The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-12-03
I'm not going" she said.

| well, 1Oi heaven SdhC'
What's the matter? We got this
party up for you, practically"
you'd have a nice time, Ad-
die" her mother suggested.
II told you - I'm not going
really. I've come home with the
milkman and met the rooster al
the gate every morning this week
I'm tired. I want to read a good
book"
ooh, I see," said Ferguson, mas
I tily. cts a book"
LET her alone" doomed Har-
vey. "You all act as if a girl had
! gone screwy because she wants to
stay with her folks once in a
while"
ooh, I see-her folks!" snapped
Grace. "Well, come along, little
boys. They don't want us here"
Have a pleasant evening-with
your book!" said Bob Ferguson
meaningly, as they went out.
Gary ate the steak and huge
mound of potatoes and a slab OF
pie. He was so happy he was a
little drunk though he knew how
brief this happiness was, and how
soon it would be ended. But he
had tonight.
They played dominoes, because
Gary could play with one hand
The white spots on the blocks
danced a little in front Of Gary's
eyes, and Harvey yelled, Hey
you can't put a four on five"
And Gary muttered, my err
ror," and dragged his eyes back
to the table.
Adelaide said, Mother, in the
morning I'm going to take Gary
out in the sun. He's as pale as
talloW."
81 need these whiskers off,
worse than anything"
"Pn shave you. I'll bet can
with Dads razor.
You'd cut his ear off," Harvey
swept the dominoes into a heap.
ooh, my word-he won again.
Mona Lee hummed happily. It
was so nice, having Adelaide at
home for an evening. Not having
to lie awake, stiff with maternal
dread, listening for car that did
not come. And little Phil would
have looked like this boy. Odd
that Harvey couldn't see it. Too
bad Gary would have to be 60
ing, just when they were getting
Harvey-but no, that wouldn't
to like him so much. Maybe
do.
The week went by so quickly.
He drove out in Adelaide's little
car and kept from wincing when
she passed trucks in ticklish plac-
es or swung around a meandering
cow.
They talked endlessly. She
liked to hear about the queer
ports he had seen.
"You've seen so much, Gary
and I haven't seen anything"
She deplored the fact that she
hadn't any ambition. She'd new
er wanted to be an actress or
write a book or anything. "I'm
the one clod left in a restless
world. And the awful part is that
I like it.
"They built America on the
clods-and nobody ever built
anything yet based on a rolling
stone"
"I'm glad you don't think I'm
a total loss"
II think you're swell."N Gary
fretted against the things he dar-
ed not say.
And then there were only two
days left, and on that morning
Gary and Adelaide walked across
the fields and into an eroded
canyon, wher a little wet-weath-
er stream wandered. They sat
down to rest on a boulder and
tossed bits Of rock into the wa
ter. Gary crumbled a soft frag-
ment in his hands and was idly
brushing the dust from his
palms when he jerked erect sud-
denly, staring at it, and then bent
quickly and began picking up
other pieces, looking at them
keenly.
What is it," Adelaide asked.
He did not answer, but went
scrambling up the side Of the
canyon, digging with a jagged
stick at the low outcropping.
When he came down.: his face was
set and intent. HAS your father
ever had geologist out here?"
he asked.
"Not that I know of. Why?"
I'm not sure-1 haven't had
enough experience to be sure
but I'd like to check this area on
a geophysical map"
"Gary-you mean oil? You
think there's oil-on our land?"