Last Spring

Chapter One

It was springtime not long before summer when I was working for Mister Travis Lee on his corn field. My job was to ride the tractor through the fields collecting corn cobs.

Early spring wasn't supposed to be hot, but it was, I was sweat'n like a hog cookin' in a frying pan! The sun was scorching down on Wetumpka. The most redneck town in Alabama. Due to the heat, I decided to look for some water.

I turned the key of the tractor and set it off. Getting off, I set foot on the field and started walking towards the fence. I jumped over and walked through the small clearing through the woods looking for some kind of form of water.

I soon found a small pond and jumped in with the hoppin' frogs and slitherin' snakes. The water was brackish with a thin layer of green algae floating at the top. I didn't realize before I jumped in that I was wearing my clothes, and I knew I couldn't go back to Mister Travis Lee's farm soaking wet. I had to find a way to dry off.

I wrung out my clothes, then started off back to my boss's farm. When I was walking I began to think how his farm could be a lot of fun, if there were a bunch of workers and animals on the loose. Maybe that can happen today.

When I got back to the fence, I made sure no one was looking. I jumped over, not even breaking a sweat and went straight to the barn where my friend Beckett Abner was working. His job was to take care of the barn and animals.

"Howdy Abner!" I say.

Abner tipped his hat back to me as a greeting. Then I slapped him on the back.

"What are ya doing?" I ask.

"Mucking this cow's stall, how about you Jon Smith?" Beckett Abner asked.

"Well you know... I'm watching you muck this stall, which reeks with poop." I say. "You know something Abner, this Mister Travis Lee guy is not that much fun. And today is the day I'm gonna show him what fun is!"

"Naw, I don't think that is such a good idea." Abner told is buddy.

"Well, I don't really care what ya think or what anyone thinks. I am a one man band. Abner! Where is old Betsy!" I say.

"She is out there grazing the fields, why?" Asked Abner.

"No reason..." I mumble.

The next moment Abner heard silence and that was because his friend wasn't around. Beckett Abner looked on the side of the barn and caught a glimpse of Jon riding on the back of old Betsy.

Betsy was buckin' like an angry bull. I was surprisingly hanging on. The cow's moo was so loud that it woke up Mister Travis Lee from his afternoon nap.

I fell off after a few more bucks, and decided to go cow tipping. There were many sleeping cows out on the field. I gently and walked up behind one of the calves and jumped by them and screamed Wahoo! Right by the things ear. That baby cow got up so fast. The thing mooed so loud and started trembling with fear.

I did it to many cows but was stopped by Mister Travis Lee, who had his foot tapping on the ground and his hat narrowed down by his eyes. What did the fat man in a plaid shirt and overalls want now.

"Jon Smith! What do you think your doing! Scaring these cows. Now because they are so scared, they are to afraid to ever give milk again." Travis Lee yelled. "Because of your actions, I am firing you and you are to be sent off down the road on your donkey!"

I just moped. I didn't know what to say. Why was he so mad at me? They were just cows! You know how hard it is to find a job out here in Wetumpka?"

I went to the barn and told Abner goodbye. "Hey man, why didn't you try and stop me from cow tipping?" I asked.

"I don't know. I didn't know you were gonna get in trouble. I thought you weren't even gonna do it." Abner said.

"Well I did!" I told him. I grabbed my saddle and saddle bag and headed to the stall where we held our animals.

I saw my donkey in the back and put the saddle on him. Then I strapped the saddle bag in and we headed out. He bucked a few times then stopped when he realized I wasn't gonna get off.

When my donkey and I were on the dirt road. I began to worry... where was I to go? I had no home. My home was there at the boarding houses Mister Travis Lee had provided on his farm. What was I gonna do?