“For now,” I said.
“So, what kind of deal you work out with Luke Sawyer?”
“Worked out a fifty-fifty partnership with him. He lets me use his tools, his shed, and his lumber, and I make the furniture his customers want.”
“You could’ve done it on your own, Paul. You ain’t needed no white man. Yo’ work good ’nough on its own self.”
“Wasn’t interested in putting what money I got into all the tools I’d need for making furniture. What I was interested in was someone to put up the tools for me and I could still be my own boss.”
“Yeah . . .” murmured Mitchell, “less this here Luke Sawyer see different.”
I shrugged. “It’s only for a short while anyway. You forgotten what I really want?”
“How I’m gonna forget? You been talkin’ ’bout the same ole thing ever since we left outa East Texas.”
I grinned wide. “Well, I found it.”
“Land?”
“Land. Same day we went our separate ways, I found it. I walked late that night and I was so tired, I didn’t give any thought to where I was. I saw what looked to be a safe place on a hillside and I just put down my head and went to sleep. But come the next morning, I woke to an amazement. Mitchell, I was sitting on the most beautiful spot of land I’ve ever seen. I can’t even begin to describe it to you, because words don’t hardly fit, but it had meadows and a virgin forest, and a pond too. When I saw it, I couldn’t believe it. I got up and walked all around the place. I can’t explain it, but that land just drew me to it, like I belonged there. Mitchell, it felt like home.”
Mitchell studied me across the workbench. “So, what you do ’bout it?”
“What do you think? Went to see if I could buy it.”
Mitchell scoffed. “From a white man?”
“What makes you think a white man owned it?”
Now Mitchell laughed. “’Cause a black man couldn’t afford land good as you describin’!”
I let Mitchell finish with his laughter, then said, “There’s something about that land, Mitchell. I mean to have it.”
“The man willin’ t’ sell?”
“Said he wasn’t . . . not right now anyway. But I figure I can wait.”
“Wait how long? A year? Ten? Waitin’ on a white man t’ let loose of his gold ain’t what I call right smart.”
“Well, maybe not,” I conceded, “but I’m thinking on maybe buying some other land and working it while I’m doing my waiting.”
“And what ’bout your woodworkin’?”
“Never intended to make a lifetime of it. You know that. I told Luke Sawyer the same when I struck my bargain with him. It’s land I want, not a carpentry shop.”
Mitchell nodded. “So when you ’spect t’ get this other land?” “Well, one thing I promised Luke Sawyer was a year’s work with him. I’ll need to live up to that, so I’ll wait awhile.”
“This Luke Sawyer, he a fair man?”
“Seems to be.”
“Don’t count on it.”
Mitchell again gave me that pointed look, and I understood. After all, Luke Sawyer was a white man, and even if he had been a man of color, there wouldn’t have been much trust as far as Mitchell and I were concerned. The two of us had learned long ago to trust only each other. “I get a piece of land,” I said, “you’re welcome to come in on it with me.”
Mitchell laughed again. “Told you before, Paul, I ain’t wantin’ t’ be no farmer. “’Sides, a man get hisself some land, he must be figurin’ t’ settle, get hisself a wife and younguns and tied down.” He shot a quzzical look at me. “You found yourself somebody?”
I shook my head. “Been too busy to look.”
“Seem, though, you given thought to it.”
“Won’t deny that,” I admitted. “I figure it’s time I settled.”
“What you doin’ wit’ your free time? You seeing any young ladies?”
“You know I don’t have time to court.”
“Well, anybody courting you?”
I smiled.
“So—who is she?” demanded Mitchell.
“Well, there’ve been one or two young ladies who’ve invited me to supper.”
“Least that’s something,” said Mitchell. “You go?”
“Too busy.”
Mitchell grunted.
“But what about you?” I asked. “I know you must be seeing somebody. You always are.”
“Yeah . . . but they all just the same to me. Course, I did meet myself a couple of real nice girls, pretty too, a week or so back. They come to the camp with their mama, but I ain’t tried to court ’em or nothin’.”