Six
Keith
The next day was my day off, so I puttered around my house and tried to force myself to relax.
Something that had never been easy for me.
I lived in a small house on the outer edge of Foggy Basin where I had more privacy than being on one of the main streets of the small town, but I still had neighbors and some of them apparently needed me as their entertainment.
I looked through my living room window as my neighbor Hank Royer made his way across the street to my door.
“Hey, Keith, what’s on the agenda for today,” he said through the screen door while I made a mental note to change that screen door to a steel security door.
Not that it would keep him out but at least he’d have a harder time with it.
Hank was older than me but younger than Asa.
He was a good guy and I didn’t mind—much.
“Hey, Hank, just kicking back trying to relax,” I said and made no move to get out of the recliner I was forcing myself to sit in. Relaxing was hard work when you weren’t used to sitting still.
“You gonna be doing any metal work today?” Hank squinted his eyes and shielded them from the late afternoon sun before moving closer to the screen door.
He’d worked hard his whole life as a truck driver and was now officially retired.
But he was much like me in the way that he didn’t take to sitting around doing nothing.
I folded my arms and crossed my legs and finally looked at him there with his hands framing his face that was smashed as close to the screen as he could get it. “I might be persuaded.”
I was mostly a hoof trimmer, but I was also a farrier and made shoes for many horses, and through the years I started to enjoy pounding hot metal into a shape.
Now I made lots of things that some said were art, while others thought were just cool to look at.
I didn’t care either way as long as I got to keep making random things and made enough money to make more.
I gave up with a huff and pushed the footrest down on the chair.
“Well, come on in. I’m gonna have another cup of coffee first. I have some new designs I want to try. ”
“More art?” he asked. I knew it wasn’t his thing he loved to watch me work.
“I saw some meat forks that were made with a curl of metal at the tip and used an antler for a handle.”
His eyes lit up in excitement. Two things Hank loved were watching me work with metal and barbecue. “Is that why you brought those old antlers home? I was wondering about that,” he said.
“I think I’ll try making utensils, it might be fun for a change.”
“What’s that now?” he asked.
“I’m going to try a few new things. I’ve been watching videos of knife makers, so I might give that a go,” I explained and after pouring another cup of coffee, I led him out to the small shed that held everything I needed to work the scrap metal I collected as I found it.
Most of the farms I serviced had their share they were happy to get rid of.
“Well, that sounds exciting, so what will you try first?” he asked as I fired up my forge and chose a few pieces of metal.
“First, I have a few horseshoes I need to get ready for clients this week, but then I think I’ll use these rods to make a meat turner.
Those should be quick, then I’ll see if I can’t get a start on a knife of some sort.
” I gathered the materials I’d need for the shoes.
They were pre-made but needed some shaping, and since this was a regular job, I knew exactly what was needed.
I took out the templates I had for each one and put the first shoe in the forge to heat it enough to be pliable.
“Were you at Asa’s this week?”
“Yeah, he’s got his nephew there visiting.” I poked at the horseshoe and moved it around. Not that it made any difference but because it made me feel like I was speeding up the process.
“I didn’t know he had a nephew. Rumor has it he’s looking to sell,” Hank said and took a seat on the stool I’d set out for him months ago.
I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to say, not like I knew much, but I had a feeling there was more to his nephew’s visit than even he realized. “I heard that too, but Asa loves that farm, and I don’t think he’s ready to sell.”
“Maybe his nephew can help him run it,” Hank said before I burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“Asa threw him right into it. As soon as he got there Asa had him milking and helping with anything he could think of to keep him busy.” I hadn’t meant to laugh but seeing Bart under that poor cow trying to figure it out had been hilarious. “He’s never worked on a farm before.”
“Oh no. I bet he saw things he now wishes he could forget,” Hank said and crossed his arms as he relaxed.
“And smells, don’t forget the smells.”
“Oh boy, that guy got a lot of experience the first day.”
“Yeah, he did. But he didn’t run. He looked determined to stay.
” That was the part that got me. Bart was obviously out of his element, but he never once looked like he was ready to get in his car and leave.
If anything, he was more determined by every new experience to get through it and see what he’d learn from it.
“Sounds like a good man.”
“I think so too, but I guess I’ll find out the next time I see Asa. Now, did you want to try to shape one of these shoes?” Hank had never tried to do any of the metalworking, but it was more and more obvious he really wanted to.
“Are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.” I handed him an apron and stood back.