She looked around and then had a seat in my easy chair. I sat down on the only other chair which was a folding picnic chair. Jeanette opened with, “Mike, I can’t believe how much you spent today.”
I knew where this was going and also knew there was no use arguing about it. “Ray and I did the best we could,” I said.
“That may well be,” she said, “but I was still shocked.”
“Some of the stuff we can sell after we’re done with it like the jackhammers, compressors, and water tank,” I pointed out. “Anyway, I guess you have to spend money to make money.”
Jeanette received my homily with something less than enthusiasm. “That’s bullshit,” she said, but added, “I know where you’re coming from. I hope you didn’t offer to pay those brothers.”
“No, but if Pick thinks he needs them, I guess we’ll have to feed them,” I said, adding, “we’ll go into Jericho tomorrow to get the food.”
“No, I’ll do that. You and Ray need to get that equipment out to Blackie Butte. Use Bob and my John Deere. Be careful with both, you hear?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“But you don’t need to keep Bob out there. Bring him back, you and Ray, and take the four-wheelers.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Jeanette had her hands on her knees and her fingers were tapping a tune on them. “Wonder what Bill would think about all this?”
“He would have never let Pick cross your land,” I pointed out. “So he wouldn’t have had to deal with it.”
Her tapping stopped. “You’re right, Mike. Bill would have kicked Pick off the ranch so fast his head would’ve spun right off his neck. I’ve really opened us up to something, haven’t I?”
“Yes you have,” I answered. “But I don’t guess there’s any reason to beat yourself up over it.”
She didn’t take my comment well. “You should have spoke up, Mike. Instead, you acted like a little school boy with all his talk about dinosaurs. I could have used better advice.”
“I don’t recall you asking my advice.”
“Well, that’s a given.”
I started to defend myself, but my better angels said to let it go. “I’ll try to do better.”
This made her smile, which, of course, I was glad to see. “I swear, Mike, you tell me to go piss down my leg with fewer words than any man I’ve ever known.” She got up. “Well, you need your sleep and so do I.”
“Sure you won’t stay for a drink?” I boldly asked. “I was so tired when I got back, I forgot to have one.”
She hesitated, looked me in the eye, then said, “It’s best to keep my head clear around you, I think.”
I wondered what the hell that meant but before I could ask, the screen door was slapping behind her and she was gone into the night. I sat there for a little while, then went back to bed, there to dream not of Jeanette but of Blackie Butte. I saw Pick, Laura, and Tanya climbing up and down it, carrying big bones in their arms. They were giving them to somebody but I couldn’t see who it was. I also heard the low, guttural engine noises that had interrupted my sleep out there. That woke me up and I listened carefully but heard nothing but the hum of my window air conditioner, which soon lulled me back to sleep. I had no more dreams, at least none that I recall.
16
Ray and I were greeted with enthusiasm by Pick, his ladies, and Amelia as we rolled into camp early the next morning. Laura and Tanya, especially, were like kids on Christmas morning going through all the equipment we’d brought from Miles City and Billings. “These are great jackhammers!” Laura cried, practically swooning at the sight of the heavy, dirty things. “And look at these compressors. Woo-hoo!”
How many women in the world get excited about heavy construction equipment? If they only knew, it is nearly a direct path to a man’s heart.
Tanya loved the water tank. “Where did you find this, Mike?” she bubbled. “I have never seen such a lovely tank before!”
“Got something else for you, too, darling,” I said in my most manly tone. “Got your name on it. Look in the back of Bob. That would be the truck.”
She looked, saw the cardboard box with her name on it, climbed in, opened it, and yelped in almost orgasmic ecstasy. “Vodka! Oh, Grey Goose! A dozen bottles!”
“There’s tonic in that other box,” I said, hoping to hear another orgasmic cry.
Instead, Tanya jumped down from Bob and gave me a big hug and a kiss on the lips. My knees went a bit wobbly. Before I could respond, Laura came running over. “Tanya, they bought brand new chisels! Hardened steel! Come see!” and together these two dream gals went scampering off to look at tools.