Harvest of Love

Chapter 3

For all his rough edges, Clem was a pretty decent guy. His one weakness was tobacco ironically. He smoked like a freight train. On those quiet Saturday evenings with the other guys away, we'd sit out on the front porch of the cabin and talk the night away, and he would smoke one right after another. I told him my story about losing my brother, disappointing my father, and how that chance encounter with him at the A&W saved me from begging on the streets. "Nah, nothing's by chance, kid." That was another thing I learned about Clem. He was a man of faith. He actually believed in the 'big guy in the sky', and he attended the local church every Sunday. He asked if I wanted to join him, but I'm not too sure about the God thing. I'm not sure I can follow a God that would take out someone as good as my brother. I mean, he could've changed the world if he was given the chance to actually live in it. Clem never forced the issue. He just stated that the offer was always on the table if I ever decided I needed to examine it further.

On one such September night as we sat enjoying a cool breeze, I turned to Clem and asked, "So, Clem, now that I'm here I can understand not ever wanting to leave, but before you got the pleasure of my company what has kept you here all these many years?" After a quick 'harrumph' at my teasing, he calmly states, "The one thing that makes any man do crazy things." At my silence, he turns to look at me and seeing my dumb-founded expression he exclaims, "A woman for crying out loud!"

"A woman? But I haven't seen a . . ."

"It was all a very long time ago," Clem murmurs with his eyes, seeing back into the past.

"Well, I'm all ears, and the night is young if you care to tell it," I say and then take a long swig of ice water. He seems to have to think about it, whether it was worth bringing up an obviously painful memory. He takes his time pulling out a crumpled pack of cigarettes. He thumps one out onto his hand and then stuffs the pack back into his shirt pocket. With the cigarette pursed precariously between his lips, he strikes a match against the rocking chair. Cupping the flame between his calloused gnarled hands, he drawls on the cig until the end lights up a bright red. He quickly shakes out the match and flicks it out onto the dirt. After a long drag, he blows the smoke out thru his nostrils.

"I guess it's been about fifty years ago, now. Funny how it seems like just yesterday." At that, he turns to look at me. "I was right about your age when I, too, in need of a job came to this here farm, but back then, it was just barely getting started. It was under a different name then, 'Steward Tobacco Farm.' Old man Steward was something else; full of himself. I never met anyone as mean tempered as him. His nickname was 'Red,' cuz if ya were ever unlucky enough to tick him off, all you'd see was red. He'd beat ya to a pulp. He would. He was a hard man to work for, that's for sure."

"Then why did you stay? You mentioned a woman. Was it to provide for your wife or something?" I asked, confused.

"Patience, boy! You asked for the story, so let me tell it." I think Clem purposefully takes an extra slow drawl on his cigarette just to prove his point. I shake my head with a smirk and let him take his time. "Like I was saying, Red was hard to work for, but even harder to live with, I'd imagine. One day, he called all of us work hands together. He had a special announcement, he said. We all lined up and waited to see what it was he felt we were worthy enough to know. . . 'Well, boys, I got me some pretty good news. I've heard your complaints about the grub around here, so my good fortune just might be yours as well!' he said with a laugh. I'd never seen Red in such a jolly mood. It made me nervous, to say the least. I remember nearly jumping out of my skin when he suddenly turned his head and bellowed, 'Ellie! Get your pretty little behind out here!' My mouth dropped open at the sight of her. She looked like an angel straight from Heaven. She wore a white high collared long sleeved shirt tucked into a high-waisted, long brown skirt that hung down to her ankle boots. She had pale blond hair parted down the middle and pulled into a low bun, but it was her eyes that got me. She had the biggest blue eyes that stood out against her creamy white complexion. She smiled shyly at us and was quick to cast her gaze back down to the ground. 'This here, gentlemen is my newly wedded wife!' And as if to bring home his point, Red grabbed her roughly around the waist and kissed her right in front of us, a hard, demanding sort of kiss. I had to turn my face away sickened. Ya see, she was young enough to be Red's daughter. Right around my age at the time."

A dawning came over me as to who the 'woman' was Clem must have stayed for all these years. And at the pointed look he gave me, I knew my guess was right.

"When Red was done showing off, he slapped her hard across her bottom and told her to go on inside the house, and he'd be in soon to finish what he started. The poor girl was humiliated and quickly ran away with her face crimson. Red then turned back to us with a prideful smirk on his face. He just wanted us to see what we couldn't have to gloat. 'Back to work, boys! I need to go make sure Ellie gets settled in nice and fine.' And with that, he hitches up his pants on his bulging belly and stalks off toward the house. Needless to say, from that moment on, my mind was never far from what mean Ole Red was doing to that sweet young girl.

Red was right about one thing, though, the grub sure got better. Ellie was an exceptional cook. Mealtime was the highlight of the day. Ellie herself would bring out our rations. She hardly said a word, but her eyes spoke volumes. She was unhappy, desperately so. I knew Red beat her. I saw the bruises myself. One day, as she was bending down to grab the large basket she used to bring the food out to us, I heard her gasp. I looked up to see her grab at her side and almost stumble over in pain. In an instant, I was at her side, my arm around her waist holding her up. Our eyes met, and I was lost in the vision of her, engulfed in her sweet fragrance of soap and fresh baked bread. Two large tears rolled down her cheeks. A fierce protective anger rose up within me. I couldn't stand by and let him hurt her like this.

I gently picked her up and carried her to the main house. I felt her tense with every step from the pain. In my anger, I kicked open the door, not thinking about how the jolt would affect her. I felt her go limp in my arms. She had fainted. I placed her as gently as I could on the couch. I took my hand and brushed a stray silky blond strand of hair away from her angelic face. I knew in that moment I loved her. I would do anything for her. I quickly ran out of the house and to the barn. I saddled up a horse and took off towards town. I alerted the local physician to come see her. By the time we got back, she was awake.

The doctor informed her about my concern and asked if he could examine her. Ellie looked quickly from the doctor, to me, and back. She smiled kindly at Dr. Hammond and said, 'That won't be necessary, doctor. I simply fell the other day and hit my side against the table. Sometimes, I just forget and move too quickly, is all.' She then looks directly at me. 'Thank you for your concern. I am truly grateful.' She walks us both to the door. Once again, she thanks the doctor and adds, 'Red will be home soon. I'll be fine.' My eyes dart to hers, not understanding why she would allow him to get away with this. The doctor tips his hat to her and walks away toward his carriage. I shake my head and turn to go when she grabs my hand and squeezes. I jerk my eyes to hers, and we just look at each other in silence. I feel my heart speed up with uncertainty. Slowly, she slides her fingers out of my grasp, steps back, and quietly closes the door.

When I realized Clem wasn't going to say more, I burst out, "Well, what happened next?!" Clem shakes his head sadly and simply replies, "A bunch of selfish, stupid mistakes, I'm afraid. There's a reason God gave us the Ten Commandments . . . . but I had to learn the hard way."

"The Ten Commandments?" I say in confusion.

"What? Ya never heard of them?" Clem asks in astonishment.

"Yeah, I've HEARD of them. I'm just a little confused as to how they fit into the story, is all."

"Well, thou shalt not covet would be a fitting title to this here story, I'd say," Clem states with a sigh.

"But Clem, you were only trying to help her. I'd say what you did was honorable. Red is the villain, not you."

"It's the intentions of the heart that God judges, and unfortunately mine weren't as honorable as you'd like to think."

I could tell Clem was carrying a large weight of regret or shame. Whatever happened so long ago, he had not forgiven himself. I was quick to ponder why he still stuck around. After all, Red no longer was here or Ellie for that matter. I was about to give voice to my thoughts when Clem spoke first. "Well, that's enough storytelling for tonight." He eases out of the rocking chair with his old bones creaking and popping. My disappointment must have been plain on my face, for he gave me a gentle pat on my shoulder as he moved toward the door. "Maybe you can learn from my mistakes that way I can die in peace . . . that it wasn't all for not." I sat out on the porch for a while by myself trying to envision a young Clem pining for another man's wife and the irony of him describing her as angelic when she was the reason he fell out of God's good graces apparently.