Among Men and Beasts

Chapter 2

    The day went by pretty fast.  Eli went to go play Romeo and I'm still at my Paw's after having had some of the best fried fish one could get back then.  When it came to biscuits, mashed potatoes, cornbread or any other of these assorted and true staples of any fine meal, Mawmaw usually was in charge of the cooking.  But if it once had in it the breath of life and bled red, then everyone stood aside and let Paw do his thing.  Mawmaw said that though she appreciated a man who could cook, she was pretty sure Paw learned every art of grilling, frying, and smoking to impress his father-in-law.  If it weren't for his know-how of turning even the humblest of meats into fine delicacies, her daddy would have ran him off right outta the door.  You know it's just natural for men to go absolutely out of their way once a lady's got her fingers wrapped around his heart.  You could say his purpose was shallow, but I don't feel guilty for taking advantage of the frivolous ventures of another man if it so benefits me. 

    There wasn't really much going on other than my folks cleaning the dishes or Dad and my uncle playing at the pool table.  So I had some time on my hands.  Noticing this my Paw takes a break from dish duty and comes up to me with his signature warm smile.  He gives me a firm pat on the shoulder and lets his whole weight fall down on the couch.  Something about the way he talked drove away any negative thoughts and people always lit up about as much as he was when he talked to them.

So he comes to me and says, "So, you like the new boat"

"She's a beauty. Skimmed smoothly over the water and didn't throw me around with every toss and turn."

    "Yep, just got her not too long ago when I was out and about, Jackson area. Moment I saw her I knew that was my one chance so I had to call your uncle Hank to come all the way down there so we could tow it back here. Remember son, once you get this old you get to call in all the favors from your kids. All that wipin' and changin' goes a looong way."

    "Yeah, Dad was telling me, said Uncle Hank was livid"

    "He was?" Paw said, with kind of a guilty, surprised face.

    I'm surprised with how mischievous he was and how much I've messed with him that he never could see through me right away. He smacked my shoulder and I laughed it off. Then Mawmaw started hollering from the kitchen.

    "Joey! You remember to check if that cow burned all the way through?"

    "Oh, sorry sweetie, no I haven't" said Paw. "Don't worry I'll ask Leo the favor"

    "Don't bother that boy to go taking up your responsibilities, I don't want trouble coming about and it coming back to us," Mawmaw said.

    Paw looked over at me with pleading eyes "Leo, would ya?"

    I raised my head up. I said, "Sure, what you need?"

    "We had a cow that's been sick for a while and well, this morning it passed and I didn't want it to go spreading around disease to coyotes or whatever so I burned it out in the pasture. Kerosene can should still be right next to it and if you want I'll give you a lighter."

    I accepted after he told me exactly where the cow was being burned and then I headed on over to the pasture.  I remember it being rather warm and humid, as most nights were, but the air weighed down on me with an added bulk I could find no reason for.  Also all the cattle were out of immediate sight, and even the usual songs of frogs and crickets were silent and replaced with dead air.  I was using my phone to light the way since no moon was out and being there deep in the boonies, there ain't really any streetlights.  Only sound I could make out was my breath and my footsteps on the wet grass.  A little bit further and my phone lit up the eyes of an armadillo digging up a hole to find some midnight snack, and the moment I got close it scurried its little self along.