" "What does your husband do? Go to work each morning and come home each afternoon?" The tinkly little giggle again and she said, "No, heck no." "What does your husband do? Go to work each morning and come home each afternoon?" The tinkly little giggle again and she said, "No, heck no. He'll be gone for a few weeks or maybe a coupla months if he finds any gold. Or even if he don't find any." "Aren't you afraid to be alone like this?" "Naw, not with ole Charlie around. He'd tear anything apart that tried to do me in. Even a bear. He did once, too. Wasn't no bear, but it was a bobcat and it gave me a bad time out in the yard while I was feedin' tha chickens. Wanted a chicken, I guess, but ole Charlie didn't give him a chance. Chased that danged cat clear into the next county, I guess. Matter of fact, that's how I knew you was comin'; ole Charlie let me know as soon as ya' left the road." All the while she was talking, she was moving about the kitchen making a pitcher of lemonade or something out of a yellow can and each time she passed in front of the open door I could see her cute shape under that baggy dress. She didn't have stitch one on under that thing. Cute shape, too. Wow! Finally, she put the pitcher in front of me with a glass and said, "Drink up. Fresh up. Sorry I ain't got no ice, but the water comes from a deep mountain spring and is coldern' all get out. Sorry the lemonade ain't fresh, but we can't get 'em up here, lest we go down the mountain to the nearest store." I assured her it would be fine, but she needn't have gone through all that trouble as water would have worked just as well. But, it did taste good and I refilled the glass two more times. |