Buddies by Nancy L. Hart Read Free Book Online Page B

awhile, she felt good when she showed off her new dress that Mama had made from the material she bought. She bragged to her friends that her Mama had a dress just like hers, made out of the same blue gingham.
    The smell of spring was now in the cool air. The women folks began taking the heavy covers from the beds to hangoutside to soak up the warm sunshine. Grindstones could be heard singing all around the countryside as the men folks sharpened their farm tools, getting them in tiptop shape to start their crops. When Joey Frank spotted the first wild plum blossoms, he picked an armful to put on Pa’s grave. Spring was Pa’s favorite time of the year, and the plum was his favorite fruit. He told Joey Frank that it was the first fruit of the season and God let it bear first for a good reason. Pa believed that everyone should always eat at least “one big bellyful of plums.”
    The last day of school was always a sad time for Joey Frank and Ernie. Although there would be Saturdays to anticipate roaming the hills and hollows, there were empty feelings knowing they would be without each other’s company for six whole days.
    Joey Frank wore his pa’s shoes the last day of school. He brought Ernie’s old shoes back to him, telling him how much he appreciated the use of them. He explained that the hens were beginning to lay eggs now, and in a few days he should be able to gather enough to sell to the merchants in Ruby Creek to buy a new pair of shoes.
    On that Tuesday at two o’clock, Miss Lester dismissed school for the last day of the school year. The boys said their goodbyes with a slap on each other’s shoulders. They departed, saying they would see each other at Joey Frank’s house the coming Saturday.
    Everyday for the rest of that week, Joey Frank worked at getting the ground ready for tilling. He raked, piled and burned the dead brush to clear a spot for the vegetable garden. Mama got out the different seeds she had saved in glass jars, from their last garden. She sat on the front porch and poured out each jar separately onto her apron that was spread across her lap. She picked out the bad seed and pitched them to the chickens in the yard. The chickens were eating the seed as soon as they hit the ground. Mama put the good seeds back into labeled jars to be used for planting when the ground became warm enough.
    Saturday morning came in a flash. Ernie was on Joey Frank’s doorsteps at the crack of dawn. He had a burlap sack swung around his neck, a lunch pail in one hand, his fishing pole and can of bait in the other. Joey Frank asked, “What’cha got in that sack Ernie?”
    “Just them ole shoes of mine. I figgered that you’d like to wear’m fishin’ this mornin’ an’ not hafta mess up yore Pa’s.”
    “I’m mighty obliged to you, Ernie. Yeah, I’ll take’m off yore hands to wear today. I’ve got eggs to take to Ruby Creek this mornin’ to sell an’ buy me a new pair.”
    Joey Frank took the burlap sack from Ernie and changed into his old shoes. Mama handed him his lunch pail and basket of eggs to carry to the merchants. He also got his fishing pole that stood ready in the corner of the kitchen, so off he and Ernie went to spend the day.
    As the boys walked along down the winding road to Ruby Creek, they talked about Banker Tolbert. Joey Frank said, “Ernie, I shore hope that we don’t run into ole Banker Tolbert in town today. That crazy fool might just try an’ kill us agin.”
    “We won’t go nowhere around the bank, Joey Frank, ‘cause that’s where the ole fool’ll be for shore. He’d be all propped up behind his fine desk, just like ole Miss Lester, not knowin’ what a hard day’s work is all about. Dang’m, they both just as lazy as all git-out an’ mean as ole Lucifer could ever be.”
    “Who’s Lucifer, Ernie? I don’t reckin I’ve ever heard tell of her before.”
    “Lucifer ain’t no her, Joey Frank; he’s a him an’ he’s the dang devil.”
    “I ain’t never heard