One Life (From Gandy Dancer to farmer)

Hugh

Hugh wasn’t sure if he was mostly Irish or mostly Choctaw,

But at the age of eleven there was a determined set to his jaw,

From a hard-working family, he was but one of ten,

Steady, reliable, and able to outwork any two men,

Respectful of his father but tired of being knocked about,

He knew if he remained at home, his future was in doubt,

One night when all were exhausted and fast asleep,

He gathered a few things along with his rifle to keep,

Slung over his shoulder were his food and rifle reloads,

He hurried along until he found the tracks of the railroad,

Following the rails for hours and then hiding outside town,

He hopped the first train that was westward bound,

Hugh met up with the foreman of a rough work crew,

The foreman smiled, “Just exactly what can you do?”

Hugh wasn’t ready to prove he could outwork two men,

So he said boldly, “I can supply your crew with meat now and then,”

The foreman laughed, “You’re young but I admire your spunk,”

“Tomorrow I’ll see what you can do, now let’s find you a bunk,”

Before long the crew was enjoying the fruits of his skill,

The foreman noticed Hugh didn’t waste shots or kill for the thrill,

One day on a hunting expedition Hugh heard a gruff voice,

“Give me that rifle, boy, you ain’t got no choice,”

Now Hugh had learned to treat others with respect,

They should return the favor, something he would expect,

“I don’t bother anything of others is my bottom line,

What’s yours is yours and what’s mine is mine,”

“Hand over that rifle, boy, and you’d better make it quick,”

 Otherwise I’ll just take it, after I give your rear a kick,”

The rifle was Hugh’s, and to make a point he fired one round,

The man cursed loudly and made a hissing sound,

“I think you might be old enough to be digging ditches,

But to challenge me you’re getting too big for your britches,”

“If you’re going to test a man, then you’ll die like a man,

Because I can shoot faster than any man can,”

The bully grabbed his gun and swung it around,

One bullet was fired and then he hit the ground,

The shocked look on his face, one of complete surprise,

His life was over, shot squarely between the eyes,

The sheriff came by but after a look at the evidence,

Declared Hugh was innocent, “Clearly self-defense!”

With one man missing from the railroad crew,

The foreman asked Hugh to fill in there too,

 “We’re one man short I won’t take no for an answer,

You’ll still bring in meat, and you’ll be a gandy dancer,”

Not only was he able to pull his own weight,

He stopped a train robbery and sealed one bandit’s fate,

The robber was bold to walk down the aisles,

But that was the bandit’s last day to smile,

Though roving bands of disgruntled men roamed the west,

Many were not eager to confront and decided it best,

To just watch and wait to see which train Hugh rode,

They worked it out with a secret code,

Hugh settled down and married the daughter of a judge,

The judge wanted a southern man, but he didn’t carry a grudge,

 The War had long been over and Hugh never claimed a side,

The judge, a Confederate officer, still talked of the war with pride,

But the agreement between Hugh, and Emma, his wife,

Was to love each other totally, and not talk about strife,

 Hugh’s compassion and truth were known round about,

After several years had gone by, his name carried clout,

He and Emma had nine children who were active and loud,

They were all industrious, which made Hugh proud,

The children had multiple chores to do around the farm,

Laughing as they worked, they did nobody harm,

But their chickens didn’t stay on the right side of the fence,

And according to Hugh, they didn’t have “a lick of sense”,

His neighbor shouted, “Keep those chickens off my land!”

“I don’t like Union chickens, I’m sure you understand,”

Hugh swallowed his pride and let the insult slide,

If it wasn’t for the children he’d had the man’s hide,

A few days later one of his kids went under the fence,

She grabbed her pet chicken in the chicken’s defense,

One bullet whizzed by and stirred up some dirt,

Another wild shot but nobody was hurt,

One of the others screamed for their dad,

All the commotion told Hugh it was bad,

Hugh grabbed his rifle and headed out the door,

He heard his neighbor yelling, “I can’t take it anymore!”

“Your union children were trespassing on my land,

If you had gotten an education, then you’d understand,”

Hugh tried to keep calm, he’d promised his wife,

But no one should ever threaten his child’s life,

“If you ever shoot this way again you’ll catch lead,

This time you’re lucky, I’ll just warn you instead,”

The neighbor laughed. “You’re just a farmer man,

I was raised in the South as a cultured gentleman,”

“I don’t take threats lightly, especially from a union man,”

He turned quickly and fired the pistol in his hand,

Hugh was a fraction behind but his rifle was steady,

He fired once before his neighbor’s second was ready,

Hugh’s bullet tore the pistol from the man’s grasp,

There was silence and smoke before he began to gasp,

Hugh’s bullet had hit the gun and ricocheted into the man’s chest,

 Hugh had killed the man, and the sheriff showed up for his arrest,

Hugh went quietly, sure it was self-defense,

But the charges filed against him led to some suspense.

The Trial

The civil war had been over for forty years,

Yet there were those who were still shedding tears,

And fighting their hated enemy in mental battles,

Strutting about town as if their sabres still rattled,

The prosecutor was a man who liked to build his case,

A reenactment of the Civil War was his base,

Hugh was portrayed as a Union man with a grudge,

Which didn’t sit well with the Confederate judge,

Railroad men, townsfolk, neighbors called on Hugh’s behalf,

Claimed he was a honest hardworking man who liked to laugh,

But most admitted they were afraid to misbehave,

They believed that anyone who challenged him would lie in a grave,

Things did not go well for Hugh at the trial,

Rumors said he’d dance on the gallows or be jailed for awhile,

Before the trial ended, his luck suddenly changed,

His wife approached the judge with a plan arranged,

The judge called for a recess and they met in another room,

“Judge,” she said quietly, “before you announce Hugh’s doom,

I want you to consider the cards I might deal,

Hugh might go to jail but your fate will be sealed,”

“My dad was a general and respected as well,

He was a proud gentleman but he knew war was hell,

He would have preferred that I marry someone from the south,

But he admired Hugh’s character and the words from his mouth,

He also said that the nation could only be healed,

If justice was fair and the truth revealed,”

“You know that Hugh is telling nothing but the truth,

But if you need more testimony, I’ll enter the booth,

If you dare dismiss my testimony or even imply,

That the daughter of a respected officer would lie,”

“You might upset a few of Dad’s former friends,

Who would take it as his reputation you’ll offend,

If you should sentence Hugh based on other issues,

Then I’d sure hate to be in your shoes,”

The judge didn’t move as she swished through the door,

His eyes were staring blankly at the floor,

He had promised his friends that Hugh had to pay,

Now he had to be creative and find another way,

His friends wanted retaliation for losing the war,

They wanted Hugh to hang and nothing more,

The judge was caught between a rock and a hard place,

But he could still redeem himself without losing face,

“All rise,” the sheriff intoned as the judge entered, “Now take your seats,”

The crowd was quiet, it didn’t want to miss a beat,

The prosecutor was smiling and expecting a win,

There were those in the audience expressing chagrin,

Without raising his eyes the judge said,

“The nation’s wounds have too long bled,

  All the brokenness we have to repair,

That can only happen if justice is fair,”

“The preponderance of evidence is plain to me,

That the accused is innocent in every degree,

If there is nothing more then I’ll insist,

This trial is over, Case Dismissed!

There were those who were in shock,

The ones expecting a conviction, the southern flock,

From the union supporters there was a flurry of tears,

And then realizing victory, a chorus of cheers,

The judge rose and went out the back door,

He wasn’t sure he could please anybody anymore,

He liked his job but maybe it was time,

To move along to another clime,

For the rest of his life Hugh lived down on the farm,

Raising children and animals and doing no harm,

Of course Emma and Hugh grew old together,

Loving each other and talking about the weather.

"That's What Love Do!"

“If you could only go there,

soaking up the atmosphere,

 feeling the magic in the beat,

 the thump of the bass stirring up heat,

 dancing heart to heart and cheek to cheek,

 the bold reaching out for the mild and meek,

 it's a place that casts a spell,

Come and go with me, I know it well.”

I can still hear her words as she invited me to come listen to her play.  Her eyes invited me a second time, teasing, offering more than moments of listening pleasure.  Erika stopped in often where I worked, watching me wait on customers, smiling whenever I glanced her way.  When that customer left she would come up to the counter and ask if I could help her find a tool of some kind. 

She drew a crowd almost every time she sauntered in, weaving around the other salesmen, ignoring their eager pleas of assistance. She was slim and curvy, her jeans tight, her ample breasts straining against the fabric of her blouse.  She always kept two buttons undone, just to keep the men and boys at her beck and call. I tried to ignore her.  I could imagine the saliva dripping from their mouths. 

Perhaps that was why she was so persistent. Erika would lean forward, placing both elbows on the counter, her eyes focused on me, watching for a reaction of any kind. She was aware of the silence as the men held their breaths hoping that the fabric might tear, or Erika might jiggle in some way.

I waved them all away, at least out of earshot.  “Okay, Erika, what do you want this time?”

“Come out tonight, Bobby, and listen to our band.  You’ll be glad you did.”  “If I go tonight you won’t bother me anymore?”

 “I promise, Bobby.” 

“But what about your husband?”  They were still together as far as I knew.

“We’re in a trial separation.  He said he doesn’t care.  Anyway, what does it matter?  I’m tired of his obsessive behavior.  I don’t belong to him. As far as I’m concerned we’re through.”  She stared at me. “Are you going to be there or not?”

“Okay.  But just this once.”   She smiled broadly, turned and walked out, every step accentuated, pretending to be oblivious to all the wolves hiding in the aisles. 

They rushed to me, wanting to know every juicy detail, especially since Erika was smiling on her way out.  I told them nothing, content to let them conjecture and imagine, their heads full of takes and retakes of scenes right out of Hollywood.

“I’d sure like to be in his shoes,” a young associate said loudly.

  One of the ones who had stared the most muttered, “She’s nothing but trouble. Bobby’s done good to stay away from her.”

 He didn’t know I was going to see her tonight.

Erika usually played guitar and sang three or four songs, but sometimes she would sing one or two extra, if there was a special occasion.  Tonight she had already downed a few rum and colas and was feeling good. She saw me enter and immediately she took charge of the band, running through several riffs and songs that had furious flourishes, evidently to impress me. 

The band took a break and Erika came to my table. “Well, what did you think?” she asked. 

“I want something slower and easier to dance to.” 

She shrugged.  Soon she started singing “I Love Rainy Nights” and followed with “Black Velvet”.  I stood on the dance floor swaying slowly. A young woman wrapped her arms around me, her head on my chest. Erika put her guitar away. She came off the stage and pulled the woman away.”He’s with me,” she said coldly.

“I need a breath of fresh air,” she said as she led me outside.  “Now what was that all about?” she asked.

“I wanted to dance,” I said bluntly.  “You’re married and I don’t belong to you so what’s the problem?”  I knew she was jealous. She was shaking, angry at me, angry at the girl, angry at the world, just angry because she had no control over the situation.

“I need a drink,” she said, “so I can cool down.”  I started towards the bar. “Don’t buy me one. The bartender will give me as many as I ask for.”  Jake, the bartender, saw her coming and began mixing a drink.  “I want this one to be a double,” she said flatly. “I need something strong.” 

She turned to me. “Dance with whoever you want. Just don’t take anybody home. The band will be done in about an hour.  I want to see you after that.” 

I danced with several women, doing the two step around the room, the slide, and a few line dances to fill the time.  I got a few offers to go somewhere else for drinks, to share  coffee, take someone home, and numbers to call.  They were very friendly, one and all.  I collected rainchecks and phone numbers and dates for other times. Then Erika showed up and they all scattered.  “Let’s go to the park by your apartment.  We can talk without being interrupted.”   

Erika had always been rebellious and claimed she lived in outlaw country.  I wasn’t sure what she wanted to talk about but I was pretty sure it wasn’t about flowers and songs.

Outside it was raining, hard and steady. We were both drenched when we  climbed into my truck.  She glanced over and then slid next to me, her warmth stirring me, filling me with anticipated pleasure.  She was staring, her eyes large and focused.  They were intensely hypnotic, and strangely compelling.  The rain was making it difficult to focus on the white lines of my lane, and she was not helping. If I looked one more second I was sure I would lose control of my truck and my body. I shivered and clung to the wheel. She giggled as if I had just touched her in some sensitive spot.  Involuntarily, parts of my body were reacting to her voice, her smile, and her touch. By now her fingers were inside my shirt, dancing across my chest while her tongue played with my ear.

I didn’t intend for anything to happen.  I thought I could resist her. “Just say no,” I told myself. She didn’t really want to talk. When her blouse came off my resistance ceased. Helpless to resist, I became a willing partner.  She was wild and passionate, eager to please, and wanting release. I was surprised by my own needy but powerful response.

We held each other for a long time, just listening to the rain, before we dressed and talked.  Erika was adamant she wanted to be with me and not her husband.  “When are you going to leave him?” I asked.

“Soon,” she replied. “I can’t leave Wes right now.  He’s had some bad luck lately.  When he gets everything going again, then I’ll leave.”

There was not much to talk about after that so we just cuddled for awhile. Finally I said, “I need to get you home.”  Erika glared at me but said nothing as I drove the rainy roads, down the lane to her house, and pulled to a stop. 

The porch lights snapped on, and I felt very conspicuous.  Wes stepped out onto the porch and started towards the truck.  “This could be trouble,” I muttered.  But Wes just waved and said, “Thanks for bringing her home.  I worry about her when she’s late and I know she’s been drinking.” 

This unnerved me. I was expecting rage and jealousy. I’m not sure if I wanted him to be carrying a rifle or handgun, but to be friendly just seemed odd.  

Wes gave Erika a hug and ushered her inside. I sat for a minute more trying to comprehend, and I left still shaking my head.

The next week Erika came to the store several times just to say hi, to flirt, and give me a hug and a kiss.  She wasn’t hiding our relationship. Everything was in the open. She told everyone her marriage was over, except for the shouting.

We met several times a week, and always on weekends.  It was the same story every time.  We didn’t go out to eat, go to the movies, or attempt to go on any normal dates.  After dancing and music, we would park or go to my apartment.  It was clear nothing more was expected or wanted.  Gradually I began insisting I wanted more from the relationship.  Without realizing it I was falling into love.

I know it sounded strange so I never tried explaining it to anyone. I resented taking her home and turning her over to her husband.  This relationship had to change.  I was tired of fighting my conscience, tired of sharing but Erika refused to listen. She kept saying, “This is not a good time for Wes. He’s struggling with so many things.”

Finally I said, “You have to make a choice.  It’s either Wes or me.” She looked at me as if I had lost my mind. Then she smiled. “Okay, it’s time to make some changes. Be patient, though.”

I didn’t hear from her for several weeks. I tried to give her time to get her life straightened out.  I was working in the backroom putting away supplies when another employee said, “Bobby, you have a customer out front.”

I was excited, expecting to see Erika.  Instead it was Wes, looking haggard and worried. “Bobby, Erika is all I really have and all I really wanted.  When she was with you I knew it was just a fling but she always came home.  Now she’s been gone for almost three days.  I can’t sleep.  I can’t eat.  I can’t live without her.  Do you know where she is? I just want her safe at home.” 

Before me was a broken man, his self esteem destroyed but his love intact.  I couldn’t turn him away.  “Wes, I’ll help you search.”

Together we searched Erika’s hangouts and sought help from her friends.  At first our search was fruitless. Then someone from her band gave us a name and an address. Eventually we found her walking barefoot down a side street, heading home.  She claimed she was tired of being pressured so she had found a new boyfriend. He was not so nice.  He had slapped her a few times and refused to take her home. When he wasn’t watching she had made her getaway.

She was pleased to see Wes but she frowned when she saw me. “Wes, I just want to go home and get cleaned up.  I want to rest and cuddle with you.”

I drove them home in silence.  Wes watched Erika go inside the house before he said wearily, “Erika is an alcoholic and unfaithful. She’s always been like that since I found her years ago.  I love her and it’s my job to see that she’s taken care of.  I’m the only real home she knows.  She’ll always come back. She needs me too.”

Suddenly it was all very clear.  Wes and Erika were two desperate needy people, and in their own weird way were meant for each other.  I didn’t have an answer for Wes for I loved her too.  At that moment my plans for the future changed and I decided to stick around and keep watch over both of them.  I was the only sane one of the bunch. You might think it’s weird but it makes sense to me.  That’s what love do.