Paradise

Paradise

Ezekiel finished his breakfast and claimed his hat from the rack by the front door. He smiled at his wife, Ruth, and patted his son’s shoulder.

“Cole, make sure that last field gets mown today. I will have a buyer for the whole harvest when I come home,” he promised.

“It will be cut, Papa,” the young man answered with a nod.

The man left the house and strode to the barn. The brown draft horses knickered as he came in. He reached down and gathered a handful of oats for each of them. They had been fed before breakfast. He spoke gently to the huge animals as he got the harness and the wagon ready for his trip to town. It was eight miles and would take the whole day what with travelling, bargaining for the hay and buying supplies.

Ezekiel led the mare called Violet to the front of the wagon, attached her harness and backed her into the traces. He threaded the reins over her broad back and pooled them onto the seat. He left her in the yard while he returned to the house. He washed his face and neck and took the shirt Ruth handed him. He kissed her lightly, “I’ll be back before sundown.” She smiled back, “I’ll be here.”

He climbed onto the seat of the wagon and urged Violet out to the road. Turning, he saw his wife and son on the porch. He waived and gave the reins a flick. Violet walked steadily onto the road towards town.

The trip was uneventful. Ezekiel passed the fields of his neighbors, also ready for harvest. The air was cool and the road was clear. Eventually he saw the water tower that marked the outskirts of town.  He turned in at the hay broker and grain mill.

“Good morning, Ezekiel,” called Tom Brenner over the noise of the machinery.

“Good morning, Tom,” Ezekiel said loudly, as they shook hands. “I’ve come to bargain for the hay crop.”

Tom nodded, “I’ve been expecting you. Let’s go into the office, away from this racket.”

The men sat down across a worn desk, “How much can you deliver?”

“I figure about seventeen tons.”

“That your whole harvest?”

“No, I’m holding for the animals of course, and a bit to barter.”

Tom nodded and did a few quick figures, “I can give you forty dollars a ton.”

“I was hoping for forty-five, since more people need feed in the winter,” Ezekiel said.

The broker furrowed his brow and gazed out the window. He would be charging more for winter hay. “The highest I can go is forty-three.”

Ezekiel met his gaze and then looked thoughtfully at his hands, running calculations in his head. He looked up at Tom and nodded his head, “That’s a deal.”

“When can you deliver?” Tom asked as he wrote out a note for the agreement.

“In a week,” said Ezekiel putting the paper in his shirt pocket.

Tom walked the farmer to the door and shook his hand again. The merchant smiled as he walked back to his office, thinking about what a good bargain he had made.

Ezekiel climbed into his wagon and drove down the street to buy his supplies. He would need extra rations for the neighbors that would help him bring in the hay. Ruth would feed them well and they would share what they could in return for their hard work. This would repeat at every farm in the area in the weeks ahead. The strong men and wives helping every neighbor.

He loaded the purchases into the wagon, gave Violet a long drink at the trough and turned the wagon back to the road home. He grinned as they passed the water tower. “We are going to be alright this winter, girl. I thought Tom was only going to go as high as forty-one dollars. The extra will be a good cushion against any surprises.”

The sunset drifting along gorge lit the woods behind the farmhouse. The road leading to the quiet home was as golden as a path to heaven. Ezekiel noticed that Cole and Ruth had cut the hay in the west field. It lay in neat rows, drying before it would be baled. He hoped Cole had given Frank, their other horse a good combing and a bit of extra grain for all that work.

Smoke floated from the chimney, blurring the colors of the hills in the sunset. He marveled at how Ruth always knew when he would arrive and have supper ready. He could imagine her putting the food on the table as he walked in. She would always brush down her apron and say, “It’s about time you got home”.

Ezekiel drove quietly into the dirt yard. He gathered his hat and coat and handed the reins to Cole as he stepped down. He strolled into the house just as Ruth put the lamp in the window.

“It’s about time you got home,” she teased as he put his things down.

He kissed her cheek, “I wanted to be in time for supper.”

While he was washing, Cole came in from putting the horse and wagon away. “I will put the supplies in the cellar after supper.”

Ezekiel nodded and examined the boy as he washed. Had he grown more while Ezekiel was in town? Cole looked back at him, puzzled, as he combed his dark hair from his eyes.

The men sat and Ruth brought turkey, roasted vegetables and biscuits to the table. The smell was heavenly to the hungry men.

Cole looked expectantly at his father, “Did you see we got all the hay cut today?”

“I saw all the hay your mama cut today.” Ezekiel said, winking at Ruth.

Cole’s mouth dropped open, “The hay MAMA cut!” Then he realized he was being teased and ducked his head, chuckling.

“I saw what a fine job you did. I knew I left things in good hands,” his father said.

“Enough talking, these biscuits will be so cold, they won’t melt butter,” Ruth scolded.

Ezekiel basked in the happiness of his life and thought, I wish we could stay here forever.

He reached for the hands of his wife and son and gave thanks for the richness of his life.