem. Having no vehicle can hamstring you."
"Well, you have to let me take you out to dinner to thank you."
"You don't have to do that, if you don't want to."
"I want to. Say, Friday night?"
"Let me have your phone."
Hank handed he his phone and she dialed a number. The phone on her belt rang.
"Now you have my number. I'll text you the directions to my place. Friday, 7:00?"
"I will see you then. Look, I don't have any real dress up clothes. Cargo pants and short sleeve shirt is the best I can do."
Diane smiled. "Good, because I don't like to dress up that much anyway. I'll wear a sundress."
Hank watched her drive off and got in his truck, smiling.
When he pull up to the cabin, Jarvis was sitting on the porch, smiling.
"See ya found somthin'."
"Yeah, Diane took me over to her Uncle Harley's."
"Yep, Harley was the one that fixed that Jeep up when Jerry bought it at a surplus sale. He stands behind his work too. So Diane tracked you down? She stopped by here a lookin' for you. I told her where you'd gone."
"Well, she found me, and she did me right. I said I'll take her out to dinner Friday night to thank her for the help. Is there a good restaurant, nothing fancy, around?"
"Take her to Flat Creek Restaurant. They've got good food there I hear tell."
"Flat Creek, hunh? I'll have to take a ride there tomorrow to make sure I know how to get there."
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Post by gipsy on Apr 13, 2022 12:11:02 GMT -6
Thanks for the update
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Post by texican on Apr 13, 2022 14:13:32 GMT -6
Hank ate breakfast with Jarvis and changed into Ranger panties to split wood.Silk panties, nylon panties or cotton panties? Texican....
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Post by udwe on Apr 13, 2022 15:25:42 GMT -6
This story is getting good!
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 13, 2022 15:32:36 GMT -6
Chapter 7
Hank went ahead and split firewood for the firepit that night and laid a fire. He pulled out his solo stove and heated some water to rehydrate the chili pack he had; just enough to whet his appetite. Washing up his spork, he refilled the hydration bladder and wet the cover to keep the water cool by convection cooling. He hung the bladder back up and laid down in the hammock. Awakened by the closing of the cabin's screen door, he got up and started the fire. Jarvis walked over and sat down in his chair.
"You studyin' that fire purty hard. Whatcha got on your mind?"
"I'm just…Jarvis it's this forest. All the places I've been to, in 57 countries and 46 states, I've never felt this way before. It feels like….like I'm home, that I belong here. The tree leaves rustling in the wind, the cries of the eagles and the hawks, the water bubbling over the rocks, they feel like they are in my blood….are my blood."
"Well, son, maybe you are home. You say you're going to look for a job. I can tell you now, there ain't none. The jobs you will find will pay a hell of a lot less than you'd find in Branson or Joplin. I tell you what, I'll pay you $1200 a week to help me out around here.
"Jarvis I can't take you…"
"Son, don't worry 'bout me being able to afford it. My pensions are coming in until I die and I've still got money my daddy and grandaddy left. I got no other family, 'sides, September is comin' 'round and we get some fierce storms here. You being out here ain't going to be nice. Tomorrow, I want to show you something that will be a lot drier, maybe not as pretty of a view, but drier."
Hank looked at Jarvis. "Well, let's see what tomorrow brings."
The next morning Hank was up and dressed when Jarvis called him to eat breakfast. Jarvis had made biscuits and they had sugar cured ham and of course, the eggs. When They had finished cleaning up the dishes, Jarvis motioned for Hank to follow him through a door. They walked pased what Hank assumed was Jarvis' bedroom and then there were two more rooms with twin beds in them.
"My boy Jerry and his buddies would come up here every chanct they could get and work here. These two rooms was where the others would sleep. Some of their stuff is still in the closets and chests. You're welcome to sleep where ya want. It is dry, not as nice as outdoors but a little more protection than what you'll have out there when the storms come."
Hank nodded. Jarvis was keeping this almost like a museum. Everything was clean, no dust anywhere that he could see, everything in its place.
"Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to stay where I am for right now. First storm that rolls in I'll tear down and move in."
"Good idea. It is restful, sleeping amongst the trees."
Hank went back out and got into his wood splitting clothes and spent the rest of the morning splitting wood. He got into a rhythm that had the split pile building rapidly. He finally stopped and started stacking. When he had the wood stacked head high, he started another rack between two other nearby trees. He quit at lunch, washed up and headed out to find the restaurant.
After asking at a couple of places, he worked out the route to the Flat Creek Restaurant. He was only about thirty minutes from Springfield so he headed up and found a J.C. Penney store and bought a nice pair of khakis, short sleeve shirt, underwear and a nice pair of loafers. On second thought, he went back and got some dark socks too. He headed back to Piney Creek and asked Jarvis if he could hang some things in one of the bedrooms.
"Shore, when you got time, could you put those boxes in the loft down in the garage?"
Jarvis had cleaned out the closets and chests of drawers and had everything boxed and taped shut. Jarvis was breaking away from the past, a little at the time.
Friday night, Hank followed the directions to Diane's place and was there five minutes early. He dried his palms off on some paper napkins he had in the truck and rang the doorbell. The door opened immediately. If Hank envisioned an angel, it couldn't be more beautiful than the vision that stood before him that second. The printed floral sundress reminded him of paintings he'd seen of those cute little wood fairies.
"I thought you were a cargo pants and hiking boots kind of guy." She said, smiling.
"I had a chance to upgrade a little. You look beautiful."
Diane blushed. "Let me get my shawl and we can go."
Hank walked her out to the truck and opened the passenger door for her. Going around the rear of the truck he got in and buckled up.
"So, drag any moose around today?"
"It was an elk, smarty, and no, none today. How do you like the truck?"
"It's great. I had to make sure I knew how to get to the restaurant we're going to so I drove a while today."
"Where are we going?"
"Flat Creek."
"Oh! I love the food there."
"Good. I was hoping it would be more impressive than the diner." "Have you started looking for a job yet?"
"No, didn't have to. Jarvis is hiring me to help out around the place."
"Good. I worry about him sometimes. I won't have to stop by so much to check up on him."
"Well, don't stop coming around. Jarvis likes company. It wouldn't hurt my feelings to see you a little more often either."
Diane fought to hide her smile.
They pulled into the restaurant parking lot and were able to get a parking spot right next to the door as another car left. The walked in and were seated and ordered iced tea. The waitress brought over two glasses and a pitcher of tea and filled their glasses, leaving the pitcher.
"What's good here?"
"Everything! But the seafood boil is the best you can get without being right next to the ocean. It's expensive though."
Well, I think that's what I'm going to have. I love crab."
"I do too." Diane replied.
The waitress came over and Hank ordered two Cajun Seafood Boils. She soon returned with all the utensils for cracking crab legs and a bib for each of them. When they brought the pots out, Hank told the waitress he was going to need more butter. During the meal, the waitress replenished the garlic butter two more times before Hank took off his bib and began cleaning his hands with the little wet wipes they provided.
"You might as well stop right there." Diane said, grinning. "Just go to the restroom and wash up. You've got some butter in your beard too."
When Hank came back, Diane took her turn. When she returned, she sat down and groaned. "I'll have to go on a diet after that."
"They have blueberry cheesecake." Hank grinned.
Diane chuckled. "Heaven's no!"
Hank paid the bill and instead of leaving immediately, they took a slow walk down to the boat ramp on Table Rock Lake.
"It's beautiful out tonight." Diane said.
"Yeah, once you get away from the lights. That's what I like about the forest around Piney Creek. You still get a little light pollution, but you can still see the stars." Hank replied.
They turned around and walked back up the road to the restaurant parking lot. They had only gone a few steps when Diane brushed Hank's hand and took it in hers.
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Post by cavsgt on Apr 13, 2022 15:53:57 GMT -6
Loving it as always.
THANK YOU phill
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Post by gipsy on Apr 13, 2022 15:57:43 GMT -6
Thanks for the update
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Post by udwe on Apr 13, 2022 19:12:49 GMT -6
Thank you, keep going!
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Post by bluefox2 on Apr 13, 2022 20:00:16 GMT -6
Yep.she's gonna let him chase her until she catches him. won't take long either from the looks of things
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Post by paulk on Apr 14, 2022 8:45:05 GMT -6
More please.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 14, 2022 9:16:46 GMT -6
Chapter 8
Hank was up early and as soon as he heard Jarvis stirring, he started splitting wood. A half hour later, Jarvis yell at him to wash up and come get breakfast. Hank stuck the axe in the stump, went over to the well head and poured the awaiting bucket of water over his heat. He wiped his eyes and went over to get his towel to dry the rest of his body. He had finished drying his hair when he looked up. There, standing no more than ten feet from him, was a black bear. Later, after he could catch his breath from laughing, Jarvis said Hank must have jumped fifteen feet straight up to the lowest branch of that hickory tree and kept on climbing.
"Sissy, get your ass over here!" Jarvis yelled.
The bear lumbered over to the porch and caught the biscuit Jarvis tossed to her.
"Now get on outta here. You scared the bejesus outta Hank."
Hank watched through the leaves at the top of the tree as the bear plodded off. Jarvis was laughing so hard he had to sit down. Wiping his eyes, he watched Hank climb back down.
"She's good enough. She just smelled the biscuits I was a cookin'."
"You could have warned me you have a tame bear!" Hank said.
"Oh, she ain't tame. We just respect one another. She don't mean no harm, just likes a biscuit now and again."
They ate their breakfast and Hank washed up.
"Whatcha got planned for today?" Hank asked.
"Well, I thought I'd split some wood, then maybe stack some wood." Grinned Hank.
"You've lost a little weight, put on a little muscle, skin's tightened up some too. Better not let Diane see you without a shirt. She'll be on you like a duck on a Junebug." Jarvis cackled. "But maybe you wouldn't mind that."
Hank worked for the next two hours splitting wood. He sunk the axe into the stump and started stacking. Hearing the vehicle coming up to the cabin he turned around. It was a Chevy S-10 and Diane was driving it. She got out carrying a small watermelon and looked at Hank approvingly.
"You're not working today?" Hank asked.
"Nope. I'm not on call this weekend, unless there's a fire. You're bustin' out if your shoes.
Hank liked down and the sole was separating from the shoe around the toe.
"Yeah, I've got to get a good pair of boots and another pair of hiking shoes."
"Well, if Jarvis can spare you, we can go into Branson and get you some."
Jarvis grinned. "Ya'll go on. Is that there watermelon for me?"
"Sure is. It's ripe too."
"I…I've got to get washed up." Hank said, flustered."
Diane grinned. "Well, go ahead. I'll wait."
Hank blushed and looked around.
"I tell you what. I need to go gas up. I'll come back to pick you up." Diane said.
"Okay, I'll be ready." Hank said."
Diane left and Jarvis cackled. "I told ya so!"
Hank took a quick bath and got dressed. He had just slipped on the loafers when Diane came back.
"Get in, I'll drive."
Hank got in and buckled up. "Where are we going?"
"Bass Pro in Branson. Best place to get decent boots."
Diane drove down 76 and turned left on 39.
"The food was good last night." She said.
"The company was good too." Hank grinned.
"Why didn't you kiss me good night?" Diane said softly.
"I…I wanted to but…some women don't kiss on the first date."
"Well, maybe you need to ask for a second date then."
Hank looked at her.
Diane grinned. "I WILL kiss on the second date."
Hank blushed. "Whew!"
An hour later they pulled into the parking lot of the Bass Pro Shop right on the lake. He quickly picked out his boots and hiking shoes but they walked around looking at other things too. Diane picked out a couple of shirts for him and a couple of pairs of pants Fall would be there soon and he picked out a medium jacket also. Hank paid for his purchases and they went back to the truck.
"Are you hungry?" Hank asked
"I could eat."
"Well let's find some place."
"There's a Joe's Crab Shack up the street, but I don't feel like crab so soon. What about Paula Deen's Family Kitchen? It's just up that way."
"That woman from TV?"
"Yes."
"Okay, sounds good."
They went into the restaurant and though busy, were immediately seated. They had iced tea and both ordered the beef pot roast with cornbread. After a very satisfying meal, they walked around the gift shop and they picked out a couple of jars of the over-priced blackberry jam and apple-cherry butter to take back to Jarvis. They walked back to the truck holding hands.
"Well, I'm calling this a date and even though it's not over yet, I want my kiss." Diane said.
Hank bent his head slightly and pecked her on the lips and started to pull back. Diane reached up and pulled his head back down and got the kiss she had been wanting. Finally releasing him, she grinned.
"That's the kind of kiss I wanted. I'm not your grandmother. No more little pecks."
"Yes ma'am."
They got into the truck and headed back to Piney Creek.
The sun was going down when they got back to the cabin. Jarvis was sitting on the porch in the growing darkness, seemingly waiting for them. Hank went over and started a fire in the firepit while Diane presented and grinning Jarvis with the jam and butter. They both walked over and took seats around the fire as Diane gave Jarvis a narrative of where they had gone that afternoon.
"I heard tell that was some good country cookin' at that place."
"It was delicious. I've got one of her cookbooks. I'll fix you a meal soon." Diane said.
"I 'spect we'll be seeing you around here more often then?" Jarvis asked.
"I 'spect so." Diane said, grinning.
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Post by paulk on Apr 14, 2022 9:48:11 GMT -6
Don't stop now! Please.
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Apr 14, 2022 11:04:19 GMT -6
Thank you
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Post by gipsy on Apr 14, 2022 14:17:24 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 14, 2022 17:40:41 GMT -6
Chapter 9
True to her word, Diane showed up the next afternoon with a pot roast dinner, ala Paula Deene, but Hank thought it was better than what they had eaten in Branson. Jarvis was beside himself. He said it was the best meal he had ever had. Diane poured herself a glass of iced tea (she had brought a cooler of ice too) and just sat and watched the two eat. Her biscuits tasted different than Jarvis' biscuits, but delicious.
"What did you do to the biscuits, they're delicious!" Jarvis said.
"They're Angel biscuits. The have yeast in them." Diane sail, smiling.
"They are delicious." Agreed Hank.
To top it off, Diane pulled a blueberry cheesecake out of the cooler. Jarvis groaned, but ate a big piece of it. When he finished, he got up taking his plate but Diane stopped him and told him to go sit on the porch while she and Hank cleaned up. Hank didn't say anything, just got up and helped her with the dishes. When they finished washing and drying the dishes, Diane and Hank went out on the porch to sit with Jarvis.
"Girl, you outdid yourself. I don't think I've ever eaten any better." Jarvis said.
They sat out, enjoying the cool breeze rustling the leaves until Jarvis got up and said he was going to take a nap. Diane came down out other chair to sit beside Hank, who was sitting on the top step with his back against a porch post.
"Did you enjoy the meal?" She asked.
"Of course I did! You may have used her recipe but It was better than what we ate in her restaurant."
"I'm glad you liked it. Now thank me properly."
Hank grinned and bent down to capture her lips with his. He finally had to pull back and look at her.
Quickly shifting, he asked her what she had to do to be a Wildlife Agent.
"Oh, the usual things. Be at least 21, a U.S. citizen, pass a background check, physically fit and in good health, plus a Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited four-year college or university in wildlife conservation, ecology, biology, resource management, forestry, fisheries management, natural resource conservation, law enforcement or criminal justice. When I was a junior and senior, I had summer internships with the Missouri Department of Conservation to become acquainted with conservation work. That was an important stepping stone to becoming an MDC employee.
"What training did you have to do?"
Well, the first thing I had to do successfully pass a physical fitness test. We had to run constantly for over two minutes, run up and down stairs, bend and twist, dodge obstacles, crawl under obstacles, jump/vault over obstacles, climb fences, lift/carry, drag human victims, remove a large dead animal from the roadway, remove injured persons from motor vehicles or buildings, enter and exit all sorts of land vehicles and watercraft and know self-defense tactics. They had to give us a class on the tactics."
"Wow! They what did you have to do?"
"Well, then I had to complete 26 weeks of intensive training in Jeff City. Training focused on both law enforcement and resource management. After that, had to complete 1,000 hours of Peace Officers Standard Training (POST) as well as field work. I did fish and wildlife training in Columbia, forestry training in Licking, and water safety training in Lake of the Ozarks.
"Wow! That's a lot of training!"
"It was worth it though."
"How did you do on removing a large dead animal from the roadway?" Hank said, grinning.
It was a 100 pound doe, not an elk, smarty." Diane said, slapping him on the bicep.
"Well, at least you're here now, protecting the Piney Creek watershed from beady-eyed poachers."
"In reality, that is rare around here. It's mostly toward Springfield you find that…out of my area, but I have gone up occasionally to that area to assist officers to catch poachers."
"I'm surprised to see you don't have a boyfriend already." Hank said.
"I like my boyfriends to have more than three teeth."
"Well, I guess I'm in luck. I still have all six of mine." Hank grinned.
"You've got more than that. I counted them with my tongue." Diane said, pulling his head down and proceeded to count them again.
They heard Jarvis inside and broke apart. Jarvis came out on the porch then walked out where he could look to the west and northwest.
"Gonna storm tonight. You best get your stuff inside, it could get rough.
"Yes, I heard on KIXQ they were expecting heavy storms and possible tornadoes tonight." Diane said.
"Well, I better get my things inside then." Hank said.
"I better get back home too." Diane said, "I have to be on call when there's a danger of tornadoes to assist in recovery."
Hank and Diane got up and looked at one another.
"Well, go on, kiss her goodbye. Winds are a pickin' up." Jarvis grinned.
Hank walked her to her truck and kissed her. Diane moaned when he broke the kiss.
"Call me if you have to go out." Hank said.
"I will, good night."
Hank watched the taillights go out of sight and took the tarp and hammock down. Packing them in the backpack, he carried everything inside.
After putting his pack in the bedroom, he got out his Sangean multi-band receiver and tuned it to the weather band to alarm if there were any weather warnings. Getting a book, he sat down and read by the lamplight until he got drowsy.
The weather broadcast warning and the ringing of his phone awoke him. He picked up the phone, looked at the time, and answered it.
"Hank, an F3 tornado has hit Purdy. Would you ride up with me?"
"Of course."
"I'll be there in a few minutes."
Hank was waiting outside with a pair if work gloves in his hand when she pulled up. Quickly entering the big green pickup, he buckled up as Diane turned the truck around.
"How far is Purdy from here?" Hank asked.
"Around thirty miles. You know how to use a chain saw?"
"Yes."
"Good, we're going to need it. I've got extra protective gear in the back."
Hank swore she had the truck on two wheels at times going around the curves but they made it to the outskirts of Purdy. The first thing they saw were the flashing red and blue lights. She found the location of the Disaster Assistance Command Post and stopped to get instructions. They were given a sector to search and Diane drove over to it. She handed Hank a hardhat with a light on it and they began searching the destroyed structures, marking the building when they found no injured or deceased personnel.
The found out later that the people of Purdy were experienced in disaster preparation. After the scare of the F2 tornado coming through Barry County between Cassville and Purdy a half dozen years ago, everyone had some type of storm shelter. That night, many had gone to their shelters early. Half the town structures were gone, but the people survived. They would build back.
At daylight, every dwelling had been checked and all the 2,015 residents accounted for. Diane and Hank returned to Jarvis' cabin, washed off some of the grime at the well head and crashed out on the twin beds in Hank's bedroom.
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Post by gipsy on Apr 14, 2022 18:01:07 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 15, 2022 15:42:26 GMT -6
Chapter 10
Hank woke up as she crawled on top of him. He squinted and looked at his watch. It was 11:00.
He turned his head back to Diane. It was apparent from the feeling on his chest she was missing an article of clothing from under her T-shirt."
"You seem to be missing your underwear." Hank said.
"Not all of it. The straps were digging into my shoulders." She smiled.
"I've got to get up…"
"Chicken."
"…to go to the outhouse!"
"Oh, Sorry."
She crawled off him and Hank pulled on his camp shoes, going out to the outhouse. Diane got up and put on her shirt and stuffed her bra in the cargo pocket of her pants. Walking out, she found Jarvis on the porch.
"Anybody hurt last night?" Jarvis asked. "I mean in Purdy, not back there in the bedroom." Jarvis grinned.
"No, thankfully everyone is okay. A good bit of damage though."
"Do I need to get the hammer and some nails?"
Puzzled, Diane looked at the grinning Jarvis.
Then she realized what he was insinuating.
"No, you old fart! He's a regular Boy Scout."
"No, I don't think that's it. He has feelings for you, but he also respects you. He won't allow himself to be enticed by your,,,uh…charms, with someone else around."
Diane squinted at him. "What happened to the hillbilly accent."
"It's the truth, no matter what dialect I use."
Hank came around the corner of the cabin.
"Feel better?" Diane asked, grinning.
Hank blushed. "Yeah."
"Well, I've got to go. Will I see you later?"
"Sure, I'll call you."
"Walk me to my truck."
"Your truck is right there."
Diane grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the truck door, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "You better call me!"
Hank watched as she turned the truck around and left.
"That girl has it bad for you." Jarvis said.
"Yeah. Jarvis, you don't have a storm cellar?"
"I'm too old to care about such."
"You got plenty of good years left!"
"Son, It ain't that, it's just that when the sun has disappeared from your life, it's hard to rouse up a spirit for much else."
Hank looked around thinking about what Jarvis had said.
"'Cides, already got a shelter."
"What? Where?"
"Come on."
Hank followed Jarvis into the cabin and over to Jarvis' little sitting area. . "Move that there rug."
"Hank bent down and pulled the edge of the rug and up with it came the edge of a door. Hank lifted the door and the rug up and saw a few steps of a set of stairs.
"Light switch is on the right over there." Jarvis said.
Hank flipped the switch on and the full set of stairs was illuminated.
"Jarvis what ….?"
"All them times Jerry and those boys come up here and worked? They was building this. They were together going on five years and every chance they got the was a diggin', pouring concrete and storing stuff. They'd heard something where they worked that spooked them, maybe it was the Big One or something."
"Can I go down?"
"Shore, go on. I'll show you around."
Jarvis followed a cautious Hank down the stairs. Hank checked each step as he went down, but they were solid. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, there was a short tunnel and a metal door, like those you saw in the military movies; kind of oval shaped with a wheel in the center. Hank walked up to it and checked the door. It looked solidly set in the limestone rock.
"Ya got ta turn the wheel to get in." Jarvis said.
Hank spun the wheel and when the dogs cleared, pulled the door open.
Flipping another light switch there was a short hall that opened into about a 20'x20' room that was outfitted with rustic, but durable furniture.
"This was like a common area." Jarvis said.
Hank looked around. There was an alcohol burner with a percolator, a sink with faucet and a small refrigerator with the door wedged open.
"Where does the electricity come from?" Hank asked.
"Now that was a chore! Them boys crawl around like monkeys on ropes drillin' 'n boltin' in the stuff to put up solar panels on that cliff southeast of here. There's another room filled with golf cart batteries that keep the power."
"Why didn't you ever tap into it and get power to the cabin?"
"I'm happy with what I got. Don't need much light and got my lamps when I do."
They went down a 6' wide hallway and the first room on the right was what he assumed was a Gun room, with about twenty rifles in racks. Ammunition was stored in cases around the walls. Hank closed the door and the room across from it was a kitchen/dining area. A chest freezer and a 7 cu ft refrigerator filled a good bit of the area along with a large table and chairs. There was a four burner alcohol stove, sink and pantry that was filled with #10 cans of Mount House and Nitro Pak foods. The next room down the hall was a huge storeroom filled with, according to the labels, family units of long-term storage foods. "That metal ladder over there leads up to an escape tunnel out on the edge of the ridge."
There were two rooms next, each having 8 bunk beds and connected with a large bathroom area. Five other bedrooms, about 12'x15' were next. The next room contained cases, too many to count, of denatured alcohol. And the final room contained utilities, the batteries, control panels, inverters and something he didn't recognize at first. On further inspection he saw it was an NBC/CRBN filtration and positive pressure system made in Switzerland. Cabinets contained military grade NBC suits and masks, plus spare filters.
"Some setup, hunh?" Jarvis asked.
"If there were only five of them, why did they build it so big?"
"They were planners, they planned on starting families one day." Jarvis said sadly, turning and walking back up the hallway.
Jarvis kept right on walking to the stairway and headed up the steps. Hank followed, cutting off lights and closing doors behind him. Jarvis went on outside and sat on the porch, taking a seat in his rocking chair. He picked up a stick he was whittling on, pulled out his pocket knife and begin whittling.
"You know, when they was building that thing, I thought it was a foolish waste of money, but it brought my boy home more often and I didn't say anything. They poured everything they had into it but I've never seen a group of men happier than those five. They were planning for the future together."
Jarvis stopped whittling and stared off into the trees.
"When they all died they had their military insurance policies so wrapped up together it confused the military lawyers for a while. They had put each other as beneficiaries on the policies and when it all was ironed out, I ended getting the whole $750,000 dollars. It's been over in Branson Bank for five years, letting the bank use it. Haven't touched a dime….didn't have the heart to.
Hank sat there, leaning against the porch post and thought of all the heartache this old man had gone through in all the years.
Hank got his pack out and hung his hammock and tarp back up. Once that was done, he laid a fire for the night and after 5:00 PM, called Diane.
"Hey. I catch you at a bad time?" Hank asked.
"No, just got out of the shower and into my robe. Want to know what I have on under it?"
"Don't start. Do you want to go out Friday night?"
"I've got duty Saturday. Why don't you come over for dinner. I make a pretty good meatloaf."
"Okay, sounds good. Can I bring anything?"
"Just yourself."
"Okay, I'll talk to you later."
Hank ended the call and sat there thinking, ironing out his feelings.
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Post by gipsy on Apr 15, 2022 16:11:58 GMT -6
Is it gettin hot in the Ozarks or what? Thanks for the update.
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Post by paulk on Apr 15, 2022 17:16:22 GMT -6
Jarvis is breaking my heart. More please.
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Apr 15, 2022 18:28:57 GMT -6
Thanks
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 16, 2022 16:40:35 GMT -6
Chapter 11
Hank knocked on the door and Diane answered it. "Come on in. I was just about to take the meatloaf out of the oven."
Hank followed her into the kitchen and stood there out of the way.
"Go sit at the bar and pour yourself a glass of wine. You're making me nervous."
"Why would I make you nervous?"
"Because….I'll tell you later."
Hank watched as she took the meatloaf out of the oven and sat it on the counter to let it rest, then slid a pan of rolls into the oven.
"What have you planned for next week?" Diane asked.
"Let's see….I was going to split some wood, then stack it, then split some more."
"How would you like to help me?"
"Doing what?"
"I need to do some field research on the northern long-eared bat. The bat is currently listed as threatened, faces extinction due to white-nose syndrome, a deadly disease affecting cave-dwelling bats across the whole continent."
"So, what do you have to do?"
"I have to conduct a survey of all the known caves around here to check for any signs of illness."
"And what happens to the information?"
"They develop disease surveillance tools to monitor spread and impacts, and they're exploring promising biological, chemical, immunological, genetic and mechanical treatments."
"Sure, I'll go with you. Where do you want to meet?"
"I'll come pick you up.
When the rolls were done, Diane placed them in a warming basket and had Hank take a seat. She plated Meatloaf, mashed potatoes with a pat of butter pushed down in the mound and green beans. Hank thought the meal was quite good. The meatloaf was juicy like he like, the mashed potatoes were creamy with a hint of black pepper and the green beans had been cooked with a piece of side meat. The delicious meal was followed by warm apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and coffee. Hank helped her rinse the dishes and load them in the dish washer and put the food away.
"I'll fix you and Jarvis a meal to take back with you." Diane said.
They refilled their wine glasses and went into her small den and sat on the couch. Hank sat his glass on the coffee table and as he sat back on the couch, Diane was all over him. He didn't know how long they had been kissing when Diane unfurled herself and took Hank's hand and led him toward her bedroom.
"What about Jarvis' meal?"
"It's too late for him to eat tonight. You can carry it with you in the morning," she said, pulling him through the door and closing it.
A band of sunlight reflecting off the pillow awakened Hank. He glanced down and Diane's hair covered his shoulder and part of his chest. Lifting his left wrist, Hank read the time on his watch, his movement awakening Diane. She reached up and brushed the hair away from her mouth and kissed him on the chest.
"Good morning," she said softly.
"Yes it is." Hank said smiling.
Diane pulled herself and looked down into his eyes. "I'm in love with you."
A rush filled Hank, then a calmness. "To my surprise, I find myself in love with you also."
"You're surprised! What's there not to love about me?"
Hank grinned. "Absolutely nothing. You charmed the socks right off me."
Diane started to slowly pull the sheet down, "and the rest of your clothes too." She grinned.
"Behave yourself. I need to get back and check on Jarvis."
'Okay,' Diane pouted and put her robe on.
"Why did you say you were surprised to find yourself falling in love with me?"
Hank slipped on his pants and paused. "After Regina, I would have thought I'd be more cautious. But this is different. I feel more at home here than where I grew up. The people are different. You, Lady, are a new chapter in my life and it is starting out beautifully."
"Well Sir, I intend to see it will be a long and interesting chapter and that you won't be disappointed at the ending. I will love you from the first sentence to the last."
Diane left and went into the kitchen to box the meals while Hank went to the bathroom and finished getting dressed. When he went into the kitchen she had two boxes sitting on the breakfast bar.
"These containers are oven proof. Jarvis can just put them in the oven to heat them up."
"Thank you." Hank said, taking her into his arms. "Someday soon, I'll find us a place where we can be together."
"You could move in here."
"I can't leave Jarvis. He has no one and I'm concerned about him. Besides, I don't ever want to live in a town again."
"I could come out on my free weekends and spend them with you."
"If last night was any indicator, you are a bit noisy. Jarvis wouldn't get any sleep."
"YOU are the one that was making me make all that noise!"
"I'll figure something out. I've got to get going."
Diane gave him a deep kiss and reluctantly let him go.
"I'll call you." Hank said.
When Hank got back to the cabin, Jarvis was grinning like a possum eating green persimmons.
"Purty good meal, wuz it?"
Hank grinned. "Yeah, it was good. She sent some for you. These containers can be put in the oven and warmed up for your dinner.
"That's a good girl. You best treat her right."
"Oh, I will Jarvis, I will."
Hank spent the rest of the afternoon splitting and stacking wood only stopping to put the food in the oven to warm up and add a couple of sticks of wood to the firebox. They sat by the fire that evening and Jarvis told Hank about the years with his wife.
"I met Margie right after I came back from Korea in '53. She was a secretary at Foster Air Force Base outside of Victoria. She was feisty as a fice pup, and I fell for her in one heartbeat. Luckily, she was the same. Well, by the time I'd done my time there and had orders to go to Eglin, she was my wife. We had a wonderful time in Florida and huddled through a couple of hurricanes, but she was always there by my side. She had Jerry and we couldn't have been any happier. Then they formed the 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field in 1961. I volunteered because Margie loved the assignment and it would keep me there indefinitely. We developed all kinds of tactics which, I found out later, were quickly used by the CIA in Viet Nam. Somebody, don't remember who, came up with the idea of putting mini-guns on a C-47 to support the Special Forces camps in Viet Nam. I went over with the team for the test program and spent six months ironing out the wrinkles. When I got back, there was Margie, feisty as ever. I swear, every time I came back from an assignment, I'd fall more in love with her each time. I had to go back to Viet Nam but I didn't want to fly jets and was able to get into A1-Ds. Did a lot of ground attack and search and rescue cover. When I got back in '68, Margie wasn't so feisty anymore. We got her to the doctor and she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. What all they had done, wasn't good enough. I lost her in the fall of '69, six months before I retired. I wanted to die with her but she made me promise to be around for Jerry."
Hank looked across the fire and saw the tears streaming over the wrinkles on Jarvis' face. Jarvis took out his handkerchief, wiped his face and blew his noose.
"I was fortunate enough to have a commander at that time who let me ride out the rest of my career doing paperwork. Jerry was just starting college as I was retiring and I was in a million broken pieces and a wishing something, heart attack, cancer, gettin' hit by a truck….anything would take me to be with Margie. I couldn't eat a bullet….I had promised Margie. Anyways, when Jerry went to college-he went to the university up in Columbia and came home every weekend. He had promised his Momma to look after me. I finally got him to stay up there when he had studying to do for exams and he finally did, but every other chance he got, he was down here."
Jarvis wiped his eyes with his handkerchief and let out a stuttering sigh.
"Son, I think Diane can be to you what Margie was to me. She looks at you the way Margie looked at me….all the way up to the day the Lord took her. A love like that will make you feel ten feet tall."
Jarvis slowly got up and shuffled into the cabin and closed the door. Hank sat there for a long time, feeling the pain in the old man's story.
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Post by gipsy on Apr 16, 2022 18:06:37 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 17, 2022 9:16:46 GMT -6
Chapter 12
Hank fed the chickens and brought the eggs back to the cabin. As he sat them on the table, Diane drove up. Jarvis, sitting on the porch, greeted Diane.
"You're dressed up like you're goin' to the woods." Jarvis said.
"Yep, Hank and I are going looking for caves. I have to check for any signs of illness in the northern long-eared bat. We've got some searching to do."
"Ya'll come with me." Jarvis said.
Hank and Diane followed Jarvis as he walked over to the rug.
"Open 'er up." Jarvis said.
Hank pulled up the rug and door and turned on the light. Jarvis made his way slowly down the stairs followed by Hank and Diane. When they reached the common room, Jarvis went over to the radio rack and reached up to a shelf above the radios and pulled down a folded map. Unfolding it, Jarvis showed it to them.
"Jerry and the boys scouted out every cave in the area all the way east to Buck Hollow, south to Water Hollow, west to 76 and north to the Grainer place on 76. They are all marked on here. Maybe it'll help."
"This will be a great help Jarvis, thank you." Diane said.
Diane had brought safety equipment and backpacks with sampling equipment. The would cover sometimes two, sometimes 3 caves a day. Some were easy to get to, others were in precarious locations that they had to rappel to get to. Often, it would take most of the to just to get to a location. After a particularly difficult day, they were sitting by the fire that night, drinking cold water and discussing the project.
"Jarvis, how did your son get such an accurate map of the cave openings? Some of them were difficult to spot, much less to get to." Diane asked.
"When Jerry and the boys were with the National Guard, they were testing some kind of new radar for the Department of Natural Resources. Just for fun, they did a few runs down this a way. Worked good hunh?"
"Yes, it is very accurate."
"How much more ya'll got to do?" Jarvis asked.
"We've got one left down near Siloam Spring."
"Easiest path down there is to just follow this here ridge all the way to Piney Creek. It's a little rough coming outta thuh creek and to the spring, but doable."
"Well, we'll knock that out tomorrow and get this over with. My aches have aches." Diane said.
"What are you going to do with all this stuff we've collected?" Hank asked.
"I'll have to take it up to Columbia and turn the logs and samples in."
"Well, when you get back I expect you to take me out to dinner to repay me for all the scrapes and bruises I've accumulated!" Hank said brusquely.
"Or I could cook for you again." Diane grinned.
"That don't seem like a good idea." Jarvis grinned. "Last time you cooked for him, he came home awful tired."
Diane snickered and Hank flushed and poked the fire.
"The next morning after breakfast Hank was back to splitting firewood and stacking. Normally a grueling chore, it actually tighten up his muscles and got rid of the aches and pains f the previous week's adventure. The weather was still warm but the leaves were beginning to pick up their Fall colors and that made me more determined to put a bigger dent in the wood pile. He'd already made a visible dent in the three dump truck loads of wood, but there was still plenty left. The last wood he split that morning was for the firepit. After bathing off, Hank went over and sat on the porch, leaning against a post.
"I saw a lot of deer trails all over near the springs. I'd like to put some mineral blocks around to keep them somewhat near." Hank said.
"Jerry used ta do that. All the way up to…"
"Where did he get the blocks?"
"Over in Hollister at thuh Tractor Supply."
"Hollister? Where is that?" Hank asked.
"Down southeast of Branson. Ya go down highway 39 to 86 then over to 64 on into Hollister. Little over an hour there."
"I think I'll take a run over there this afternoon and pick up a few blocks."
"A meal of backstrap with some collards would shore go good 'bout now." Jarvis grinned.
Hank grinned. "Don't go get the pan hot just yet."
Hank got dressed and Jarvis gave him a list of groceries to pick up while he was out. Heading down 76 to 39, Hank thought Jarvis was looking better and seemed spryer than he had recently. Grinning, Hank figured it might be the meals Diane had been making for them. Every night, no matter how tired she was from the day's trek, she insisted on making a meal for "her" men. Hank had been a lot more cheerful and eagerly awaited their return every afternoon.
Hank found the Tractor Supply and picked up six of the twenty pound Purina deer blocks. Heading back, He stopped at a grocery store to pick up the things on Jarvis' list before heading home.
He was on 39, just past Shell Knob when Diane called.
"Hank! I got back to the cabin and Jarvis was having chest pains and his left arm was feeling numb. I'm taking him to the ER at Mercy!"
"I'll meet you there!"
Hank's speedometer needle was touching 100mph on the straightaway before the intersection with highway 112. He slowed down a little on the way into town and followed 112 to the hospital. Running into the emergency room he looked around and saw Diane sitting in the waiting area with her face in her hands, shaking. Hank rushed over to her and pulled her wrists to him.
Diane looked at him, tears streaming down her face. "I drove as quick as I could, Hank. The doctor said he stroked out when they had him on the table. Did you know he had a 'Do not resuscitate order' on file here?"
Hank shook his head, pulling her to his chest.
"What do we do now? "Diane asked.
A man walked up to a doctor who pointed to Hank and Diane. Moving over to them, the man cleared his throat. "My name is Gerald Hollings. I am Jarvis Hickum's family lawyer."
Hank stood, puzzled, and a little angry. "How did you get here so quick?"
"Small town, besides I'm a friend with the ER doctor and the cardiologist here. They informed me. Hank already had his funeral plans laid out. He wanted to be cremated and his ashes spread near a spring. I don't have the exact location at this moment, but it's written down in his will. I will contact you later about the memorial service and the deposition of the will."
"Let me give you my number." Hank said.
"I have it. Jarvis gave it to me."
Hank helped Diane up. "Thank you Mr. Hollings. Please let me know about the service."
Hank walked with Diane out to her truck.
"Come stay with me." Diane pleaded.
"I can't. I want to have one more night at the fire, to say goodbye to Jarvis." Hank said, tearing up.
"Then I'll put some things together and come to you. I don't want to be alone and you don't need to be alone."
Hank nodded and opened her door for her. Watching her drive away, Hank got in his truck and headed to the cabin.
It wasn't dark yet when Diane drove up, but she saw Hank at the fire just looking at Jarvis' chair across from him. She walked up to Hank and laid her hands on his shoulders, lightly massaging his muscles.
"He's finally with Margie. He's free. He's finally free to be with his family again." Hank said.
"Yes." Diane said softly, nodding in agreement. She removed her hands from his shoulders and went over to her truck. Getting out a bottle of wine and two cups, she went back to the fire and sat down next to Hank. She pulled the cork from the wine bottle and poured wine into each cup and handed one to Hank.
"To a great man." She said, holding up her cup.
Hank tapped her cup with his and took a sip.
"I know it's cliché to say that he's in a better place, but I do believe he is." Hank said. "Jarvis was always quick to smile or laugh, but that was just a façade to hide the pain he's carried for all those years. He's had that cross to bear for too many years and it was time he got some relief. So Jarvis, if you're sitting in that chair, thank you for your friendship and your wisdom you shared with me. Hopefully, you had some kind of plan in place to take care of this land after you were gone. You did good, taking care of it."
They stayed by the fire late into the night, finishing the wine. They slept in the same single bed, but they didn't do anything but doze in a restless slumber. As the sun rose, they got up and Hank stoked the fire in the cookstove and set the frying pan on to heat up. Going over to the cooler to get the bacon, Hank studied the galvanized box. He hadn't paid much attention to it before. It was an old style Pepsi cooler with circulating cold water, except there was no pump to circulate the water. It was piped straight in from the artesian well and drained somewhere. He pulled the Tupperware container of bacon out and stripped off six strips of bacon and laid them in the hot pan. The smell of the sizzling bacon brought Diane out, looking beautiful even with her bed head. After setting up the percolator, she took over frying the bacon while Hank returned the bacon container to the cooler and took out the eggs.
"Scrambled?" Hank asked.
He saw Diane nod and broke six eggs in a bowl and whipped them. Setting the bowl aside, Hank sliced two thick slices of bread off a loaf and laid them on the stove top to toast. By the time the toast browned, Diane had plated the eggs and bacon, the coffee had perked and Hank started buttering the toast.
"I know Jarvis had jelly around here, somewhere." Diane said.
Hank got up and pulled a pint of blackberry jelly out of the cooler.
They sat and ate quietly, quickly finishing their breakfast. They both washed up the dishes and put everything away. Dian stripped the beds and gathered up all the laundry including Jarvis’.”
“I’ve got to go to work.” Dine said. “What are you going to do?”
“Split wood, I guess.”
Diane nodded, kissed Hank on the cheek, loaded the laundry bundle in the truck and left.
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Post by CountryGuy on Apr 17, 2022 9:32:08 GMT -6
This is a great story. Sorry to see Jarvis pass on but expected it at some point, eager to see what plans the wily codger set up without the 2 young-ins knowing about.
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Post by biggkidd on Apr 17, 2022 9:35:44 GMT -6
Hank is in for a shock when the will gets read!
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