Ten
Keith
Asa sat on the quad not saying a word until Noah came flying around the corner of the barn with crazy eyes and a big smile, on two wheels in what had to be an antique jeep. He slid to a stop in front of us while Asa shook his head and put the quad in gear.
“You got everything?” Asa asked and Noah patted something in the back.
“I got it.”
“Well then, let’s go,” Asa said and took off down the dirt road.
Noah gripped the wheel and bounced back and forth in the seat. “Get in, come on, we gotta go,” he yelled. Bart climbed in the back while I sat in the front and as soon as my ass hit the seat Noah stomped on the gas.
“What the fuck, dude,” Bart said, but when I turned to look at him his eyes were full of excitement as the wind whipped his hair all over the place and he clung to the rollbar for dear life.
Noah caught up to Asa and followed him down another dirt road that led to a small pasture that held four cows lying under a grove of trees in one corner next to a small irrigation ditch.
“There he is,” Asa yelled and opened the gate for us to drive into the field.
We drove over to where the cows were and not one of them gave us any notice.
They were definitely retired with no worry of having to do anything but enjoy the day.
Noah drove right up to the edge of the shallow ditch and there he was on the other side.
Big as a truck tire and squatted down looking at the three of us with a look that said he wasn’t going to make any of this easy.
“What the fuck is that doing here?” I asked.
“He’s from the place next door. Likes to go for a little walk now and then,” Asa explained while Noah took out a few boards and put them over the shallow ditch making a sturdy bridge for the giant reptile.
“Now what?” Bart asked.
“Now we wait for him to decide it’s time to go home. I mean unless you all want to try to move him,” Asa said as he crossed his arms and ran his fingers over the moustache he’d recently grown.
“I’m good,” Bart said and the four of us sat and watched him to see what he’d do.
At first, he didn’t move. “I’d swear he’s watching us,” I whispered.
“Oh, he is. You don’t live that long without learning a thing or two. He’s deciding if he can make it down the ditch and back where he came from before we can drive him home.”
“Drive him home?” Bart and I both yelled.
“Yep, once he’s over here, we put him on the rubber mat then slide him up the boards to the back of the jeep. Don’t you dare tell anyone at the rescue that. He seems to like it but I’m sure they wouldn’t agree,” Asa said.
Just then the tortoise stood, because there was no way this was a turtle, and walked across the bridge like it was something he did every day and right over to the jeep before plopping down on the rubber mat Noah had laid out.
“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself,” I said, still not sure exactly how they’d somehow trained that tortoise to get on the mat.
“He knows he’ll get a reward,” Asa said.
“This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen,” Bart said, still staring at the tortoise who hadn’t moved from the mat.
“Okay, drop the tailgate and line up the boards,” Asa directed before walking over to where the huge tortoise waited patiently. “Don’t worry, JW, we’ll get you home safely.” He patted the big head with his gloved hand.
“JW?” Bart asked.
“John Wayne,” Asa said like it was a perfectly normal. “Hook that tow rope to the loop at the end of the mat.”
“You actually made a lift for him?” I said and was both amazed and shocked that he’d go to so much trouble.
“Well of course. He just likes to come over and nibble a few blackberry leaves now and then. Doesn’t do any harm and the cows are used to him. Isn’t that right, JW?” he said with another pat. “Hook that line on the wench up front, it’ll pull him right up.”
“Are you serious?” I looked at the rubber mat, and then at the tortoise who looked at me as if to ask what the hell was taking so long. Noah pulled the wench cable out and attached the hook to the loop on the rubber mat then proceeded to slowly pull him right up into the back of the jeep.
“I can’t believe I’m seeing what I’m seeing,” Bart said from my side.
“You and me both.” I looked at him and the two of us started laughing while also making sure that JW was safely lifted into place.
“Noah, you come with me and we’ll go drop him off to Kendall,” Asa said before making sure JW was secure and driving off slowly in the jeep with Noah in the passenger seat.
“Who’s Kendall?” Bart asked me as we stood there watching them drive away.
“Hot fireman,” I said before I had time to think about it.
“There’re hot firemen in town?” he asked and turned to face me.
“A few of them actually.”
“Guess I need to get out more. Ready to finish trimming? The girls probably think we’ve deserted them.” He turned to walk to the quad while I stood there wondering when the lost city kid had gotten so full of country. And now I was even more excited to go out on Friday.
“You’ve changed a lot since you’ve been here,” I finally managed to say as I followed him.
“Maybe I was always this way, but it took moving here for me to realize.” He climbed on and started it before nodding to me to get on the back.
“Maybe it’s all the clean air and hard work.” My lips were so close to his ear I could feel his hair brush my face, but when I took ahold of his hips it wasn’t nearly close enough and I hated knowing the ride would be over far too soon.