Dancing in the Oaks

Biscuits N Gravy

When I woke up I smelled food. It smelled delightful. The smell filled my nose and my mind with nostalgia. It reminded me of my grandmother, who made the best biscuits. I could smell the butter and the bread cooking together. The autumn air is cold, so I decided to wear my leather jacket. This jacket was given to me by my father after he bought the wrong size at the country store. It is a Wrangler jacket. I love it so much because it hugs my body perfectly and keeps me warm. When I walked out into the kitchen I steeped some herbal tea. I figured it would help me feel a little better. This time I decided to get some peppermint and lavender. That is my favorite and the best for when I feel like trash. I happened to look out the back window where the sun peered through very brightly. Nick was sitting out there playing my father's guitar. When I walked out I startled him. The floorboards clacked while I walked across the decking.

"You're awake. Good afternoon, almost night." He said jokingly.

"Picking at my father's guitar? You play it really well, but your singing is even better." The horse was tied to the house pillar. It neighed back at me almost as if she was saying hello. Stryd is the best mare that I have. I bought her with my own money shortly after we moved here. When I got her she was only three years old. Now she is something like 5 years old. I am more than proud of her with how far she has come.

Nick gave a shocked look. "You heard me play? Sing?" He obviously did not want me to hear him singing.

"Of course. I could hear you in the house, plus the window is open." I sat down on the chair on the other side. I placed emphasis on the word open. Stryd neighed back in a way that seemed as if she had agreed with my statement.

"Oh alright. Thanks, I'll take your compliment. What are ya drinkin'?" His hand strummed and picked at the guitar strings as he watched me drink my tea. I stared off into the distance at the pasture. Last spring we just reseeded the pasture to create a nice, thick spot for future cows to graze. I guess that was mostly me that ended up with that duty as well. It would have been so much quicker if my siblings were not fighting the whole time. Anyways, it was so worth the back breaking labor of spreading bags of seeds for twelve hours.

He looked up at me and I said, "Lavender and Peppermint tea. I figured it'd help with the nausea and the pain. Want some?" I offered some because I knew that he would probably like some. 

"Nope, it's all yours." He continued picking at the guitar. The capo was placed on the fifth fret. You know, I have always wanted to learn to play the guitar as well as Nick, but I just haven't been able to find the time to do it. I was always so occupied with chores and everything else that my family wanted me to do. I play a little bit, but no more than 'I walk the Line' by Johnny Cash and 'Forever and ever, amen' by Randy Travis. I can play a part of the 'Dueling Banjos', but it doesn't sound the best. One day I will get there.

I laid my crutches down beside my chair. "You know, I never liked the way my father played that guitar. There's just somethin' different about how you play it. Quite nice actually, in fact I love it." I took a sip of my warm tea. My father did not play it as gracefully as Nick. He couldn't get the country twang to the guitar like Nick can. When Nick played the guitar it sounded like a perfect, western, country song. "I meant to ask: are you cooking something?"

"Why yes I am. I saw that biscuits and gravy was on the menu yesterday for dinner. I thought, why not? I don't know if you like that or not." I couldn't figure out how he got his fingers to move that fast across the fretboard.

"Are you serious? That's actually my favorite. Since my parents couldn't do much, I had to sort of take over the house. I plan the meals every week and go and pick up groceries with Harlem. I wanted biscuits and gravy for my birthday dinner, but I pushed it forward a couple days. I never made it because I went down to the hoedown and ate y'all's brisket. Then the next day and so forth I was in the hospital. Now I am here. I actually just threw together some chicken, Swiss cheese, and some fresh peas out of the garden." I was in disbelief that he was cooking me food now. "Happy birthday, a few days ago of course."