Travis and Bill Find a Solution
Sometimes life comes bearing down on a man and he has to fly…somewhere away. This land that now bears my brand will have to bear my ignorance as well. Sometimes I realize just how much it is I don’t know about people and cattle. Oh the cattle will be taken care of I got a man for that but still I feel like I ought to know what I own…what’s mine and what ain’t mine.
What is mine I can read about it, slips of paper deeds and bills. What ain’t mine is harder to put my hand on. What I thought was mine isn’t…exactly. I got a woman that loves me or says she does and God knows I love her…I believe she does…love me. I don’t understand how if you care that much…how could she leave. For the life of me I can’t see it.
Maybe I asked too much of her…it’s a different life out here but I would make it easy for her. She’d never have to lift a finger…it could happen…we could be happy. I know I’m not without her somehow I got to find a way to her cause I already figured out I’m not much good alone.
Ah hell, I know what the problem is…I just don’t know how to fix it.
Travis had ridden his horse to the highest point on his land and spent a while there before riding back down to the valley and the pastures he came to the old farmhouse now falling down except for the chimney that still stood proud defying the elements and years. He got off his horse and walked through the debris of ages and rested his hand on the chimney. A narrow dirt road led from here to the new station house that had been built ten years ago. This old place was part of the original farm he’d wanted to keep it standing or what was left of it now he wasn’t so sure. He turned at the sound of a vehicle approaching, it was his Dad with Tee.
"Hey Travis, I’ve been wondering where you got to." Bill McGee said walking over to his son.
"I had some thinking to do Dad."
"Anything I can help with?"
"Hey Tee you be careful in there, it’s likely to fall on your head boy," Travis called out. "I got a problem with Jan Dad. I want her here with me she don’t want to stay."
"I don’t believe that’s so Travis. I believe she does want to stay. She told me she loved the place."
"Well why the hell did she leave…maybe it’s me." Travis took off his hat and ran his hand though his hair and set it back on his head.
Bill kicked the bricks laying in the yard, "no it ain’t you son it’s your Mama…you know it as well as I do. I’ll tell you something Travis, your Mama ain’t happy either. She said the other night this wasn’t her house, her people…she don’t feel at home in that house…I’m sorry but it’s so."
"She want to go back to Sydney?"
"I don’t think so…hasn’t mentioned it."
Travis kicked a few bricks too, "she want a house of her own?"
"I think so Travis one she can call her own with her own things around her. I appreciate what you’re trying to do for us and it ain’t like…"
"How about right here…tear this place down…build what you and Mom want. We can do that Dad I don’t want anybody to be unhappy…least of all me. What have you got there Tee?"
"Uncle Travis look it’s an old truck toy can I keep it?" asked Tee bringing his find over to his Uncle.
"Sure you can, I don’t know what you’d want with it." Travis watched Tee run off to see what else he could find.
"I’ll talk to your Mama about it Travis…might just be the answer for all of us." Bill raised a brow.
"Anything Dad…whatever she wants…she’s got."
Bill nodded his head and hoped Sarah would go for it he’d always liked where this old farmhouse sat, nice view and far enough away from the main house to be totally separate. He wanted Sarah happy too; made his life a lot easier. He thought he owed it to Travis so he could have his own life.
